Ryan Foster 5/1/15 Ryan Foster 5/1/15

How to Have a Well Stocked Kitchen

Buying my own home was great, but getting into my own kitchen was better. It’s not huge, there’s no island, and there’s questionable tile, but it’s my personal playground. It’s where I feel the calmest, the most comfortable, and the most at home. As I stood there on signing day, peering into cavernous, empty, cabinets, I couldn’t wait to hit the grocery store and fill them with awesome things. I was ready to get the show on the road. I tried to make a casual grocery list, and was totally overwhelmed with what felt like an impossible task. How in the world do you go about filling a kitchen with any and everything you’ll possibly need? Where do you even start?

Cue my mother. As a kitchen vet, she sat down with me and helped me write out a comprehensive list of everything I’d need. Talk about an unforeseen cost- I spent hundreds at the grocery store that week. After the initial grocery store haul, and about a month or so in my new kitchen, I began to understand the importance of staple items. The staples are the basis of any meal, any recipe, and a must to have on hand to maintain a smoothly running kitchen. Specialty groceries are super fun- but the staples are what make any kitchen go around. So here’s my comprehensive guide to maintaining a well-stocked kitchen (with free shopping list printable)!

Ryan Foster 4/29/15 Ryan Foster 4/29/15

Best Baked Meatballs

Growing up, we often had spaghetti, but never spaghetti and meatballs. Meat sauce was the go to option. Of course a meat sauce is classically delicious and simple, but as a very food focused kid, I always yearned for meatballs. Our play kitchen’s plastic spaghetti came with three plastic meatballs. The families on Friday night sitcoms had spaghetti and meatballs. I was slightly annoyed by my childhood lack of meatballs, but not enough so to risk demanding them of my hardworking mother. I accepted our meat sauces and moved on.

As a college student in Washington, D.C., I had the chance to have tons of awesome professional experiences, and with them, work events. Drinks were always served, and of course, in the spirit of young professionalism, I would politely decline- but of course, always indulged in the food. The first real spaghetti and meatballs I ever had were served at one of these events. When I spotted the servers coming around with plates piled high with pasta and meatballs, I fought my best to hide my excitement, continuing to idly chat with coworkers and clients, while underneath the table, my feet were tapping in anticipation.

Ryan Foster 4/24/15 Ryan Foster 4/24/15

Timeless Chocolate Chip Cookies

I don’t really work out, because I detest it. Who wants to sweat, struggle to breathe, be sore the next day? Not this girl. But spring has finally hit in Michigan, and with it, that weird, innate desire to exercise. After hiding in jeans and bulky sweaters all winter, you realize that the stores are selling dresses and cutoffs again, and shoot. Maybe I should start jogging in the morning?

I’m about three days into my likely short-lived workout phase, and I don’t think I’m doing too great a job. My outfits definitely fit the bill, but my kitchen behavior this week doesn’t. As you can tell from the post title, and the tantalizing photos- I made a lovely batch of chocolate chip cookies this week. A couple weeks ago, boyfriend and I reminisced about my last batch of cookies, and he asked me to whip him up some chocolate chip. And naturally, I put it off until I the week I started working out, in an effort to improve my “summer body”. Makes total sense.

Ryan Foster 4/21/15 Ryan Foster 4/21/15

Quick Beef Stir Fry

My love of stir -fry began really early on. I knew that I loved the way the vegetables were cut, how colorful they were all sautéing together in a large frying pan. I knew that I couldn’t get enough of the slightly sweet sauce soaked into fluffy white rice. But what I didn’t know was that it was my mother’s busy weeknight secret weapon. After a long day of work, school, and dance classes, I’d stand in the kitchen and marvel at how quickly my mom made this miraculous meal come together. No doubt she was dead tired, but she made it look effortless. I literally remember thinking to myself, “I’ll definitely make this all the time once I’m a grown up.” Fast forward twenty or so years and I’ve kept my childhood promise to myself.

Ryan Foster 4/17/15 Ryan Foster 4/17/15

Leisurely Sunday Morning Waffles

Sunday mornings at my house are special, and probably my favorite time of the week. There’s no rush to get up and go anywhere, and the mood is very casual. The three of us lounge in bed and watch television for about an hour before breakfast, which I love. I hate feeling rushed, especially when it’s time to cook. Keeping with the casual Sunday morning feel, breakfast is typically just as leisurely. There’s often mimosas involved, which makes the cooking (and eating), significantly more enjoyable than lets say, on your average weeknight.

Because our Sundays are so relaxed, it gives me the opportunity to make more involved meals. When boyfriend brought home a long awaited waffle iron, I was ready. I knew it would work perfectly for our Sunday mornings. So then came the issue of finding the perfect waffle recipe. We eat a lot of pancakes, so I’ve got those down pat, but waffles are a little different. The batter needs to be a little denser, but not so dense that it makes a thick, heavy waffle. You want them to be light and fluffy, but still hold up well to the syrup, whipped cream, and berries you’ll obviously top them with.