I like food! I’m a culinary student, so that’s kind of a given, but every now and then I feel the need to shout it from the rooftops. Food is good!

Ok, now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I’ll begin my actual article. The title says it all, I guess. Tasty food on a tight budget is the story of my life right now. Because I’m 21 years old, I live alone in LA, and I’ve got to eat AND pay bills. I can do it, and not even because I’m a culinary student, but because I’ve invested some time in making cheap foods taste good. And I have a well stocked kitchen. So, I figure it will be best to start with that.

The Necessities

Things everyone should have in their kitchen, things that make ordinary scrambled eggs taste like the best meal you’ve had all day. Ok, so scrambled eggs are breakfast, they normally are the best meal so far that day. But what if you could, after dinner, look back and say, well dinner was good, but WOW! Those eggs I made this morning were great?

Equipment is important.

There are a few things that everyone who cooks should have, in my opinion. There are thousands of articles, and even books on equipment out there. My favorite is Alton Brown’s “Gear for Your Kitchen”. So I’ll keep this section short and sweet. You need something to cook in. Sure, you could cook on a stick over the burner on your oven; people have been doing that for years. But, it’s hard to make really tasty food like that. And have you ever tried cooking eggs or rice on a stick? It just doesn’t work. So I’d say get a pan. Actually get at least 2. now, they don’t have to be 100 dollar copper core pans, they just have to be sturdy and not feel that they’re going to crumble in the heat. A little heft is good. At least have one regular frying or sauté pan, and one nonstick, which is the best way to go for omelets. One big pot is good to have too, something big enough to fit pasta and water without overcrowding your pot. And one saucepan. I’d also suggest having a good knife. I have a set of good knives, but most of the time I just use my 10 inch chef’s knife. I’d say, if you want to splurge on one thing in your kitchen, invest in a good knife. Its best to get one in a place where they’ll let you hold the knife and even cut with it. I mean what’s the fun in paying for a good knife if its uncomfortable to use? Beyond that, you’ll probably want a cutting board, wire whisk, spatula for flipping things, the other kind of spatula for scraping bowls, a wooden spoon or 2, a good pyrex measuring cup (the plastic kind cracks when you pour boiling water in them), measuring spoons and a can opener. You can make just about anything with those.

So now you’ve got your kitchen comfortably equipped. And you want to begin cooking. But your kitchen is bare except for a few packets of ramen and some unidentifiable leftovers. There are a few basic food items you’ll probably want to buy and keep around the kitchen. Cheap stuff that will help you turn even your packet of ramen from ok to extraordinary.

Here’s my list of 15 things that I keep on hand at all times:
1. All Purpose Flour
2. Salt
3. Eggs
4. Oil
5. Bread
6. A couple of cans of tuna
7. Chicken
8. Frozen peas
9. Sliced Almonds
10. Rice
11. Pasta
12. garlic and onions
13. chicken stock
14. dried herbs and spices.

Some of the things on this list need elaborating on. I think flour, salt, sugar, and eggs are pretty self explanatory, as are tuna, rice, garlic and onions, almonds and pasta. Bread too. I like a good whole wheat bread, but that’s a personal preference. Get whatever you like for your sandwiches. As far As oil, I keep canola and olive oil on hand at all times. I like the flavor of extra virgin olive oil, and you can get it anywhere from pretty cheap to insanely expensive. Chicken is something I buy in large amounts and freeze. That way I can always have some chicken in the time it takes to pop it in the microwave and hit defrost. Frozen peas can be defrosted and steamed, sautéed or added to a dish in minutes. They’re great when you don’t have any fresh vegetables around. Chicken stock can be found pretty inexpensively, and made even more inexpensively if you have the time. It adds a nice punch of flavor to any dish.

Which brings us to herbs and spices. Seasonings. The life of a dish. The herbs and spices I use the most are cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika, regular black pepper, basil, ginger and oregano.

Well you’re back from the grocery store and probably wondering if I have any idea what I’m talking about. This stuff added up and got pretty expensive. But never fear, most of the things you just bought will last you a while. I promise that you won’t have to buy that much every week. It’s just good to stock up. I leave you with a recipe. Using just the ingredients you just bought. Bon Appetite!

Easy, delicious scrambled eggs for one:

1 tsp vegetable oil
¼ of a large onion, diced
¼ of a chicken breast, cut into small cubes,
1 clove garlic, Minced
2 eggs,
½ tsp dried Basil
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

In a Nonstick Pan, sauté the chicken in the oil. When it begins to turn golden brown add the onions and garlic, sauté until chicken is cooked through and onions are soft to the touch. Add the basil and cayenne pepper, give the pan a good mix to ensure that everything is seasoned. Add eggs, and cook, keeping the mixture moving constantly. Cook till the eggs are the texture you want them, put on a plate, and add salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

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