I have six key ingredients that I use in all of my basic, day-to-day baking: flour, baking powder, salt, oil, milk and eggs. These six essentials, when put together in different proportions, allow me to create delicious, easy to make main and side dishes for very little money.
A lot of milk (and water), with a medium amount of flour, a tablespoon of baking powder, some oil and an egg? Delicious crepes, to stuff with ham, cheese and spinach. (Or lemon, butter and sugar as an after-dinner treat).
Very little liquid, lots of flour and a heaping tablespoon of baking powder (with the other ingredients in proportion)? Fluffy baking powder biscuits, to serve with soup or chili on a cold winter night.
Equal amounts flour and sugar, one half of that amount of milk, half of that of oil, an egg and a tablespoon of baking powder (plus seasonings to taste)? A delicious busy-day cake that I like to whip up for snacks, as a base for banana bread or even for birthday cakes.
What are your go-to ingredients when cooking?
PS: Admit it! How many of you had to go back and reread the title of the post?
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{ 10 comments }
I was going to comment, but I realized I was going to end up way more than just a comment. I’ll answer your question in a blog post instead 🙂
Don’t forget to link back to this post- then there will automatically be a link included to your post so we’ll all be able to find it!
No worries, I made sure to do that 🙂
Every now and then I make bread or dough for pizza. That’s about as far as it goes.
I do appliance repair and I can work magic with only a few tools. I’m sure someone like you could teach me a lot of baking skills with only those few items.
That is what I love with someone who knows what they are doing. For me, looking at you being able to do all these things with a few items is genius.
Pizza dough and hobnob biscuits are my most regulary baked items, I need to get back into bread making as this has been near non-existant since I had my little boy! Stacey x
I always like to have flour, eggs, butter and milk in the house, I also love to have pasta 🙂
i’ll take your six and add butter and cheese. amazing what you can do with a few basics!
I remember a time when I made lots of waffles. Basic ingredients listed in this post but used whole wheat flour (or buckwheat flour). Yum.
Cathy
Milk is something I rarely have on-hand but have learned how to substitute pretty well. For example, you can directly substitute beer for milk in any pancake recipe. Also, I always keep a stash of powdered milk in the cupboard because for some things in baking, it can be substituted successfully. I have even used powdered milk to make frosting and there was not a noticeable difference in taste or consistency.
I would add frozen vegetables to this list. Broccoli and spinach can be added to any rice, pasta or egg dish as long with being individual sides themselves.
My staples tend to be onion, garlic, canned tomatoes, ground beef, cooked and diced chicken, potatoes and a variety of frozen veggies.
With the onion, garlic, carrots, ground beef and potatoes I have sheperd’s pie.
With onion, garlic, carrots, green beans, corn and chicken I have chicken pot pie or chicken and dumplings.
Onion, garlic, tomatoes, ground beef and a pasta = Italian night
Onion, garlic, celery, tomatoes and chicken (or shrimp or sausage) and some creole seasoning I have a Creole dish to serve over rice.
The list goes on and on! I tend to cook and/or assemble meals all at once and then have minimal meal prep for all meals for the next month. I love my freezer!