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Pantry and fridge staples might not sound that important and they are the key to always being able to create delicious food when you have not had time to plan or go to the shops. I will share my staples but feel free to add your own depending on what you love to cook

Stock

Stock is the single most important staple everyone should have in there pantry. In your local supermarkets the basic range of stock are chicken, beef, vegetable, and seafood. I will always have at least three cartons of beef and three of chicken I rarely use the other two unless you are cooking a specific seafood dish or you have a lot of vegetarian friends and family I do not. Always buy salt reduced otherwise your food will end up salty especially if you add additional salt while you cook.

Eggs

Eggs are an obvious staple along with bread and milk

Cheese

I always have at least three different types of cheese in my fridge- Parmesan, Mozzarella and either Cheddar or Colby.

Parmesan is a must for any pasta dish you cook, I know a lot of people do not like the smell and do not like to place extra on top of a completed dish but adding it to the sauce while you cook masks the smell and adds a lovely flavour and no one notices ( I do this to my dad all the time).

Mozzarella the stringy cheese you find on good pizza is great as when it cooks it does not leak oil like cheddar so if you are an avid pizza lover this will help stop your homemade pizzas having a soggy base also a great topping on pasta bakes.

Cheddar or Colby

Recently I have been using Colby cheese as the flavour goes well for sandwiches and grated cheese

Note: I know grated cheese is convinent, however, avoid buying when you can because of the anti-caking agent they add it will make your dishes grainy when it melts always buy blocks and freshly grate it is generally cheaper too, if you are worried about keeping it fresh and not moldy check out my post about fridge storage.

Rice

Great accompaniment with a lot of dishes

Cream

Potatoes

Onions and Garlic

Spices

Hi everyone! welcome to my blog ‘Confessions of a Cooking Addict’ My love of cooking has developed into a small addiction, I cook every moment I have free time. My addiction started when I would visit my Aunties house at Christmas time and she would present our family with a smorgasbord of food that she had prepared all herself. The excitement of choice and the deliciousness of all her food made Christmas and quickly became the reason I loved it so much. I started to cook because I loved to eat and soon it developed into loving seeing other people get excited and enjoy food. Food became a way to help people and preparing delicious spreads has become a passion and I do it every chance I get. People do not understand how I can come home from work and then spend all night in the kitchen but to me its a stress relief and I have learnt that people who do not love cooking will never understand. This blog will feature all types of cooking from putting on a spread for the family, to entertaining your friends and even to help the people who dislike cooking meals that are simple and delicious. I will also write a post about the importance of staples! every pantry and fridge will need these ingredients as well as simple saving tricks I have picked up during my time as a university student!