Easy Kitchen Staples

by Laura Donnelly — September 27, 2007

The well-stocked pantry:

• Pancake and biscuit mix--What could be easier than a shake and pour pancake mix? Add oatmeal and blueberries to mix just before cooking. Coat a whole chicken with seasoned Bisquick before baking; it makes a crusty "fried chicken" exterior.
• Canned artichokes, olive tapenade, tuna, capers, roasted red peppers--Any or all of these will help you make a fantastic pasta sauce.
• A variety of canned beans--Chick peas (for a quick hummus or vegetable soup), black beans, kidney beans, baked beans! I always have small white beans (cannellini) to combine with escarole for a fast, healthy Italian soup.