What’s your favorite “I haven’t been to the grocery store in a loooonng time” dish?
I need some dinner ideas, but I won’t tell you what I have at home (at least not yet), because I’m also interested in what other people keep around as “must have” staples.
You can assume the availability of stuff like milk, bread, eggs and a few basic long-life vegetables.
I usually have pasta around and can whip up a quick pasta dinner.
Here’s a couple of ideas:
1. Pasta bake: Lightly oil a pyrex baking dish. In a large bowl: Pour in whatever kind of pasta you have. Pour in whatever kind of jarred or canned red sauce you have. Pour in a little water. Mix in cottage cheese (ricotta will be even better but I don’t usually have that on hand). If you have some Parmesan or other hard crumbly cheese toss that in too. Season to taste (oregano, basil, salt, pepper). Pour into pyrex dish. If you have some mozzerella toss some on the top. Bake.
2. Quick Pasta: Make pasta according to directions. Make a quick sauce using butter (or margarine) and seasonings (garlic, onion, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, etc.). If you have cheese toss some of that in too. If you have white wine or dry vermouth that’s even better. Add chopped fresh misc. vegetables (green or red peppers, green onions, broccoli, canned artichoke hearts etc.) Pour sauce on top of pasta.
3. Gado Gado sauce over rice or noodles: This one is a bit more complicated but you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. And it is yummy, yummy, yummy!
Ingredients:
1tbs. Peanut oil (Seasame, olive or other oil will do but Peanut oil is preferable.)
1 cup minced onion
Some minced Garlic (to taste. I like lots and lots.)
1 tbs freshly grated ginger (jarred minced or powdered will work ok–adjust accordingly)
1 and 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 and 1/2 to 2 cups hot water
2 to 3 tbs of cider vinegar (more or less to taste, other vinegars work in a pinch)
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. brown sugar or honey (white sugar works too)
2 to 3 Tbs lemon juice (to taste. Not absolutely necessary if you don’t have it)
Saute onion, garlic and ginger in the oil until the onion is clear.
Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until smooth. Simmer for about 15 minutes or so (gets thicker the longer it stays on the heat).
Serve over rice or noodles or even steamed veggies.
Top with assorted leftover veggies (or fruits if you’re feeling wild and crazy.
Spaghetti Aglio-Olio Peperoncino.
This is a classic quickie dish Italians are supposed to whip up for themselves after a night of heavy wine-drinking.
Get a big pot of water going, and cook a pound of spaghetti.
Saute 3 or 4 chopped garlic cloves in a tablespoon-to-a-1/4 cup of good olive oil (depending on how much fat you like), just until it softens and begins to turn golden.
Mash 3 or 4 anchovy filets into the hot garlic (anchovy optional, but it’s really good in this). Stir in 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, or a small dried hot red chile pepper, crumbled. And about 1/4 cup of chopped parsley. Add a ladleful of the pasta cooking water. Simmer and reduce slightly while the pasta finishes cooking.
When the spaghetti’s done, drain and add it to the pan with the sauce. Cook, mixing the pasta and sauce together well for a minute or two.
Turn pasta into a warm serving bowl, sprinkle with a little more chopped parsley, and serve with the cheese-grater standing ready.
All good suggestions. The gado gado is a definite contender, I have all the ingredients and some compatible vegetables.
The spaghetti sounds great, too. Garlic is one of my basic food groups. However, I don’t have any anchovies or cheese right now. The deciding factor is no wine. I can’t imagine eating that dish without a good red.
In my arsenal of food, I always keep:
pasta (any kind but usually a spaghetti)
olive oil
artichoke hearts in water
cheese (Parmesano and chedder)
butter (the real stuff)
garlic heads (no jarred crap but I do keep powered too)
instant mashed potatoes
refried beans
cans of tomato soup
cans of french style green beans
salsa
Club Crackers
Okay, the refried beans are usually for a late night snack with cheese and some spices with some salsa
But the pasta is great. If you keep around some artichoke hearts, you can easily cook the pasta. While cooking the pasta, chop up the artichokes, add to some lightly cooked minced garlic (don’t over do it) just to heat the artichokes through. Once the pasta is done, drain and add to the garlic and artichoke. Toss. Put on plate(s) and add on some fresh Parmesan cheese.
For a good sidedish with the steak you have in the freeze, just drain the green beans (has to be french, it’s all about texture) and place in a pan. Add in some butter, some of your favorite spices and heat thoroughly.
Instant mashed potatoes can taste pretty good as a side dish, if you happen to have some ham in the fridge chop some up and add in, makes for a good meal at home alone with some chedder cheese on top. I prefer potatoes from the produce section but hey when are you are not in the mood for shopping, it satisfies the hunger.
Oh and tomato soup? Heck, that’s a tasty treat any time of the year as far as I am concerned. I always doctor it up with some spices, garlic and lemon pepper. Side with some cheddar cheese and crackers and you have a tasty meal when you are short on time and money.
I can’t believe this, powered garlic! Okay, my garlic has little motors and solar panels.
< snicker >
Typos can really crap me up.
(p-o-w-d-e-r-e-d)
< wacks self on head >
The real-life inspiration for this thread is the fact that, due to an accounting error, we have something like $40 to get us to next Friday when I get paid.
Fortunately, I’m a recreational food shopper, so we’re usually pretty well stocked.
My basics are:
In the cabinet:
Canned salmon and tuna
Canned tomatoes in various states
Enchilada sauce
Beef and chicken broth
various pastas, rices, and grains
lentils
Canned beans and chickpeas
Supplies for basic baking
In the fridge:
Potatoes, carrots, and onions
Fresh ginger/garlic
Plain yogurt
tofu
A couple of basic cheeses
Berbere and spiced butter for Ethopian dishes
In the freezer:
Whole chickens
Trader Joe’s french beans and peas
The excess of any soup or stew that I’ve made recently
It’s going to be a long week though. We already ate the chicken and the salmon. By Thursday I should be ready to publish “101 Clever Things You Can Do With Oatmeal.”
Wah.
Oh, man…with a larder like that, you’re set to go!
Red beans and Rice
Pasta Salad with Canned Tuna, Onions, Garlic, Tomatoes
Chicken Soup with Noodles and Chickpeas
Welsh Rabbit over Toast (I assume you have beer around)
Pasta Marinara
Omelettes Parmentier, Gingered Carrots on the side
Dal with Rice, a nice Raita on the side
Er…um…Tofu in Enchilada Sauce
Uhhhhhhhhhh…Trader Joe’s French Beans and Peas in Ethiopian Spiced Butter
—Christ, are we to Friday yet?
Friday Evening: Grilled Fillets of Beef Bernaise with Australian Spring Asparagus and Large Dollops of Beluga Caviar
I just remembered that I like to add some cayenne pepper to the Gado Gado to give it a little kick.