Pantry Meals Round Up

Each January I participate in the Pantry Challenge with Life As Mom's Jessica at Good Cheap Eats.  This allows us to spend less and use more of what we have.  Pantry Meals are an important part of a successful Pantry Challege as well as instrumental in getting dinner on the table during the week all year long.  Pantry meals are those meals you can just throw together based on what you have on hand, eliminating an extra trip to the grocery store.  Each of these can be made either with what I have on hand or substitutions.  Many of my pantry meals are one dish meals that either stand alone or with the addition of a quick salad or bowl of fruit make a complete meal.  All week I've been sharing some recent pantry meal additions -- Veggie Quesadillas, Fried Rice, Cheesy Mexican Rice, and Tomato Basil Pasta with Italian Sausage.

Here's a round up of our all time favorite pantry meals.  I can throw each of these together and never get a complaint from a single member of my family. 

Chicken Pot Pie

 

 

Pizza Pasta Casserole

 

 

All-American Frittata

 

 

Chili

 

 

Risotto

 

 

Main Dish Salads

 

 

Tomato Basil Cheese Pasta

 

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Tomato Basil Pasta with Italian Sausage - Pantry Meal

Pasta dishes make great pantry meals.  Most pasta dishes are very forgiving and substituting ingredients for what you have on hand is a simple fix.  I have many, many pasta dishes my family likes, but one of our favorites is Tomato Basil Pasta with Italian Sausage.  It uses so many staples I have on hand all the time -- canned tomatoes, pesto, pasta, parmesan cheese, and sausage.  However, it is easily adaptable.  Don't have italian sausage?  Use breakfast sausage or ground beef or chicken or leave out the meat all together for a meatless option.  I have used every type of pasta imaginable in this recipe.  My one piece of advice is to stay away from spaghetti.  The sauce is thick and just won't hold on thin spaghetti noodles. 

Tomato Basil Pasta with Italian Sausage

2 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, drained
28 oz. pasta, cooked and drained
6 T pesto
6 T Parmesan cheese
1 lb Italian sausage, cooked and drained
salt, pepper, fresh basil to taste

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Saute garlic for 2 minutes.  Add tomotoes and simmer for 10 minutes.  While tomatoes are cooking, use a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon to break up the larger tomato pieces.

Season tomato sauce with salt and pepper, stir in pesto.  Add Italian sausage and simmer 5 more minutes. 

Pour sauce over hot pasta, mix well.  Top with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. 

Linked to Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday

Fried Rice - Pantry Meal

Another great pantry meal I like to make is fried rice, using leftover meat and vegetables.  This time used leftover pork.  While I used the traditional peas and carrots in this batch, I've been known to throw in corn or chopped asparagus, even the last of a jar of pimentos went in once.  This is a great way to give leftovers a new flavor profile and make it more appealing to my family.  It is pretty quick too, especially if you use leftover rice instead of cooking and cooling it. 

Fried Rice

1 c long grain white rice, cooked according to package directions.
1 T canola oil
2 eggs, scrambled
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c frozen peas and carrots
3 green onions, sliced -- green and white parts
powdered ginger
salt
soy sauce, low-sodium
leftover meat of your choice (chicken, ground beef, shrimp, pork)

Place hot cooked rice in a bowl.  Toss in the frozen peas and carrots.  Put in the freezer.  Stir every few minutes until rice is cool and sticky.  Your rice must be cold or it will turn to mush when you fry it.  You can also use cold, leftover rice. 

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet on high.  Add green onions and garlic.  Saute for about 2 minutes (it will smell REALLY good). 

Remove rice from freezer, place in wok.  Stir fry for a minute, add soy sauce to your taste.  I use quite a bit, covering most of the rice.  Add powdered ginger, about 1/4 t and salt to taste (if using full sodium soy sauce you won't need salt).  Add in diced leftover meat and chopped scrambled eggs.  Continue to cook until heated through.  Taste and adjust seasonings and soy sauce if necessary. 

Veggie Quesadillas - Pantry Meal

Quesadillas are a quick weeknight meal we enjoy on a regular basis.  I can have these on the table in under 30 minutes.  One of our favorite recipes is this one for Vegetable Quesadillas.  One of the great things about this recipe is you can change out the vegetables to suit your tastes or what you have on hand in the refrigerator.  You can also used fresh, frozen or canned vegetables.  This is a true versatile  pantry meal.

