Quick Cooking Holiday Pantry

I'm late, I'm late ...... again!  Yesterday was absolutely nothing that I anticipated - oh my.  Today is a new day, and I have a new start.
Here we go!

During the holidays, we are all busy with visiting, visitors, buying gifts, wrapping, decorating, plays and musicals, bazaars....................  It is coming up on a busy time in all out lives.
Here is a great list to help you stay on track, and to help for those unexpected gifts and visitors.
We all love scratch food, but SOMETIMES it pays to have prepared things on hand.

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Broth - all types (homemade or canned)
Bouillon
Bread cubes, crumbs - seasoned and unseasoned (homemade or store bought) - even a few boxes of stuffing mix
Canned tuna and chicken
Tomato products of all types
Canned beans
Quick bread mixes, cake mixes, baking/biscuit mixes - these really can help out
Condiments of all types
Soups - especially 'cream of' - canned or homemade mixes
Pasta - all shapes and sizes
Peanut butter - great for making sweets
Oatmeal - good for baking
Seasonings of all types
Nuts - all types for baking
Vinegars - great for cooking (flavored)
Chocolate chips and/or other flavors
Marshmallow cream and marshmallows
Canned veggies/frozen veggies
Baking goods - sugar, eggs, flour, etc.
Cheeses of all types - for eating and cooking
Whipping cream, canned or frozen whipped toppings
Tea, coffee
Canned milks (sweetened and evaporated) and dry milk
Frozen fruit and condensed fruit juices

If you keep basics on hand (I know this sounds like a lot) - it sure can help out. 
You can make gifts - jar mixes, baked goods, candy, tea/coffee mixes, etc.  You are ready to throw a few ingredients together for an impromptu lunch or dinner, or have items on hand for an afternoon visit.  YOU WILL ALWAYS BE READY for what life throws at you.  No unexpected runs to the grocery.

Homemade goodies for gifting and eating are always at the ready and easy to do.  Wrap or tin and you are ready for about anything.  Breads wrapped in plastic wrap and a ribbon - great for a gift OR slice with tea/coffee for an afternoon visit.  Candy, cookies always great for gifting or company.


I have noticed Aldi has already started marking down baking ingredients effective this weeks ads.  Meijer is having a sale on baking goods - now until Thanksgiving.  Let the sales begin.  LET THE PANTRY STOCK-UP BEGIN.
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Here's a couple throw together quick ideas that may help.

CELERY/ONION STUFFING
1 pkg. stuffing mix
1 reg. can cream of mushroom
1 reg. can cream of chicken
1 C chopped onion
1 C chopped celery
Stir stuffing mix and soups together adding 1 1/2 cans of water, onion and celery.  Place in a greased 11 x7 casserole dish.  Bake covered with aluminum foil at 325* for 10 minutes.  Remove foil and continue to bake for 50 minutes - until top is golden.
Super easy to throw together with basic ingredients.

3-2-1 LEMON COOKIES
3 eggs
2 - 18 oz. lemon cake mixes
8 oz. container of frozen whipped topping - thawed
1 C powdered sugar
Combine eggs, cake mix and whipped topping - mix well.  Chill 1 hour.  Drop by teaspoon into powdered sugar, coat thoroughly and roll into balls.  Place on a greased baking sheet.  Bake at 375* for 10-11 minutes.  Makes 8 dozen.
Any flavor cake mix would work!

Make up different jar mixes for gifting for those unexpected drop by visitors/neighbors/co-workers.  If you don't give them away - they are great to keep in your pantry.  Google "jar recipes" - and will get so many ideas or go to the library - there are many books on the subject.


Be prepared, be stocked up, and be ready to ENJOY a simpler holiday season.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE GREAT PRICES COMING UP.