What's in your frig?

It is a running joke with a friend of mine about what's in my freezer.  He guessed Salisbury steak TV dinners and pot pies.  He was right.  I came across this today and kind of liked it, so now I am sharing it.  A little "Food for thought."


Five Foods You Should Never Be Without: Ruth Reichl

1. Eggs
"The single most useful ingredient on the planet. In a pinch you can scramble them and call it dinner. But it only takes five eggs, a little milk and a handful of cheese to make a fat, sassy cheese soufflé.
Toss a couple of eggs into a hot wok with some sliced scallions and a couple cups of cold rice and you have classic Chinese fried rice. Whip an egg into chicken broth for stracciatella, or toss it with hot pasta to make an instant sauce."
2. Bacon
"It’s meat that keeps, and it does. But longevity is the least of its attributes. My favorite fast meal is spaghetti alla carbonara, which is basically nothing more than hot pasta tossed with eggs, bacon and Parmesan cheese.
Bacon sandwiches are extremely satisfying, even without the tomatoes, and some crisp bacon crumbled onto a salad can turn a side dish into a major meal."
3. Parmesan cheese
"Grate it over plain buttered pasta for a satisfying supper, slice it onto bread for grilled cheese sandwiches or simply melt it into crisp little fricos for an instant snack. Parmesan will make any salad sing, and it’s the essential ingredient in a speedy risotto."
4. Cooked Rice or potatoes
"Those extra cartons of rice that arrive with your Chinese food? Pure gold, just waiting to become rice and beans, Spanish rice or rice pudding. Pre-boiled potatoes are equally useful; you can slice them into oil with onions, hash them into crisp little cakes or turn them into instant potato salad.
5. Chicken stock
"I make it by the gallon and store it in the freezer where it patiently waits to cure a cold, replace the loathsome chemical concoction that’s tucked in with instant ramen, or encourage a sauce to sing. Best of all, with rice in your cupboard and stock in your freezer, a splendid risotto is never more than half an hour away."