If the idea of using canned food to prepare meals immediately raises visions of cans of condensed cream soups and gloppy tuna-noodle casserole, Silverton and Carreno quickly dispel such uncouth culinary nightmares. They aim to simplify meal preparation through use of canned and boxed ingredients without resorting to the worst of processed foods. A jar of roasted peppers, a couple cans of tuna, a bunch of canned capers, and some fresh parsley compose a hearty cold salad. Canned beans, fresh herbs, and plenty of shredded cabbage make a quick soup in the Tuscan tradition. Sauteed arugula crowns pork chops nestled on a bed of instant polenta and flavored with exotic, expensive fennel pollen. Bottled lime juice and condensed milk make a quick tropical dessert. The authors offer a pantry inventory to ensure that the cook always has the basis for plenty of exciting meals readily at hand.