Cookbook Giveaway: The Homemade Pantry

By: Kirsten Vala

Reading Alana Chernila’s description of lasagna night at her house in The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making was enough to make me add rennet (for cheese making) to my shopping list. She describes pulling her own warm mozzarella, as fresh tomato sauce bubbles on the stovetop and homemade lasagna noodles hang waiting, all while wrangling her two young daughters. When she contrasts her dinner to the idea of a convenient tin of frozen pasta, there’s no doubt which one I’d rather cozy up to.

Alana began making pantry staples at home because of a tight budget, but soon found how rewarding it could be — the food is better for you, it tastes better, it usually costs less, it eliminates packaging and it makes you think about food in a different, more connected way. With her new cookbook Alana is sharing her enthusiasm for cooking and her tried-and-true recipes. So you’ll be able to stop buying and start making one thing this week, another the next and before you know it, you’ll be having your own messy food adventures.

Here are some recipes from The Homemade Pantry to get you started:

We’re giving away one autographed copy of The Homemade Pantry to one lucky winner. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment telling us what pantry staples you make (or would like to make) at home.

So, tell us, what pantry staple do you (or would you) like to make at home?

You must include your email address in the “Email” field when submitting your comment so we can communicate back with you if you’re the winner. (But do not post your email address into the actual body of the comment.) We’re giving one copy away to one very lucky, randomly selected commenter.

You may only comment once to be considered, and you don’t have to purchase anything to win; a purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Odds depend on total number of entries. Void where prohibited. Only open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. states, D.C. or Puerto Rico, and you must be at least 18 years of age to win. All entries (comments) must be entered between 4:00 p.m. ET on April 13 and 5:00 p.m. ET on April 17. Subject to full Official Rules. By leaving a comment on the blog, you acknowledge your acceptance to the Official Rules. ARV of prize: $24.99. Sponsor: Scripps Networks, LLC, d/b/a/ Cooking Channel, 75 9th Ave., New York, NY 10011.

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