Inside Maeme & Callie's Pantries

What's in our Pantry?

Over the past few months you have probably found yourself doing with less, maybe getting creative or trying new recipes.  Perhaps your pantry is getting more action these days, it's kind of an anything goes time for us all.  It's true, we do not eat 4-course meals every night ourselves - although we would love to if someone else cooked for us!  We do however have those can't-live-without staples for whipping together quick meals to feed a growing tween, the fur babies and loved ones.  We thought we would share our lists, to see if they spark a genius moment.

Maeme's Must Haves

Coffee
Creamer 
Flour
Eggs
Canned or dried beans
Canned tomatoes
Pasta
Salad
Fresh Fruits
Fresh Veggies
Honey
Tuna
Vinegar
Wine
Dog Food

"When all else fails,
call Callie to see what
she is making for dinner, 
then invite myself over!" 
--Maeme

Callie's Big List

Cheese (lots)
Wine
Canned tomatoes
Tuna
Salad/greens
Coffee
Chips, Crackers
All natural "M&M's"
MAYONNAISE
Olives, Olive Oil
Dried pastas
Fresh Fruits & Veggies
Frozen French Fries
Dried herbs
Cereal
Spicy Pickled Chile Peppers
Ground beef
Peanut butter
Frozen bread

"I'm an overshopper, you will
never go hungry at my house!"
--Callie

What is Rasberrys signature soup - posole?

Pozole which means "hominy", is a traditional soup or stew from Mexican cuisine. It is made from hominy, with meat (typically pork), and can be seasoned and garnished with shredded lettuce or cabbage, chile peppers, onion, garlic, radishes, avocado, salsa or limes.

Pozole is typically served on New Year's Eve to celebrate the new year. Pozole is frequently served as a celebratory dish throughout Mexico and in Mexican communities outside Mexico. Common occasions include Mexico Independence Day, birthdays, Christmas and other holidays. Pozole is served in Mexican restaurants worldwide and is also popular in New Mexico where it was a common dish among the Pueblo Indians residing along the Rio Grande River in New Mexico.

Pozole can be prepared in many ways. All variations include a base of cooked hominy in broth. Typically pork, or sometimes chicken, is included in the base. Vegetarian recipes substitute beans for the meat. The three main types of pozole are blanco/white, verde/green and rojo/red. White pozole is the preparation without any additional green or red sauce. Green pozole adds a rich sauce based on green ingredients, possibly including tomatillos, epazote, cilantro, jalapeños, or pepitas. Red pozole is made without the green sauce, instead adding a red sauce made from one or more chiles, such as guajillo, piquin, or ancho.

When pozole is served, it is accompanied by a wide variety of condiments, potentially including chopped onion, shredded lettuce, sliced radish, cabbage, avocado, limes, oregano, tostadas, chicharrón, or chiles.

Rasberrys recommended February reads

Maeme was gifted the green thumb in the family.  During the growing season, where can you find Maeme? In the garden of course!   This month her recommended reading is the cookbook "Let's Stay In".  Yes, Pinterest is a source of inspiration, but there is something about the feel of a book - cookbook for that matter. 

Let’s Stay In: More than 120 Recipes to Nourish the People You Love by Ashley Rodriguez

Let's Stay In is all about effortless hospitality, meaningful family meals, and an appreciation for the magic of meals shared with others. Families, neighbors, friends, and loved ones will find a different kind of love around the table together, connecting over memorable meals. The recipes walk you through every meal of the day with delicious breakfasts, easy lunches, inviting dinners, and Ashley's signature incredible desserts:

• Breakfasts of Red Lentil and Chickpea Stew with Poached Eggs, Breakfast BLTs, and Spiced Raisin Scones

• Midday meals of Zucchini, Gruyere & Basil Quesadillas, Ricotta, Speck and Plum Salsa Tartine, and Ivy's Split Pea Soup

• Table-groaning dinners of Steak Tacos with Radish and Pickled Onions, Oven Baked Risotto with Squash and Rosemary Candied Walnuts, and Grilled Leg of Lamb with Green Sauce

• Sweets and drinks like Blood Orange Poppy Seed Upside Down Cake, Guava Coconut Punch, The Easiest Pear Tart, and Cardamom Cream Soda

Ruth Reichel visiting Sun Valley was definitely a 2019 highlight for Callie.  (Thank you Sun Valley Center for the Arts for bringing her here!)  Winter is a good time to grab a cup of tea, a cozy blanket and a good book.  This is Callie's February pick for recommended reading.  Enjoy!  

My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life by Ruth Reichl

My Kitchen Year  follows the change of seasons—and Reichl’s emotions—as she slowly heals through the simple pleasures of cooking. While working 24/7, Reichl would “throw quick meals together” for her family and friends. Now she has the time to rediscover what cooking meant to her. Imagine kale, leaves dark and inviting, sautéed with chiles and garlic; summer peaches baked into a simple cobbler; fresh oysters chilling in a box of snow; plump chickens and earthy mushrooms, fricasseed with cream. Over the course of this challenging year, each dish Reichl prepares becomes a kind of stepping stone to finding joy again in ordinary things.

The 136 recipes collected here represent a life’s passion for food: a blistering ma po tofu that shakes Reichl out of the blues; a decadent grilled cheese sandwich that accompanies a rare sighting in the woods around her home; a rhubarb sundae that signals the arrival of spring. Here, too, is Reichl’s enlivening dialogue with her Twitter followers, who become her culinary supporters and lively confidants.

Do you have a new favorite book or cookbook? Let us know what it is! We love recommendations too!