Pantry Panic? Please!

Perhaps Rita Rudner said it best: A man with a pierced ear is best prepared for marriage. He knows pain and has bought jewelry.

Okay, that has nothing to do with stocking a pantry, but I liked it anyway... but seriously folks, it's not hard to develop a set of basic ingredients that are nearly always at hand. When the unexpected guest or the late night cravings pop up, you're good to go.

When you have the right stuff in the cabinet, closet, freezer or pantry you can whip up a great dinner in no time. Pasta Puttanesca, anyone?

Shopping thoughtfully:

A stocked pantry is something you can build on, even with a limited budget and small space. With a little practice you can make it a habit to pick up an item or two when you're shopping. Here are a few items that are good to have on hand as a regular practice.

In addition to the items below, there are a few fresh items that you should always have on hand.

• Fresh Italian Parsley,
  
• Potatoes,
  
• Onions, Celery, Carrots
  
• Lemons,
  
• Garlic,
  
• Eggs,
  
• Cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano)
• Bacon or Pancetta,
  
• Olive oil,
• Butter.

Basic Pantry Items:

• Flour (all purpose; Wondra for sauces and gravies)
• Rice (basmati, short grain for Japanese dishes, Vialone Nono for Risotto)
• Pasta (various shapes, also some Asian noodles)
• Canned tomatoes, paste, puree
• Canned beans (Chickpeas, Black Beans, Kidney Beans)
• Broth (Low Sodium Chicken and/or Vegetable)
• Dried mushrooms
  

Other items:

• Olives,
• Capers,
• Tuna,
• Tomato Soup,
• Simmer sauces (try Maya Kaimal's at Williams-Sonoma; or Trader Joe's)
• Curry mix (look in Asian sections of large grocery stores or in Chinatown shops)
  

Freezer Items:

• Peas (makes a great ice pack for sprains, too!)
  
• Corn
• Bread (buy a good baguette or boule, slice up and freeze)
• Berries
• Chicken parts (buy on sale, divide in smaller portions)
  

With these items you can make pasta (puttanesca, carbonara, amatricana) or soup and sammy (grilled cheese and tomato soup); Avgolemeno (Greek egg-lemon soup); chicken soup, egg salad, tuna salad, chicken with lemon capers; potatoes au gratin, curry rice, risotto... 

Remember luck favors the prepared. You never know when you might bump into that cute guy with a pierced ear in the laundry room, why not invite him in for a little pasta?