Kitchen Basics an American Original. Just Like Homemade. Cooking stock is a central ingredient for soups, sauces and marinades. It is used by many to flavor vegetables, potatoes and rice dishes. For years, making stock from scratch has been the only way home cooks have been able to control and limit ingredients. But who has the time to make stock from scratch? In 1996, Kitchen Basics first introduced ready-to-use cooking stocks. Our founder's grandmother's recipes were the key inspiration behind our culinary line of cooking stocks. Kitchen Basics embraces the fundamentals of homemade stock and brings to you cooking stocks that are slow-simmered for that rich taste and are made from vegetables and herbs. Sauces & Gravies. Make hearty dishes using stock as a base for stews, pot roasts and other braised meats. Adds full-bodied flavor to soups such as mushroom and barley soup. Grains & Lentils. Replace water with stock when preparing rice, barley, couscous, quinoa or lentils. Lowfat Cooking. Cook vegetables in a small amount of stock instead of oil or butter. No artificial flavors.