Fall is here and the first step to getting ready is prepping your kitchen. It is good to clean out your pantry and kitchen at the beginning of each season. I am not saying, throw everything away, but it is smart to reorganize and take inventory of what you have – you don’t want to be caught baking a pie and realize you are out of a main ingredient. Here are fall pantry staples I know you will be using the entire season.
- Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger, cardamom, turmeric
- Almond butter
- Canned pumpkin
- Whole-wheat flour
- Old-fashioned oats
- Nuts: pecans, walnuts, and almonds
- Brown sugar
- Dried thyme, rosemary, sage and bay leaves
- Your favorite whole-wheat pasta
- Root vegetables
- Chicken stock – canned or homemade
- Winter squashes
Make sure you keep a collection of hearty recipes close by for those cool fall nights to keep you cozy.
Here is one that is filling and light that everyone will enjoy:
BUTTER PECAN MASHED SWEET POTATOES
INGREDIENTS
- 4 sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds) – peeled, diced and cooked to be tender
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter – I use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter or Country Crock
- 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
INSTRUCTIONS
Mash sweet potatoes until desired consistency, put into a serving dish and set aside. Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted. Stir butter, milk, and salt into potato mixture and top with pecans. You can use a small amount of natural brown sugar mixed in to add a little sweetness. Serve warm with your favorite meat.