 

 

Vegetable Quesadillas

 

1 t olive oil

1 c fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 c chopped zucchini

4 green onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 T chili powder

1/2 t ground cumin

1/4 t salt

8 (6 inch) tortillas ( I had HUGE ones is the refrigerator, so I made one large quesadilla and cut into wedges)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 c sour cream

1/2 c salsa

 

Mix sour cream and salsa together.  Refrigerate.

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Swirl in olive oil, heat for 1 minute.  Add in vegetables and spices.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender, about 8 minutes.  Remove from heat.

 

Place 4 tortillas on baking sheet.   Top each with 1/4 of the vegetable mixture and 3 T cheese.  Place remaining tortillas on top. 

 

Lightly spray the top of each tortilla with non-stick spray.  Bake until tortillas are golden and cheese is melted, about 8 minutes.  Cut each quesadilla into 4 pieces.  Serve with sour cream/salsa sauce.

 

These reheat well for lunch or leftovers the next day. 

 

Linking up to One Creative Weekend. 

Cheesy Mexican Rice - Pantry Meal

As our 2013 Pantry Challenge winds down, I'm highlighting some of our favorite pantry recipes. Some are old favorites and some are new ones we discovered this month while cleaning out the pantry and freezer.

This is a great pantry meal.  You can substitute any type of protein or leave it out all together.  Don't have Rotel, use tomato sauce and green chiles or chopped jalapenos.  Use any type of cheese you have on hand, cheddar, jack, pepper jack.  This is a very forgiving recipe.  It also makes a lot, so you will have leftovers for another  meal or lunches during the week.  We like to top it with salsa and sour cream. 

Cheesy Mexican Rice

1 T vegetable oil
1 c long grain white rice
1 can (16oz) chicken broth
1/2 - 1 c water
1 can Rotel
1/2 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground cumin
1/4 t chili powder
small can corn, drained
1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
1 1/2 c shredded colby jack cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Stir in rice; cook and stir until rice is lightly browned and gives off a toasted fragrance -- about 5 minutes. 

Stir in chicken broth, water, Rotel, onion, garlic, salt, cumin and chili powder.  Bring to boil, reduce to low.  Cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add corn, beans and beef.  Cook until heated through.  Top with cheese, heat until cheese is melted. 

Linking up to Pocket Change Gourmet Delicious Dishes

Beauty and Bedlam Tasty Tuesday

Risotto

We love risotto around here.  It's such a simple dish and it can be tailored to meet your family's tastes, the seasons and whatever might be lurking in your refrigerator.  Most people steer clear of making risotto because they think it it too hard, time consuming, or high in calories.  It truly is neither.  I can have risotto on the table in about 40 minutes, my kind of weeknight meal.  Serve it with leftover chicken, pork or beef to make leftovers not seem like the same meal again.  This version is a light risotto, with only 243 calories and 4.7 g of fat in a 1/2 cup serving.

Basic Risotto

1 t butter
1 t oil oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 mushrooms, chopeed
1 1/2 c Arborio rice
1/2 c frozen corn kernels (or other frozen vegetable of your choice)
1/2 c white wine
7 - 8 cups reduced fat, low sodium chicken broth, heated
1/2 t dried thyme (or other spice of your choice)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/4 t rubbed sage

Melt butter and olive oil in a 2 qt saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onions and mushrooms, saute for 2 - 3 minutes.  Add rice, saute 1 minute.  Stir in corn and wine; reduce heat to medium, and simmer stirring constantly until wine is reduced by half. 

Add 1/2 c hot broth, and cook, stirring constantly until liquid is absorbed.  Repeat procedure with remaining hot broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until rice is tender.  (Total cooking time is about 35 minutes.) 

Stir in thyme and next 3 ingredients, stirring until blended.  Serve immediately.  8 1/2 c servings.

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Life As Mom

Pizza Pasta Casserole

This is a new family favorite, as it got thumbs up from all 4 of us.   Oringally a Southern Living recipe, I changed it around a bit and it will be added to our menu rotation.

  

I couldn't get a picture before they devoured almost the entire dish.

