# What would you make with these ingredients? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 16, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245 "2007-01-16T21:38:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245/1 "2007-01-16T21:38:47Z")
I’ve been inspired by the other thread on this subject. Right now, if I’m having a meal, it’s stir fry 99% of the time (not kidding I have this almost every time I have dinner), although I do keep buying things that look interesting, only to never eat them (like the curry packet). I don’t usually cook, so I’m not the kind of person who comes up with recipes out of thin air, hence this thread. I’m looking for things that don’t require too much prep time. So, anyways, here’s the list. Meat Chicken breasts Oysters (canned) Shrimp Swordfish Salmon (frozen) Ground turkey Vegetables Spinach (fresh) Frozen stir fry mix (lots of different packs…there’s asparagus blend, broccoli blend, snap pea blend etc. that all have chopped peppers, peas and other things). Sweet peas Broccoli Onions Garlic black beans rice carrots Spices/Sauces Salt Pepper Spice packets for stir fry, fried rice, yellow curry Cinnamon Spicy Korean bbq sauce (for stir fry) lemon garlic sauce Fish sauce Other Coconut milk Butter firm tofu ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245/2 "2007-01-16T21:51:56Z")
Oh, I have olive oil and canola oil too. Too bad we can’t edit over here yet… ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245/3 "2007-01-16T23:59:40Z")
the chicken breasts, coconut milk, and yellow curry would make for a good Thai-style dish. No idea as to the proportions, though. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245/4 "2007-01-17T15:47:38Z")
So, stir fry and chicken curry it is, huh? Okay, what other reasonably priced things would I need to make a larger variety of stuff from the things on hand? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245/5 "2007-01-17T16:46:36Z")
Well, you could get some smoked sausage, cut it up, and mix it with the black beans and rice. You might need throw in a thckening agent to get the right consistency. Maybe others will be along with more suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![According\_to\_Pliny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@According\_to\_Pliny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/According_to_Pliny)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245/6 "2007-01-17T18:37:31Z")
peppers, onions, rice, and carrots That’s all on your list I ever buy. But I put peppers, onions, rice and carrots, with fine egg noodles and chicken or beef bouillon every day. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245/7 "2007-01-17T21:11:08Z")
Thanks. [QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] Well, you could get some smoked sausage, cut it up, and mix it with the black beans and rice. You might need throw in a thckening agent to get the right consistency. [/QUOTE] Flour is a thickener right? I might have that. Geez, I guess what I really need is a book of recipes, and basic cooking info. **According to Pliny** , are you cooking the noodles and everything in the bouillon or, cooking everything then, pouring the bouillon over it like a soup? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245/8 "2007-01-17T21:32:08Z")
[QUOTE=Omega Glory] Flour is a thickener right? [/QUOTE] Flour, cornstarch, breadcrumbs… ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245/9 "2007-01-17T21:36:49Z")
You could marinate the salmon or swordfish in the lemon garlic sauce and cook in a frying pan, 5 minutes on each side per inch of thickness. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245/10 "2007-01-17T21:38:19Z")
[recipe for the above](http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1745,156186-245193,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245/11 "2007-01-17T22:27:58Z")
Stone soup? ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245/12 "2007-01-17T23:22:20Z")
Well, if you get a can of chicken stock and some saffron you could whip up a nice piallia. Fry the rice with a bit of olive oil. Add the chopped onion. Mix Saffron with some hot water and let stand for a couple of mintues. Add to rice. Add chicken stock. Simmer that for a while. Add the vegies. Add the seafood items and the diced up chicken. (Add them in order of most cooking time to least - so the chicken before the seafood). Cover. Steam until done. Shwank. It’s quite easy, and delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Asgardking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Asgardking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asgardking)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-make-with-these-ingredients/388245/13 "2007-01-18T04:37:16Z")
Shrimp scampi Melt butter (a lot, maybe half a stick) in a frying pan. Once melted, throw in about 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, minced and a bit of the lemon garlic sauce (I’d normally use lemon juice and zest), then throw in the shrimp and sautee until pink. Serve over rice or linguini.