Hey there, Sugar! (And other pantry/fridge necessities)

Good morning!  
I learned today that I do not like breakfast quinoa.  

I made it with cinnamon, then added on some cinnamon sugar baked apples.  The flavor just isn't strong enough to hold up to that bizarre texture.

Anyways, breakfast aside, let's go over the things I try and keep on hand at all times.

Sugar, of course, is a staple item in my apartment.  I can't make whipped cream or sweet tea without sugar, now can I?  And yes, it's kept in my freezer.  When boyfriend and I first moved in together, he kept putting the sugar in the freezer.  It drove me nuts.  I thought he was crazy, and the bag seemed like it was getting weaker from the dampness. He told me it was to keep away bugs, but if it bothered me so much I could put it wherever I wanted. 
So I did.
And you know what?
I. Found. A bug.
EW!
So that bag of sugar went in the trash, and from then on all sugar stays in the freezer.
Also, next to the sugar in that picture are grapes.  Have you ever had frozen grapes?  Life changing.

I also keep boneless, skinless chicken breasts on hand.  I buy them in the packs of four, then wash and trim them before putting them into bags.  Usually I put 2 per bag, because that's the most I'll ever use in a single meal.  It's also good to keep a frozen pizza for those nights that I just don't want to cook.  We love Aldi's frozen pizzas.  Sooo good,and sooo cheap.

I also ALWAYS keep Aldi's texas toast on hand. Boyfriend loves the stuff, and with as much pasta as we eat, it's always good to keep a box (or two) in the freezer.

Since our pantry is overrun with a washer and dryer in addition to the litter box, I keep my pantry items on a shelf in the kitchen.  Flour, pasta sauce, coffee, walnuts, chocolate chips, pasta, bisquick and rice are mandatory.  

In the fridge (which I didn't take a picture of because it's a hot mess), we have a few more staples:

• Butter (Real butter, not the stuck in a tub)
• Fruit; apples, lemons, bananas, grapes
• Vegetables; Kale, spinach, carrots, potatoes, green beans
• Lunch meat
• Sliced cheese
• Shredded cheeses; Parmesan and cheddar (the amount of Parmesan cheese I go through borders on insane)
• Milk
• Sweet tea
• heavy cream

Spices/seasoning I keep on hand:

• Cinnamon
•  Lemon-Pepper
• Paprika
• Garlic Powder
• Basil
• Italian seasoning

The point of having all these items is so that under any circumstance, you'll be able to make a meal.  It might seem crazy to have specific shredded cheese on my necessity list, but not when my meal plans always consist of at least one pasta dish that requires it!  My homemade alfredo sauce, and my lemon-basil pasta both require 1-2 cups of Parmesan cheese.  Boyfriend likes cheesy mashed potatoes, so if I'm going to make mashed potatoes one night for an easy side, I have what I need!  

As you get into the swing of things, you'll learn what you need in order to be successful.  When we first moved in, there were so many moments when we were like, "Ohh...yeah, put that on the list.."  

If it's something you can separate and freeze, buy in bulk.  It's cheaper.  If it's something you've never used before, by only what you need for a specific recipe until you have it figured out how much you'll really use it.  This especially goes for perishables, like cream and milk.  

It's all trial and error at first, but sooner or later it'll become second nature :)

xoxo

Healthy Snacking: Oven baked Kale Chips

If you were to ask any adult from my childhood, they would all laugh and tell you the same thing.  
I hate vegetables.
After graduating High School and realizing that I was a wee bit on the chunky side, I decided to try and change my attitude.
Try.
I still hate most vegetables.  Lettuce?  Fo'getta'bout it.  Celery?  Yeah no.  Cauliflower?  According to my boyfriend, it's like lettuce and broccoli had a baby.  That sounds like an abomination that needs to be stopped.
Somewhere along the line, I learned I can tolerate spinach as long as it's raw, and I can handle kale in smoothies.  Since moving out, I have relinquished ownership of my blender to my family, so smoothies are out.  I needed to find a new, healthy alternative to my snacking.

Kale chips!

So first thing's first.  You're gonna need Kale.

I got this from the produce section, it cost me about $1.50 or something like that.  It actually came with more, but that was like two batches of chips ago.  
As you can see, kale is leafy with a big stem.  The leaves are thin and bitter, the stalk is hard and very tough to chew.  
Preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit 

Get out your cutting board and a sharp knife.

Clearly a vegetable knife.

Just slice each side along the stalk.  Pretty easy stuff, minimal knife skills required.
You can just toss the stalk in the trash, or if you're environmental and whatnot, a compost pile.  

Here's where you want some consistency.  Pick what size you want your chips to be, and try and get each one roughly the same size.  If you have some tiny ones and some huge ones, they'll crisp at different rates.  I just tear mine up by hand and toss 'em into a bowl. 

Said bowl.

  











Now's the fun part.  Seasoning!  I usually stick with three: Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder.

Before you just start dumping seasoning on top of your kale, add a bit of olive oil.  You want JUST ENOUGH to lightly coat each leaf without drowning them.  If they're too wet, they won't crisp right.  
Then the seasoning.  Kale is pretty bitter, but if you salt it enough, it takes away most of the bite.  Then I pepper it, maybe about a teaspoon of pepper. MAYBE.  I never measure, so don't just dump a teaspoon of pepper in there please.  And then I sprinkle on some of the magic that is garlic powder.  Just enough to coat each leaf. 
Give it a toss with your fingers, gently enough not to smash and bruise the leaves, but enough to really mix it all up.

Now, because I'm lazy, I grab some foil and put it on a baking sheet.  Dump your kale on top, making sure to really spread it out.  It will shrink up in the oven, but there's no reason to layer them up.  

See?  Nice and spread out.  Now toss those puppies into the oven for 20 minutes.  
If you'd like, towards the end of that time, toss some cheese on top!  I usually do Parmesan if I'm going to at all.

20 minutes later...

See how much they've shrunk?  And they're delicate and crispy and amazing!
I had no idea how delicate they are.  They basically crumble in your mouth.  It's really weird.  Boyfriend is not a fan.  I popped one in his mouth and before he had even chewed he just goes "No." I might have laughed a little.  Okay a lot.

See all the delicious garlic, salt and pepper?  Amazing.
Either eat them hot or toss 'em in a container.  I baked these this morning before work, threw them in a Tupperware container and took them with me for a snack!

Good luck and happy healthy snacking!