Oh, my goodness! Color me flabbergasted! For years I have been living a lie. I was told long ago (perhaps first by my parents) that though Gelatin products like my beloved Jello was once made from boiling down the bones, hides and connective tissue of animals, that at some time manufacturers stopped using animal products and changed to some magical synthetic chemical alternative. Well… color me wrong.

Victory gardens, also called war gardens or food gardens for defense, were vegetable, fruit and herb gardens planted at private residences and public parks in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Germany[1] during World War I and World War II to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort.

The morning after paying $4.99 cents for a dozen eggs at my local grocer, I awoke to the sound of a rooster in my neighborhood. My city-boy husband was not amused (we do not live in the country). I felt a rather nostalgic tug from my childhood on a small southern farm.

I can live life quite satisfactorily with Salt, Pepper and three of my favorite blends. You can buy these blends in most grocery stores; however, I prefer to make my own in order to control the ingredients and ratios.

My number one blend is Herb de Provence. Herbes de Provence (or herbs de Provence) is a blend of dried Provençal herbs and spices. Herb de Provence is a French inspired blend of herbs that goes great on Chicken, Fish, roasted vegetables and more.

Here’s my list of the top ‘must have’ items for your refrigerator. These are items you will use often. Buy only what you need for the week, as refrigerator life on many foods is very short. Keep an eye on expiration dates on fridge food.

Make an effort to use up all butter, eggs, milk etc. before buying more. Keep in mind that many back-ups can be frozen and brought out as needed. Of course, everything depends on what you and your family like to eat. My husband is the king of salsa and puts it on everything. I keep a big jar handy in the fridge.

Few things garner culinary creativity better than a well-stocked Kitchen. The right pot for the right recipe, the right knife for the right cut is essential. Gadgets, utensils and bowls… oh my!

I will be writing a three part series on what you should have for a well-stocked kitchen starting with hardware.

I will also give you a list of things in a well-stocked larder (your pantry of dry goods), your refrigerator and your freezer.