Essentials ALL Kitchens should Have

There are a few basic ingredients that you should always have because if you do, you can make literally anything!  So I have come up with a list to arm your kitchen with to make your baking and cooking life MUCH easier!

We're going to start with Cooking Supplies

1. Plastic Storage Bags  2. Pot for Steaming  3. Something to Puree with  4. Colander  5. Cutting Board  

6. Peeler 7. Chef's Knife  8. Paring Knife  9. Sauce Pots  10. 8 Quart Pot  11. Wooden Spoons

12. Measuring Utinsels 13. Timer 14. Rubber Spatula 15. Kitchen Scissors  16. Box Grater  17. Masher

18. Waxed Paper  19. Whisk  20. Mixing Bowls  21. Ice Cream Scoop  22. Baking Dishes  23. Loaf Pan

24. Muffin Pans  25. Skillet  26. Pie Dish  27. 9in cake pan  28. cookie sheets  29. Electric Mixer

30. Paper Baking Cups  31. Cooling Rack

Pantry Packing

1. Salt  2. Pepper  3. Allspice  4. Dried Basil  5. Dried Oregano  6. Dried Parsley  7. Chili Powder

8. Cinnamon  9. Ground Cloves  10. Ground Cumin  11. Onion Powder  12. Garlic Powder  13. Nutmeg

14. Sweet Paprika  15. Pumpkin Pie Spice  16. Dried Tyme  17. Whole Wheat Bread 18. Brown Rice

19. Couscous  20. Pasta (all types)  21. No Bake Lasagna Noodles  22. Tortillas

Baking

Whole Wheat Flour  2. All Purpose Flour  3. Granulated Sugar  4. Powdered Sugar 5. Oats (quick cooking and old fashioned)  6. Light and Dark Brown Sugar  7. Baking Chocolate  8. Semi Sweet Chips

9. Cocoa 10. Molasses 11. Pure Vanilla 12. Pure Lemon Extract 13. Applesauce 14. Cornstartch

15. Dried apricots, prunes, and cherries 16. Chopped Pecans and Walnuts 17. Canola Oil

18. Baking Soda 19. Baking Powder 20. Cake Mixes-Chocolate, Yellow, Vanilla, White, and Brownie

21. Instant Pancake Mix 22. Graham Crackers 23. Marshmallows

In Your Cupboard

1. Olive Oil 2. Pam 3. Peanut Butter 4. Chicken Broth 5. Beef Broth 6. Chicken Stock 7. Canned Tomatoes  8. Chickpeas Canned 9. Canned Beets 10. Navy Beans 11. Kidney Beans 12. Solid Pumpkin Canned 13. Crushed Pineapple 14. Pasta Sauce 15. Unsweetened Coconut 16. Bread Crumbs

17. Balsamic Vinegar 18. Soy Sauce 19. Worcestershire Sauce 20. Pure Maple Syrup 21. Honey

22. Ketchup 22. Onions 23. Garlic

So now that I have got you started, stay packed up on your favorite meats and you can make anything!  This is a great shopping list if you are just starting to cook!  Now get that Flirty Apron and START COOKING!

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

In honor of my husband's 30th Birthday today, I am going to post my pie recipe that I make for him every year.  You see, my darling husband hates cake so therefore he gets his favorite pie every year.  Now I don't normally give out this secret recipe because it's so easy that I think people would think "She's doesn't know how to bake, that's just putting stuff together."  But once you taste it, I promise you won't fault me for making it easy.  Like I've always said, I want cooking to be fast, affordable, and delicious, so here you go.  My famous Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie....

Ingredients

2 graham cracker crusts (bought or homemade)

1 4-serving packet of instant Vanilla Pudding

1 14oz. can sweet and condensed milk

1 pint Heavy whipping cream

1 cup cold water

6 oz. Milk or Semi sweet chocolate (I use chips) chopped

 1/2-1 cup heavy cream

4-6 bananas

1/4-1/3 cup Powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Put your graham cracker crusts in the oven with a little butter brushed on and let sit for about 5-7 min. just to harden the crust.  Take out and set aside.

Chop your chocolate chips roughly.  In a double boiler melt chocolate slowly.  When chocolate is melted slowly pour in your 1/2-1 cup cream.  You are wanting the consistency of a ganache.

When the chocolate is runny pour 1/2 of the chocolate into the bottom of one crust and the other 1/2 into the bottom of the other crust.

Cut bananas into small slices and layer on top of the chocolate.  Pack them in there good if you like a lot of bananas.

In a mixing bowl mix vanilla pudding, water, and sweet and condensed milk.  Put in the refrigerator while you do this next step.

Take 1 cup of your pint of heavy cream and beat it until peaks begin to form.  

