Contemplating Future Kitchen Creations:

Julianna got an apartment and can move in July 1; therefore, she's been talking about food options on a budget.

Nathaniel's dead broke and going back to Cali tomorrow, (stopping in Portland overnight, so back in Redding on Wed, actually) and thus has been talking about the economics of food and such.

Megan's housesitting right now, so she was also figuring out what food to take with her.

All this talk of food is a) making me hungry and b) causing me to think, even more than usual, about when I finally have control of my own food supply and what I shall make and eat. So I decided to make a list of semester must-haves, or if you prefer, musthaves:) Er'hm:

-Pinto beans: cheap and make simple, delicious refried beans!

-Avocados: are simply amazing and useful in so many forms! Mash into guac and add a few other things (tomatoes, onions, lemon juice, cilantro?) OR slice half and put it on toast (maybe even add cheese!) OR just eat it plain OR ... :D If you claim not to like them, maybe you just haven't prepared them properly--some say adding salt makes them better, too. I encourage you to experiment:) And, hey, they're good for you;)

-Brown rice: also eay to prepare, and let's face it--it goes with just about anything. Really.

-Chicken: every once in a while, at least. And there's too many things to list that make chicken good. OK, just one--honey baking it. Prepare a honey/mustard/I don't remember what else mixture to put over it, then stick it in the oven and let it bake for an hour. The sauce is good over rice (previously noted as a wonderful side) or, my favorite, oven-baked potatoes. And since potatoes take about an hour in the oven, you can just wash 'em up and throw 'em in next to the dish containing the chicken and honey mixture:)

-Peanut butter!: Discussing a protein made me think about peanut butter, the staple protein for those of us lacking money:)--and it's darn good, too. Preferred type: Adam's creamy peanut butter with NO SALT ADDED. It's just pure peanuts--YAY!!!

-Hmmm...what else? Lots of fruits and vegetables. Carrots, bananas, romaine lettuce, mushrooms, orange juice, potatoes (they're dirt cheap--how could you pass them up?), oatmeal, the occasional pasta, milk, maybe cheese, the occasional box of sugary cereal, the occasional carton of any kind of ice cream--I'm really looking forward to it, obviously:)