Staples I can't Live Without

You know how it is, browsing through the grocer, minding your business. All of a sudden there it is.
Angel choir begins to sing, the sun comes out from behind a cloud, and cast a beam on... Pureed Ginger.
O.K maybe it wasn't that melodramatic, but it was one of those AHA! moments. This is ingenious. Ginger is so tough and fibrous- such a pain to work with.
I love Asian food, so this is a Godsend for me.
I'm still experimenting, but I think you need only about 1/4 the ginger a recipe calls for- if you switch to pureed.
Love this stuff.  I'm going to add a new tag  -Staples I can't Live Without - and many will have recipes for that product.
Recipe for - Pureed Ginger @ Recipe 4 All


My all time favorite product is bottled minced garlic. I don't know what type of garlic is used for this, but it must be a better variety than most of the fresh garlic bulbs I've used.
I go through about 4 -5 quarts a year. So you might not want to stand too close. :) Anytime I try a new recipe, and think there's somethin' missin' ...PLOP! in goes the garlic, that usually fixes it.
It's touted as one of the "superfoods", also keeps vampires and unwanted relatives  away! good stuff.

Once I discovered Chipotles in Adobo sauce, I was so intrigued by these smoked jalapenos, I started trying them in many of my existing recipes. If you want to add a southwest flair to a dish, try puree-ing  1 or 2 of these in the sauce. The flavor is truly unique. I also use the adobo sauce in the can for cooking. It picks up the flavor of the chipotle but not the heat.
 I try to keep a container in the fridge at all times, but my husband finds them ( He eats them like candy-yuk) So I keep a can or 2 hidden behind my spice jars....shhhh.

Chipotles in Adobo sauce- You can find them in the Mexican section of your grocer.