Take your pudding mixture out of the fridge, and slowly fold in the whipped cream with a rubber spatula.  Put the pudding filling 1/2 in one crust and 1/2 in the other, right on top of the bananas.

Take the rest of the pint of cream that you have left over and beat it until peaks form and slowly add your powdered sugar in large spoonfuls until it gets to the sweetness you want.  I normally use about 1/4 to 1/3 cup but you want to add 1 spoonful at a time so you don't make it too sweet.

Once the sweet whipping cream is done, spread on top of the pudding mixture.  I normally grate a few slivers of chocolate and put that on top of the cream to finish the pie.  Then refrigerate your pie for at least 3 hours before serving.  You want your chocolate to be firm.  Then cut and enjoy!!

I need your Help!

Hey my cute followers!  Today's post has nothing to do with cooking, except that if I win this I get to have a 1950's type food photo pin up shoot, which I am dying to get.  So if you have Facebook I'm wondering if you could do me a little favor and help me win.  I will post my pictures on my blog if I do!!  All I need you to do is click here to see my picture and then just press "Like" next to it to like the picture.  

I have some stiff competition so all the help I can get is going to great!  I think this would be a really fun shoot if I ever make my recipes into a cook book!  Thanks so much you Nummy Little readers!  I love you all!!

Love,

Jilly

aka-The Nummy Little Blog

Chicken Paella

INGREDIENTS:
1 T plus 2 tsp olive oil
2 hot Links halved and sliced
1 lb skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 12 oz package frozen peas
1 cup uncooked white or brown basmati rice
1 can Rotel ~ Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground curry
1/8 tsp Your Favorite Mixed Seasoning

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat 1 T of oil in large heavy skillet over medium-high heat (use a skillet that has a lid to cover)  Add the chorizo/hot links and cook, stir occasionally until browned, about 3 minutes.

Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned about 5 minutes.

Transfer the chicken and chorizo/hot links to a plate.

Heat the remaining 2 tsp of oil in the skillet,  Add the onion, and cook stirring until softened about 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and continue to cook for a minute more.

Return the chicken and chorizo to the skillet

Add the chicken broth, peas, rice, tomato, olives, salt, pepper, seasonings.  Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the over.

Cook until the rice appears to be tender and the liquid is absorbed about 30 minutes.

I a little Tip to Share....Weekly Menu's

So I know how busy it is being the person who provides your family with dinner.  You have to do the grocery shopping, the planning, the prep work, the cooking, and for a lot of you the clean  up.  Since I know what a pain this can be (because it is my job in my little home) I wanted to share one of my tips with all of you.  I have taken this printout and printed it out to the size I want (I put it on a flash drive and took it to my fedex station) and put it into my good old day planner.  Yes, I am still the person that uses the paper day planner and not my iphone.  I know, I know, "get with the times" and all that jazz.  I just know what works for me and I stick with it.  So here is the print out...

Now once you have this printed out, another one of my tips is to make your menu and then your grocery list.  I do this every week and it saves me a ton of money.  I use my coupons if I have any, but other then that I make my menu and then I know exactly what I need to buy at the store to cover every meal.  I also know what I have in my pantry and don't need to buy.

I hope this helps some of you in your quest to become even more amazing then you already are!  Have a Nummy little rest of your week!!

xoxo

Jilly

Cake Batter Cookies

These cookies are super fast, super easy, and extremely delicious.  I swear, every time I make them I eat every last one of them!  They are so yummy!  And with only 3 ingredients, what more could you ask for?!

Ingredients
1 Rainbow Chip Box of Cake Mix
1/2 cup Canola Oil
2 Eggs

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixer, mix all ingredients together until a sticky dough is formed.

Take 2 cookie sheets and line them with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Place a spoonful of dough on the cookie sheets until full.

Place in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes and then remove and place on cooling rack.  Once completely cooled you can frost, or just eat them plain.  Yummy!

Baby Blue Salad with Bartlett Pears

Happy Easter Nummy Readers!!  Since this is the first Spring Holiday I wanted to give you a nummy salad that you can make for this delicious day.  This Salad is quick and easy and sure to impress!

Ingredients
10oz or 2 pkgs. Dark Leafy Greens

 1 qt. Strawberries cut up
1/2 cup Candied or plain Pecans
3 Bartlett Pears thinly sliced
1 cup Cherry tomatoes sliced in 1/2
Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe below)
Crumbles of Feta cheese if desired

Directions
Mix all ingredients together except vinaigrette.  Toss and plate.  Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette Ingredients
1 c. Olive Oil
1/2 c. Balsamic Vinegar
1 Shallot, diced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/8 tsp. Salt
3 Tbs. Honey
3 Tbs. Dijon Mustard

Directions
Mix all ingredients together except Olive Oil and then slowly pour in olive oil while whisking continuously until everything is well combined.