The Badass Pantry

The better you keep your pantry stocked with staples, sauces, spices, seasonings, and various odds and ends... the easier it is to throw something together. Obviously this list is biased toward my personal tastes and what I cook with the most. These are all just suggestions... feel free to omit what you know you won't use, and add whatever you need to! If you keep your pantry stocked, you'll find you spend less money. That's because you won't always be running out for five ingredients you don't have every time you make something new. You can restock as things go on sale, be able to substitute ingredients easier, and add luxury items as you go along.


Spices/Herbs:
salt (any kind, but I've heard and prefer Kosher for cooking, sea salt as a condiment)
pepper (pick up one of the little plastic peppercorn grinders if you're still using ground pepper. this small change alone will drastically improve flavor)
garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, basil, oregano, curry, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, chili powder, paprika, cumin, dry mustard, parsley (because most recipes call for it, but honestly unless I have fresh or it's cooked in a sauce I usually just omit it... dried parsley is a waste of money), rosemary, sage.

assorted "deliciousness in an envelope" mixes (I always keep Ranch dressing packets, Italian dressing mix, and onion soup mix... FYI the potato recipe on the onion soup mix is like the best thing ever)

a few blends, like lemon-pepper, a Cajun seasoning, a Beef rub... these can be used to flavor pretty much anything. I sprinkle Cajun seasoning over the buttered bread when making a grilled cheese, sprinkle blends over potatoes, mix into sauces, etc.


Pantry:
egg noodles (in a pinch, I love these with nothing more than butter and Parmesan), a long noodle (spaghetti, angel hair, fettuccine) a short-cut pasta (ziti, rotini, elbows, shells), rice, bread, all-purpose flour, sugar, confectioner's sugar, baking soda, baking powder, brown sugar, oats (breakfast, mix into meatloaf, cookies), breadcrumbs (nothing beats homemade breadcrumbs, but keep purchased crumbs on hand for the rest of the time), canned tuna, canned tomatoes (I buy whole tomatoes and chop them if needed, great for roasted tomato soup; also I keep tomato sauce, paste, and diced tomatoes)
potatoes, onions.

a good olive oil, vegetable oil 
vinegars: white wine, red wine or apple cider (preferably both, but one will do to start), balsamic, and I also keep rice. I am a firm believer that regular distilled vinegar is for cleaning, not cooking.
chicken & beef broth/stock (and vegetable broth/stock, if you're into that): hey, if you're down with making your own or buying the good stuff, more power to you. personally, I'm pretty damn sold on bouillon.
ketchup, mustard (I keep three different kinds: yellow, Dijon, and spicy brown), barbecue sauce (I make my own, but I still keep a bottle on hand... sometimes the amount you need just isn't worth all the fuss), soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, hot sauce, peanut butter, maple syrup, honey


Freezer:
veggies: frozen veggies are fantastic. the steam-in-the-bag make delicious easy sides, and of course there's just the regular ol' bags of broccoli, corn, and peas I keep, along with a package or two of spinach.
fruit: great for making smoothies, jazzing up dessert, even cooking with. dried fruit is good to have as well.
meat: two of us don't go through it quickly, and we're on a budget. I buy family packs of everything: chicken breasts, ground beef, pork, etc., then portion everything out before freezing.
nuts/seeds: I keep pecans, almonds, and sunflower seeds.


Fridge:
milk, sour cream, and butter/margarine. I keep both, but I prefer butter. Some recipes I will put off making until I have real butter. Look, here's the deal, butter tastes great, it won't kill you if you use it in moderation, it has a consistency you can't fake, and probably most importantly ISN'T ALMOST PLASTIC. And here's the great thing: if you use the real, full-fat version of foods... you'll eat less. You'll feel satisfied in a way you'd forgotten existed. Butter has so much to offer us... if we'd only forgive it for being fattening. Say what you will about me, but stop picking on butter. /soapbox

cheese: If you're anything like me, the more the merrier with cheese- cream cheese, American, Parmesan, Mozzarella, sharp Cheddar- I buy what I can in block form because it's cheaper that way (although it's not a bad idea to keep a big bag of shredded cheese in the freezer), and it pisses me off when all I have is shredded and I need cubes, or slices. I generally spring for one "awesome" cheese at a time, and it's usually between feta, blue, Gouda, or Gruyère.

mayonnaise/Miracle Whip (I prefer the real stuff, but sometimes you just need the tangy zip), horseradish, jams/jellies/preserves (I always have at least three flavors and use them way more in cooking than on toast... I'm a pretty big fan of fruity meats, and they melt right into a sauce), salsa, garlic (I always keep either a head of garlic or a jar of diced garlic), lemon juice, lime juice.
eggs, biscuits, bacon.
veggies/fruit: whatever you like and will eat or cook with. I always keep carrots, apples when they're in season, and other than that what looks good or is on sale. I generally buy most of my veggies and fruits frozen because it's cheaper and I don't feel pressured to use stuff up before it goes bad. But hey, if your budget allows fresh, by all means do it- it almost always tastes and looks better (in season, that is).

I imagine in time I'll add a couple more pages expanding on this subject...  one improving on the badass pantry, so you really can make anything (I'm a cooking nerd. I have way more than this in my pantry). I'll also try to get a badass-on-a-budget pantry post up soon :)