More beans and grains. I keep these on hand anyway, but I definitely use more beans and grains in the fall to add to soups and stews. Along those lines, my favorite products right now are packages of farro and barley from Trader Joe’s that only require 10 minutes of cooking. I know these grains don’t really take a long time anyway, but any great products I can find that reduce cooking time for one part of our meals is a bonus in my eyes. Another big fall pantry staple are cans of organic pumpkin that I love to use in Pumpkin Pancakes. Since the flavors are so comforting on cold mornings, I enjoy making these the most in the fall and winter. Sharon gave me this recipe years ago (thanks, Sharon!), and it has been a favorite ever since. I don’t bake a lot, but I do like making pancakes on weekend mornings for my family, so I make a double batch of the pancake batter to have enough leftover to freeze for the rest of the week. We just pop them in the toaster oven and enjoy.
Since we are in the throes of a kitchen remodel, I’ve been adding some new items to my pantry:
- Food that can be microwaved (a lot more frozen and packaged foods than I usually use).
- A slow cooker.
- An induction burner (the new-school hot plate).
I’m really missing cooking and eating homemade food, and we’ve got weeks to go before I’ll have a functional kitchen again, so here’s my wish list of what I would add to my fall pantry if I had a kitchen:
- Pumpkin and winter squash – I love it in all of its forms.
- Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger – for fall and winter baking, hot cider, and savory dishes.
- Canned tomatoes for all the roasts, stews, and soups that are so good on wet, cold days.
