Happy Birthday Culinary Goddess- An Ingredient Everyone Needs to Keep Up in the Kitchen

Keeping Up Family we have a special celebration today! It is the Culinary Goddess's (Brittany Miller) birthday. This is a special day for all of us. We have been so blessed to have her contribute to the blog, but if you know her personally, you have been blessed to have her in your life.

If I know the Culinary Goddess on her own birthday she is probably somewhere cooking up a feast. I hope that she is taking time out to enjoy the extra year that God has given her. And Keeping Up Fam I hope you take time out to wish her a happy birthday!

The special thing about this Goddess is that she lives such a selfless life. On a moment that is suppose to be hers, she would give it to anyone in a heartbeat. She always wants to make sure you are happy before she worries about herself.

So for this celebration lets make the Goddess happy by going back to the basics, and making sure that our Kitchen's are ready to make any of the recipes that the Goddess gives us.

Below is a list of things that every person should have in their kitchen if they are ready to start cooking!!! Come on would you really be Keeping Up if you were black and couldn't throw down in the kitchen?

Asian Seasonings: soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce

Baking Needs: double-acting baking powder, baking soda, extracts (vanilla, almond, lemon, etc.), flour (all-purpose, cake and self-rising)

Beans and Legumes: any type of canned and dried varieties that you like

Broth and Stocks: chicken, vegetable, and/or beef

Butter: salted and unsalted

Caribbean Seasonings: jerk seasoning, curry powder, browning, coconut milk

Chesses: Parmigiano-Reggiano (shredded, cubed, or wedge), and any other varieties you like

Condiments: mayonnaise, prepared mustard (Dijon and yellow), salsa, ketchup, hot pepper sauce, honey

Eggs: large, farm-fresh

Fruit: lemons, limes, and/or oranges

Garlic: whole, and chopped in olive oil

Grains: ground cornmeal, rice (brown, basmati, long-grain, etc.), oatmeal

Herbs(Dried): oregano, thyme, rosemary, Italian seasoning blend

Herbs (Fresh): basil, Italian flat-leaf parsley, mint, thyme, rosemary

Milk: condensed, evaporated, whole (or low/ no fat)

Nuts: walnuts, pecans, and/or almonds

Oil: extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, peanut oil

Onions: red and yellow onions, shallots, scallions

Pasta: long (fettuccine, spaghetti, etc.) and short (rotini, macoroni, penne, etc.)

Potatoes: red bliss, russet, and/or Yukon

Seafood (Canned): tuna and salmon

Spices: cinnamon, chili powder, bay leaves, nutmeg, salt (kosher, iodized, seasoned), pepper (whole black pepper, white pepper, and cayenne), seasoning blends (seafood and/or steak seasoning)

Sugars: brown, granulated refined, confectioners'

Tomatoes (canned): whole, crushed, paste

Vinegars: balsamic, red wine, white

(ingredients courtesy of Shakara Bridgers, Jeniece Isley, and Joan Davis of A Sassy Girl's Cookbook)