Foods That Keep -- Cooking From the Pantry

Cooking locally doesn't just involve fresh produce and organic meats. Buying and using locally produced pantry items -- like beans and pasta -- has the same health, environment, and economic impact as buying locally grown carrots. Plus, having quality dry goods in your cupboard will make it that much easier to quickly turn perishable items into tempting meals. Here are some easy recipes using foods from the pantry, many of them are endlessly flexible to suit your tastes and the seasons.