Staples: It's What's For Dinner...

     This is the pantry that came with the house.  It's a nice pantry.  It's clean.  It's well built.  It drives me crazy.  This picture was taken after I re-re-organized it last week.  I'm not even going to show you a picture of how bad it was before that.  Because, well, I like you guys and I want you to keep coming back...  As you can see, I've filled my pantry with a fair amount of stuff.  I did the same thing in our pantry in our last house.  In our last house, I just didn't bother cooking anything out of the pantry.  Here, I found I actually enjoy cooking and routinely drag everything off one or more shelves to get to whatever I need which is inevitably in the back.  I swear, I don't know what dirty little gnome moves all the stuff I need to the back of the shelf, but if I ever meet him, I'm going to punch him square in the neck.

     As you can see, I've got it pretty well shoved in there.  You can also see my dirty little secret.  Yes.  My name is Crackers on the Couch and I own instant potatoes.  I bought them for my puka dog post last year and they're still in my pantry.  I hate to see food wasted, even if it can only be called "food" in quotation marks.  Two weeks ago, I found some Bob's Red Mill potato flakes that actually have nothing but--get this-- potato in them.  Quite the concept, that. 

     So anyway, ever since I found out that one could have drawers instead of shelves in one's pantry I have wanted and wished and hoped and nagged and grumbled and begged for it.  We're talking years, people.  Well, last night, Mr. Crackers came through! 

Holy crap am I happy.

Things that I learned while cleaning my pantry:

1) Apparently at some point I was afraid the world would go through a massive bulghur shortage.

2) We eat a lot of Italian

3) There are entirely too many varieties of rice

4) There can never be too many varieties of rice

5) We need to eat more pickles

6)We never have to buy popcorn again.  Like, ever.

7) My legs are sore

And now, a little action shot.  You know you wanna see it:

BAY-UM!  Look'a that, Baby!

     You see that spice drawer?  That spice drawer makes my heart flutter.  Every time I go into the kitchen I pace around until I can find a reason to go in there and get something out...  I feel an unhealthy relationship forming... Folks, I think I may have begun stalking my Preeecious pantry... 

Could you excuse me?  I need to go wander around in my kitchen for a little while...