Pizza Pasta Casserole

12 oz. spaghetti

1 pound mild pork sausage

2 oz. pepperoni

1 jar (26 oz) tomato basil pasta sauce ( I like Classico brand)

1 c pizza sauce (I had this in my freezer)

1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

2 c shredded 6 cheese Italian cheese blend

Boil pasta according to package directions.  Keep warm.

Brown sausage in a large skillet until no longer pink.  Drain and set aside.  Wipe pan clean.  Add pepperoni and cook until slightly crisp (about 5 minutes).  Drain on paper towel.

Toss spaghetti, sausage, pepperoni, tomato basil sauce and pizza sauce until combined.  Pour into 13 x 9 baking dish.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and top with Italian cheese blend.   Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes. 

Serve with salad and garlic bread for a quick, family pleasing dinner.

This is a great make ahead dinner.  I actually assembled the casserole Sunday afternoon and baked Monday night.   I also think it would freeze very well. 

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All-American Frittata

What can be better than eggs, bacon and cheese?  Nothing really, but putting them all together in a 75 year old iron skillet makes them fabulous!  This is one of our favorite quick meals.  It takes only minutes to pull together, 10 minutes in the oven and it makes use of those bits and pieces hiding in the refrigerator. 

All-American Frittata

2 c frozen hash browns, thawed

1/2 T vegetable oil

8 eggs, beaten

3/4 c diced ham or cooked, chopped bacon or cooked, crumbled sausage - whatever you've got, or leave out the meat if you want

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 t garlic powder

1/4 t onion powder

1 cup add ins  - scour your refrigerator for those bits of leftover vegetables- see idea list at bottom
1/2 c shredded cheese - your favorite or whatever you've got

In a seasoned iron skillet, heat oil.  Add hash browns and cook until soft. 
Beat eggs, adding salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
Top hash browns with bacon and add ins of your choice, pour eggs over . 
Top  with cheese. 
Cook until bottom is set, then bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. 

*** Add ins - spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, squash, zucchini, onions, green or red peppers, peas

Serve with salad and fruit for a great quick meal.

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Chicken Noodle Soup

I have always wanted to make my own Chicken Noodle Soup, but thought it would be too much work.  So, when my co-worker made some and raved about how good, quick and easy it was I had to have the recipe.  I altered this Food Network Kitchens recipe to suit our tastes.  It is now a menu staple at our house.

Chicken Noodle Soup

1/2 c medium onion, thinly sliced
2 small carrots, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch rubbed thyme or 2 sprigs fresh thyme
6 c chicken broth (I use homemade)
1/2 c water
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1/3 pound wide egg noodles
1 1/4 c shredded, cooked chicken (2 breasts seasoned with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning - roasted)
1/2 c frozen peas

Put onion, carrots, celery, thyme, chicken broth and water in a stock pot.  SEason wtih salt and pepper, to taste.  Bring to a simmer over medium high heat.  Simmer until vegetables are almost tender, about 5 minutes.   Add noodles and cook until tender, 5 - 8 minutes more.  Add the chicken, warm through and adjust seasoning if necessary.  Add frozen peas and cook for 1 - 2 minutes before serving. 

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Tomato, Basil and Cheese Baked Pasta

This is a Rachel Ray recipe from her 30 Minute Meals Show on Food Network.  I have made a couple of changes to the recipe to suit our tastes.  I am posting the recipe here with my changes.  This one of Rachel's recipe that truly can be made in 30 minutes.

Tomato, Basil and Cheese Baked Pasta

1/2 pound shell or other small shaped pasta
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, diced
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 14 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
1 14 oz. can diced tomates with basil, garlic and oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 c pesto sauce
2 c ricotta cheese
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 c grated Mozzarella cheese


Boil pasta in a large pot, cook until el dente.  Drain.

