Simplified Cooking from Scratch

most basic ingredients

Here is a list of some of the most commonly used ingredients.

all purpose flour baking soda potatoes oil
milk baking powder cocoa sweet cream
eggs sea salt sugar (love sugar)

Basically if you have these ingredients lying around we can find something to eat!

Here is a list of add on ingredients:

I like a variety of oils. You can just keep a selection of your favorites.
grape seed oil (for baking) , olive oil, safflower oil, veg. oil just to name a few.

who can forget all the varieties of sugar: white, brown, and powdered.

To add a little more flavor try either chicken or vegetable broth, onions, garlic, and/or peppers.

For the freezer I like to keep a selection of frozen vegetables and fruits. Sometimes a little chicken or fish.

Some other random stuff: fresh veg. and fruits, beans, carrots(makes good dog treats), peanut butter, marinara sauce, pasta, rice, cornmeal, maple syrup.

The best part about cooking from such basic ingredients is that anyone can be creative and alter each recipe to fit their specific dietary need.

Our First Recipe!

Biscuits:

mix in one bowl: one cup all purpose flour, one and a half tsp. baking powder, three fourth tsp. salt.(optional)

mix in another bowl or large measuring cup: one fourth cup oil, three fourth cup milk or water, one egg (optional)

mix together and drop on a baking sheet and cook in a preheated oven at 350 - 400 degrees until golden brown. This recipe is hard to mess up. Its only six ingredients and if needed could be broken down to flour, baking powder, oil, and water.

For dinner today I wanted to use up a open jar of marinara sauce and some green onions that have been in the fridge too long. I was also luck enough to have some fresh garlic, tomatoes, and bell peppers. So I got creative and had good results.

Biscuit pizza:

mix up the biscuit dough recipe from above
sprinkle some flour on a cookie sheet, throw all your dough on it, sprinkle a little more flour on top of dough and roll out flat using whatever you got. I used a mason jar.

once evenly rolled onto baking sheet add marinara sauce and spread a thin layer over dough.

preheat oven 350 degrees

add toppings

I cant eat cheese so typical pizza is not on the menu for me. Instead I have to get creative. I minced my onions, three cloves of garlic, some peppers, and tomatoes. For added flavor I put them in a skillet with olive oil and cooked them till I got a nice roasted flavor. From there I sprinkled them on top of my biscuit pizza before baking. Then baked until edges were golden brown. Turns out delicious.
Any type of onion or peppers will work. Not all of those ingredients are needed for a good result and lots of others could be added.

Tips: Its almost always a good idea to mix dry ingredients separate first to ensure they get evenly blended.

BREAKFAST!

Pancakes

In bowl mix
1tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup flour
Pinch salt
1/4 cup sugar
1tsp. Baking soda

Mix well

In separate bowl:

1 1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 egg

Beat

Mix both together

Make sure skillet is preheated on medium heat and coated with sweet cream, oil, or non stick spray. Pouring some batter and when top is bubbly flip!

I like to top with fresh banana, maple syrup, and cinnamon. I will find a way to make everything dessert.

SPEAKING OF DESSERT

You need something sweet but there is nothing in the kitchen and you don't want to put in a lot of work. You should try my simple fudge.

Fudge

In a skillet put 2 cups sugar
2tbs. Cocoa

Mix well

Add 1/2 cup milk or water

Turn heat on medium and stir Constantly.

It will take 5 - 10 min. But eventually your chocolate mixture will get bubbly. It should bubble in middle at first. Keep stirring and be patient until bubbles reach edges of skillet and the Chocolate will turn a slightly darker shade and smell.

Remove from heat and immediately add two heaping tbs. of peanut butter.

Mix well and pour into a platter to cool.

ONLY FOUR INGREDIENTS AND ONE SKILLET!

            
Something I have been making since I was  kid is cornbread. It's best baked in a cast iron  skillet but a round 6 in. Pan works.

                     Cornbread

One is the key!

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup milk
1tsp baking  powder
1 egg
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup oil

Mix well. Mixture  should be runny like a cake mix not thick like a dough.  Sometimes  I have to add 1/8th  - 1/4th  cup water until I get consistency I like.

Put in a 6in. Pan and bake at 350°till golden brown