How to Stock The Perfect Pantry

I came across this article and thought it may be helpful in organizing your pantry.  The Perfect Pantry

Chicken Tortilla Soup

3-tablespoons olive oil
1-cup onion,chopped
3-teaspoons chopped garlic
1 large poblano pepper,seeded and chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers,seeded and chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2- teaspoon ground coriander
1-14oz can Fire Roasted tomatoes,chopped
6 -cups chicken broth
1-lb cooked,chopped or shredded chicken (I use rotisserie chicken)
1/4-cup chopped cilantro
2-teaspoons fresh lime juice
1-teaspoon cajun seasoning (Tony's)
1-avocado,peeled and chopped (optional)

Chipotle Crema (recipe below)

In a dutch oven or large heavy pot,heat oil on medium.  Add onions,garlic,peppers, salt,cumin, cajun seasoning and coriander and cook for 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes and cook stirring for 1 minute.  Add chicken stock or broth and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes.  Add chicken and simmer 5 minutes.    Add cilantro and lime juice stirring well.  Remove from heat.

Chipotle Crema(optional)

1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon chopped chipotle peppers in Adobo Sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients in blender ...processing on high speed until smooth

The Best Pound Cake

1-1/2 cups butter
1(8ounce) package cream cheese
3 cups white sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract(I use vanilla instead...preference)
6 eggs
3 cups Cake flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.   Grease and flour( I highly recommend
 parchment paper)

1 Tube pan or two loaf pans

Have eggs, cream cheese and butter at room temp.

Cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts
Add  the flour and the eggs alternately, beginning and ending with the flour.  Pour batter into the prepared pan.  

Bake at 325  for 1 hour and 15 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Baby Spinach Salad

6 cups baby spinach (pre-wash bag)

1 can Mandarin oranges, drained

2 tablespoons almonds

4 tablespoons vidalia onion dressing or Newman's own Vinaigratte

   Toss Salad together...add dressing just before serving!

Cheeseburger Meatloaf

14x8 inch rectangle pan lined with Bacon strips
2 lbs of lean ground Beef
3/4  cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper or more depending on your preference.
garlic powder (optional)
3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl  beef and next 7 ingredients~mixing well
Spread half of mixture in lined pan with bacon.
Add cheese on top of first layer.
Place remaining beef mixture on top of cheese layer and pinch sides of top and bottom layer of beef together.

Bake for 1 hour and  enjoy!!

Not so Fried Baked Chicken

Place chicken pieces in milk for 20-30 minutes  before baking.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees  and cut 1/2 stick of butter in pieces and place in a 13/9 in casserole dish and melt in oven.
Shake excess milk off chicken and coat in seasoning mix.  Place in buttered pan and cook 20 minutes , turn each piece and continue cooking for 20 more minutes.

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon Season all
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons paprika

Cinnamon Rolls

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 cups bread flour
1/3 cup melted butter (filling)
3/4 cup brown sugar (filling)
1 tablespoon cinnamon (filling)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (filling)

Using a stand mixer...combine brown sugar and butter beating until smooth.   Add eggs one at a time..beat until incorporated.    In a saucepan combine milk and water..heat until lukewarm  and add to  egg mixture or batter.
Add cinnamon, salt and yeast mixing together with paddle attachment.    Replace paddle attachment with dough hook.  Add in two cups of flour and knead .   Continue to add 1 cup of flour at a time until dough pulls from sides of bowl.

Place dough on counter and knead 9-10 minutes adding flour as needed to keep dough from being sticky.   Dough should be soft and smooth.    Place dough in a greased bowl,,turning to coat and let rest until double in bulk.   In the meantime, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling in a small bowl.

Place the risen dough on counter and roll out into a   12x18 in  rectangle. Spread melted butter for the filling over dough and sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over butter as even as possible.  Fold over shorter sides 1 inch in and roll in a jelly-roll shape, pinching seams closed.    Cut into 12 pieces with a very sharp  knife.  Place cut rolls on greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Cover and let rest 30 min...until slightly puffy.   Preheat oven to 350 and bake 20-30min or until browned.

Shrimp and Wild Rice Casserole

1- 10 3/4  ounce can cream mushroom soup
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green poblano pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1-lb medium shrimp, peeled and divined
1 package wild rice
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper  to taste


Cook rice according to package directions minus 1/4 cup water.  Let cool.


Bring 2 cups water and 1/2 tablespoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan and cook the shrimp for 1 minute. Drain immediately and set aside.  (  I USE frozen shrimp that I have thawed and omit this portion of recipe)


Saute onion and pepper in butter until tender...5-7 min.


Preheat oven to 325


In a large bowl combine rice,soup,1 1/2 cups cheese, shrimp and vegetables.    Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well.      Spray a medium casserole dish with Pam and top with remaining cheese.  Bake for 30 min. or until bubbly.


This recipe can be made using white or brown rice and you made add what ever seasonings you like.

Natalie's favorite Sweet potato Pie

1/4 cup of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
3 eggs
1/3 cup white sugar
1 cup milk  (depending on  richness should determine what milk you use)   I like half and half
1/3 cup dark Karo
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 inch piece vanilla bean, scraped(use seeds only)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix all ingredients in mixing bowl and Pour into pastry shell.     Preheat oven to 425  cook pie at this temp for 10 min...then lower oven temp to  325 and continue cooking for   35-40 min or until set in middle.

Pecan Pie

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup melted butter

3/4 cup corn syrup ( I mix light and dark)

1 cup pecans

Beat first 6 ingredients.  Mix in pecans. Pour in pastry lined pie pan 8 or 9 in~  Bake 350 45-50 minutes

Homemade Pie Crust

This recipe easily makes 2 (nine inch) crust

12 tablespoons frozen unsalted butter
3 cups cold all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup frozen crisco
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Dice butter and shortening and  return it to the refridge.   Place flour,salt and sugar in the food  processor bowl with steel blade.   Pulse a few times.  Add butter and shortening, pulse 9-12 times until the butter is size of  peas.  Continue to pulse while slowly pouring ice water in the feed tube.  Pulse until dough begins to form a ball.  Place on floured surface and roll into a ball.   Divide in two and   Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to several days.        Roll each disc on well floured surface in a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it does not stick to surface.     place in pie pan making sure you do not stretch the dough as you fit it into the pan.....flute edges.    This recipe is great for pecan and sweet potato pies!!

Momma's Best Biscuits

2 cups self-rising flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick Butter
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425. In large mixing bowl, mix sifted or fluffed with a spoon flour,sugar and salt together.   Add butter and cut it into flour until it is the size of a peas.      Make a well in the middle of bowl and add milk. Mix with your hand or fork until dough forms.    Put on floured surface and lightly knead.   I use my hand to form to desired thickness and then cut out with biscuit cutter, careful to not twist while I cut out biscuits.  You may brush with melted butter before placing in the oven but I do this after they are baked.  Bake about 15-20 or until browned.