Power ingredients

I haven't done a recipe post in ages. With the kids gone, we've been trying to stretch our grocery budget, eating the food storage and such. That means the food just hasn't been as good lately, and I don't feel so much like showing off.

To make really great food, I rely a lot on what I think of as power ingredients. I'm talking about little things with a lot of flavor. These are my favorite things about cooking -- the small additions that make a dish really special. I thought it would be fun to do a post listing all the power ingredients I can think of. Because I've been missing them lately.

So, for your salivating pleasure,

Ana's Power Ingredients List
In no particular order

Fresh ginger
Pickled ginger
Sesame oil
Olive oil
Red pepper flakes
Sesame seeds
Flax meal (in baked goods)
Cheeses, especially bleu, parmesan, and feta
Nuts, especially almonds, pine nuts, peanuts and walnuts
All-natural peanut butter
Natural dried apricots or other fruits (no nasty sulfury ones)
Sun-dried tomatoes
Lemon
Lime
Garlic
Cream
Bacon
Fresh herbs
Hot sauce
Flavored vinegars
Avocados
Honey
Coconut milk
Corn chips (I hope you have all seen Nacho Libre by now)
Pepitas (hulled salted pumpkin seeds -- probably fried, but I am ignoring that)

And here is a good dressing I made to pep up a salad when I had very few power ingredients around:

Creamy Chili Vinaigrette

Combine in a blender:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp canola oil
1/4 c vinegar (use water for part of it if you are using a really tangy vinegar like the organic cider vinegar I have been using lately)
1 tsp fresh chili powder (buy it in the little bags in the Mexican food section for 69 cents!)
1 tbsp light mayo
Salt and pepper to taste

Whip it up; serve it on a salad. Also makes a nice drizzle for grilled meats.

Better, of course, if the salad has bacon and avocados and pepitas.