What a month it has been. Even for someone who loves to cook, I’ll be totally honest that I’m really overcooking these days. If you are like me, you have been reaching more than ever into your pantry for easy meals. Over the past month and a half, I’ve been coaching and guiding friends, family and readers of my food blog, Katie’s Cucina, on how to have a well-prepared pantry. This will ensure you have a wide variety of food on hand that allows you to whip up an easy meal any time of the day. Because I cook for a living, I have always kept a well-stocked pantry, refrigerator and freezer. In fact, we have a second fridge in our garage due to all the cooking that I do. I felt it would be helpful to share with my fellow neighbors how to continue to keep a well-stocked pantry this month. 

Here are a few of the staples that I always love to have on hand in my pantry: 

• Broth
• Canned beans
• Canned tomatoes
• Canned vegetables
• Fruit; canned and dried
• Jarred sauce; tomato and pesto
• Pasta
• Rice
• Bread crumbs / panko 
• Yeast
• Flour 
• Sugar
• Fresh potatoes
• Fresh onions and garlic
• Rolled oats
• Nuts
• Cake mix
• Condiments / dressings / oils

A few things to keep in mind when stocking your pantry:

Whenever you grocery shop, if your budget permits it, always pick up two to three of each item. Many times, this is easy to do thanks to the BOGO sales at our local Publix. If I’m making a recipe and it calls for one can of beans, I will pick up an additional two cans if I know I’m out. That way, I can restock my pantry with ease.  

Always store fresh potatoes and onions in separate dark and cool areas; hence why the pantry is the best place for these root vegetables to live. These are two vegetables that need to keep their social distance. Both onions and potatoes release moisture, which can lead to them spoiling faster.

Meal plan! Some might wonder how meal planning and keeping a well-stocked pantry have anything to do with each other. Here is why it’s important. If you can meal plan, you can take inventory of what you have on hand in your pantry. Then, you can either pull from what you have in your pantry or add it to your grocery list. When you meal plan, you know exactly what ingredients you will need for every meal you are going to cook! 

Cooking from your pantry does not have to be bland, and if it’s well stocked, you have a variety of options. Here are some of my favorite pantry meals: 

• Soups that have boxed broth, onions, potatoes, beans, and then whatever protein or veggies you have in the refrigerator. A few of my favorites are taco soup, zucchini and stars soup, and three-bean vegetable soup.
• Dump cakes that use a box of cake mix and a can of fruit for an easy dessert.
• Flour and sugar to make cakes, cookies, muffins, brownies, and even bread. 
• Oatmeals that are packed full of brown sugar, maple syrup, nuts, and dried fruits.
• Pasta recipes: pantry pasta that uses canned sauce or tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a protein from the freezer – cacio e pepe, pad thai, one-pot supreme pizza pasta skillet, and mac and cheese, to name a few.

I hope you’ll find all these ideas extra useful as we continue to work on building a well-stocked pantry. One of my favorite go-to recipes that you’ll find me making at least once a month is this Baked Shrimp Parmesan with Pasta. I always keep shrimp stocked in my freezer, so I can make an easy dinner like this one. This shrimp pasta requires just a few basic ingredients from the pantry and refrigerator.

Baked Shrimp Parmesan With Pasta

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 23-oz. jar of your favorite red sauce
• 20 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan grated
• 1 8-oz. package of spaghetti
• Fresh basil and parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. While the oven preheats and water boils, add half the jar of your favorite pasta sauce to an 8”x8” baking dish. Then, pat dry the peeled and deveined shrimp and add to the sauce laying flat (try not to overlap). Spoon a little bit of sauce on each individual shrimp. Then, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese on top of each piece of shrimp.
3. Place the shrimp in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. While the shrimp cooks, place the spaghetti in the pot and cook for 10 minutes. 
4. Drain the pasta. Add the additional half jar of sauce back to the pasta pot. Place the spaghetti in the pot with fresh basil and parsley, and mix well so that the sauce hugs every last noodle.
5. After the shrimp cooks for 10 minutes, increase the heat to 500 degrees and broil for 5 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown but not burnt (keep an eye on the cheese minute-by-minute).
6. Divide the pasta among 4 plates. Then, add 5 jumbo shrimp on top of each piece of pasta. Top with additional parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and parsley. Enjoy immediately.