10 Must Have Items – Guest Post: Martha Chartreuse

Happy post Thanksgiving everyone! I enjoyed a surprisingly traditional and delicious Thanksgiving meal from an awesome restaurant, Stacked in Koh Samui. Talk about an international holiday – an American meal made by Thai chefs in an Australian owned restaurant! But it was really good food and nice to get a little bit of “home” while beign away.

Hope you all had a great holiday as well!

We are now in Vietnam, joining a tour group today to Ha Long Bay for two nights, then we all go on a weeklong journey down the coast. We will be trekking, biking, motorscootering, seeing the DMZ, staying in a homestay, and all sorts of other adventures along the way until we make it to Hoi An! Fingers crossed the weather clears up – a typhoon just hit that area! Eeks!

Today you get a guest post from one of my favorite people, Meredith who I met at that blogger brunch hosted by Rachel (who did this guest post) and Jane (who wrote this one!) in the spring. I can’t believe I have only known her a few months! Meredith is a blast and has impeccable taste. I know you’ll love her post – and her blog in general.

Enjoy!

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Hello, Bakery Bingo Babes!!!

I am Meredith and blog over at Martha Chartreuse! As a lover of entertaining, beautiful meals and cooking, it is no surprise that my definition of a “pantry basics” go far beyond the typical ‘bread, milk, eggs’ you may be thinking of. I wanted to share my must-haves for entertaining, home cooking and last minute meals.

10 Must Have Pantry + Fridge Items

{Olives for impromptu entertaining}

Castelvetrano Olives —These bright green delights are by far my favorite antipasti addition. Unlike most olives, these are not cured. It is because of that, I have convinced myself they are the ‘healthy’ option! I love having these to snack on in the afternoon, serve with dinner, or throwing together a last minute cheese platter.

Tortilla Shells – Tortilla shells are one of the few ingredients that can be used for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. A turkey roll? Check! Alongside scrambled eggs? Of course! Easy home-made tortilla chips?? Of course!

{Last Minute Chocolate Chunk Brownies}

Chocolate Chunks – Every time I go to Trader Joe’s I grab a bag of chocolate chunks. They are not only affordable {$1.99} but far superior to chocolate chips, in my opinion. These are great for having around for 10pm chocolate chip cookie cravings, last-minute dinner invitation brownies, and, for snacking. Always, for snacking.

Under $10 Red Wine – Since wine has a tendency to get sipped up really fast, I always like to keep several bottles on hand. Most of these are reds with the occasional white wine option. Since my wine knowledge is limited, I like to keep my Tuesday night sips under $10. I am a huge fan of Oregon’s own Underwood Pinot Noir.

{A yummy salad using shredded chicken from a roast chicken}

A Roasting Chicken – Whether it is in my freezer or picked up on my weekly grocery run, I always have a roasting chicken on hand. My go-to recipe is Thomas Keller’s French Laundry Roast Chicken. This is fool-proof. Whether you are entertaining or need to stretch Sunday Supper into a variety of meals throughout the week- this will never fail you.

Canned Garbanzo Beans – While many cooks frown upon canned beans, I have been saved by garbanzo beans on more than one occasion. They are great in pasta, salads and mashed up for faux-fritters. When I am needing a salty, sweet and crunch treat, I’ll toss the beans with olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and salt. Baking them at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

{Miso Paiche Salad with Lemon}

Lemons – No matter what time of year it is, I always have a bag of lemons on hand. These are great in tea, water, dressings, soups, pastas, etc. Lemons also jazz up just about any protein—chicken, salmon, even pork. It is a healthy and tasty solution when jazzing up any meal. Also, hollandaise sauce. Always be ready to make hollandaise sauce.

{Pasta with Parmesan! And Lemons! And, Broth!}

Parmesan Cheese – Every few weeks I pick up a healthy wedge of rind-on parmesan cheese. This multi-purpose cheese can be used in a recipe or served on any last minute cheese board. I love grating parm over pasta, using it in risotto, or, on my eggs in the morning. Once I have used up the cheese, I freeze the rinds and eventually make a parmesan brood.

Chicken Broth – As a soup loving, risotto craving, braising fanatic, chicken broth is always on hand. Whether I am making soup or cooking a pot of rice, broth is always involved. It adds so much flavor! I am a big fan of the boxed containers of broth that can be resealed.

{Pizza with a Drizzle of Honey}

Honey – Honey is another ingredient that carries a lot of flavor and has the ability to transform basic dishes into crave-worthy recipes. The rich, sweet flavor can jazz up a cup of coffee, or, off-set carrots with flakes of sea salt. Drizzling honey on French omelets and pizza is the best advice you will get today. Trust me!!