Heat olive oil in large skillet.  Saute garlic and onions until soft and onions are translucent.  Add both cans of tomatoes (do not drain).  Heat until bubbling, lower heat and continue to cook.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, mix pesto, ricotta and Parmesan cheese.  Add drained pasta and stir to coat.  Place in 11 x 7 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.  Top with tomato sauce.  Top with grated Mozzarella and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Place under a heated broiler and broil for 5 - 6 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

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Taco Soup

This is such a great cold weather recipe and the fact that you can make it in the crockpot makes it even better.  I took a couple of different recipes for Taco Soup and combined the best of them to come up with this delcious recipe.   The addition of the enchilada sauce put this one over the top for us.  I used mild, but you could use hot to give your soup an extra kick.  I also used kidney beans I had cooked and frozen myself.  Much better than the canned version.  Once I use up all my canned black beans, I will be making and freezing all my own beans.  I used Jami @ An Oregon Cottage's recipe for my beans.

Taco Soup

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 lb ground beef, cooked with onion and garlic
1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 1/2 c water

Dump all ingredients into a large crockpot.  Cook on LOW for 8 hours or more.  Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and Frito chips.  Cornbread muffins are good too.  Leftovers can be frozen. 

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Delicious Dishes

Chicken Pot Pie

I posted this recipe about a year ago, but wanted to repost with pictures. Also, since I first posted this I have stopped using cream of soups and make my own.  My recipe is at the bottom of this post.  This is one of our favorite winter meals.  It is quick, easy, delicious and there is never any left.  In fact it is to simple to make that my daughter can almost do it herself.  Her favorite part?  Crimping the pie crust!

Chicken Pot Pie

2 cans cream of chicken soup or 2 recipes of Cream of ____ soup (recipe below)
1 - 15 oz can Veg-All
1 1/2 - 2 cups of chopped, cooked chicken (I keep this in my freezer)
1/2 c skim milk

1/2 t Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 refrigerated pie crust (I use Pillsbury - one day I might get brave and make my own!)

Preheat oven to 375* and prepare crust according to package directions (sometimes I just use a top crust, sometimes I use a top and bottom. My family prefers both, but if I only have one left from making a pie, they just get one.) Combine first 6 ingredients; place in 9" pie plate with prepared crust. Cover with top crust, crimp edges to pie plate. Slit crust to vent. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving. (6 servings)

Cream of _____ Soup

2 T butter
2 T flour
1/4 t salt
1 c milk
In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter.  Sprinkle the flour over it and stir to incorporate.  Cook over medium low heat for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Slowly whisk in milk.  Simmer, stirring often for a few minutes until thick. 
 

Cream of Chicken - use 1/2 milk and 1/2 chicken broth.  If you do not have broth, drop 1 chicken bouillon cube into the water first.

 

Cream of Mushroom or Celery - saute 1/4 c diced mushrooms or celery in a bit of olive oil or butter until tender.  Add with milk. 

Cost Break Down -
Pie Crust (on sale with coupon) - $1.25
Cooked Chicken (from whole chicken in freezer) - $.075
Can Mixed Veggies - $.050
Other items - pantry staples at minimal cost
Total - $2.50

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How To Eat At Home Week 6 - Delicious Ham and Potato Soup

Welcome to Week 6 of How to Eat At Home On The Go, a series where I offer my tips, tricks and recipes to eat at home, even when your family is on the go school, sports, work, church or anything else that might come up.  You can check out the rest of the series here - Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, and Week 5. 

This is a cold weather favorite.  In fact it has been on the menu twice in 3 weeks since Hotlanta finally saw temps below 80.  Whenever my kids see it on the menu board, they can't wait.  This is one of those recipes where I should have lots of leftovers, but it never happens.  Originally from allrecipes.com, I have changed it just a bit.  It is a very forgiving recipe and can be put together in 30 minutes or less, plenty of time before or after you participate in your evening activites.  I cook the soup as soon as I get home from work, refrigerate it and just warm it up after football, lacrosse, gymnastics or cheerleading.   This is a very thick soup.  I have been know to stretch it by using more water and milk.  Works great.


Delicious Ham and Potato Soup

3 1/2 c peeled and diced potatoes
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1 c diced cooked ham (I use about 2 cups)
3 1/4 c water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 t salt
1 t freshly ground black pepper
5 T butter
5 T all purpose flour
2  c milk


Combine potatoes, onion, ham and water in a stockpot.  Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 - 15 minutes.  Stir in bouillon, salt and pepper.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute.  Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form.  Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, about 4 - 5 minutes. 

Stir milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through.  Serve immediately topped with shredded cheddar cheese and bacon bits. 

Enjoy with a piece of warm crusty bread on a cold night. 

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