Can't go wrong with this stuff in your pantry

Pantry Staples

Good Olive Oil (for cold dressings, breads and dips)
Cheap Olive Oil (for cooking)
Soy Sauce Sesame Oil
Chicken Broth (powdered and liquid)
Chopped Tomatoes (canned)
Tomato Paste
Balsamic Vinegar
White Wine Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar
Tarragon Vinegar
Red Wine Vinegar
Kosher Salt
Fresh Garlic
Lemons
Every single spice you can fit in your cabinet
Wine (any kind, any price, any bottle)

Measure-Free Recipes

The reason the recipes on My Kitchen Chaos don’t include exact measurements is simply because I have neither the time nor the patience to wash extra dishes. It’s a pain. It adds clutter. And clutter is chaos. So I’ve adopted my great-grandmother from the old country’s “grab it with your hands” method of cooking.

Most every recipe here is foolproof, meaning you can’t mess it up. That’s also why you won’t see too many baked goods here. Baking is an exact science. I didn’t do well in science.

Have fun with these recipes. Don’t be afraid to experiment according to taste. A handful of something really does mean that. A splash of olive oil means you can pour in a little or have your kid pour in the whole bottle and it won’t make a lick of a difference. Pinches are meant to be used liberally. Spoons can be any size. And if the top falls off the parsley flakes while you’re pouring them in, so be it! Spices are king, fresh herbs are easy to grow in small pots, Kosher salt rocks my world, and no matter what they say, you can never use too much lemon!

So if you’re a measure freak, a control freak, a neat freak or just freakishly scared of your own kitchen, try a few of these dishes out on your frenemies before serving them to people you love. I promise they will turn out okay!

Cheers!