what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

what are the meals that are made in your home when your cupboards are almost bare?

i'm hoping to put off going to the supermarket until the weekend because i know there are meals to be made with what is already in the house. i'm hoping to work hard on stretching the food budget for this month.

tia for any and all ideas

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

Frittatas - I almost always have eggs.. so I whip up a frittata or omelettes using whatever else I have handy (onions, potatoes, asparagus, etc..)

Rice & Beans - It's easy, it's tasty and it's filling.

Pasta and Sauce - I usually have some frozen sauce or at the very least a few cans of tomatoes that I can use to create a quick marinara. If I don't have jarred tomatoes I will make a quick summer sauce out of fresh tomatoes, onion and basil. I like to bulk it up with some chick peas.

Other Pasta Dishes - Pasta is so easy to dress up - I'll toss in a handful of Reggiano and add some veggies to it. Or I can add some ginger, soy, brown sugar and garlic with some stir fried broccoli for a quick 'lo mein' type dish.

Tuna or Chicken Salad sandwiches on toasted bread with pickles and chips are an easy thing to make. If I'm feeling the need to cook I'll make a quick tuna casserole with some noodles, chicken base, peas and cream.

Baked French Toast is a big favorite around these parts - served with some fruit and sparkling orange juice.

Soups are a good go-to meal if you have stock on hand. Tortellini soup, chicken soup and veggie soups are all easy to make and don't take a ton of prep or ingredients in general.

These are just a few of the 'scraping bottom' dishes I have on rotation sometimes.. but if you tell me what YOU have on hand right now it would be easier to help!

Message edited 6/23/2010 2:29:57 PM.

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

thanks for all your great ideas!!!

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

Casseroles....Some rice or pasta, a cream-based soup, frozen/canned veggies.

Pasta w/sauce

Stirfries w/linguine noodles, soy, frozen freggies, beef or chicken boullion (like a lo mein)

Homemade chicken nuggets w/rice, canned veggies

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

stir-fry

fritatta

breakfast for dinner

pasta with just about anything i have on hand!!

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

usually pasta or rice and mix whatever else I have on hand.

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

Usually pasta w/ Garlic & oil, or breakfast for dinner

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

I remember someone posted this link on here awhile back. I have it saved to my faves:

http://www.supercook.com/

You just enter stuff you have on hand and a whole bunch of ideas pop up.

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

Pasta w/ veggies.
Soup and sandwich.
Arroz con pollo.
Something w/ rotisserie chicken.

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

Pasta is always a good option--I usually have veggies I can throw in in the freezer or pantry. Also I almost always have the makings of a tomato sauce or usually keep a can of clam sauce or just some oil and garlic

Eggs are always good--done however you like

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

I'm trying to get through this week also. Today I had left over white rice so I made a stir fry with scallions, carrots, bok choy, garlic scapes (all from CSA) eggs and the left over rice, I added a little soy sauce and hoisen sauce and made a side of tomato salad with onions, lemon, cilantro, alittle salt and pepper and that was dinner.

my mom used to say "as long as you have rice you have dinner." I can usually find something to go with rice

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

throw the salsa on the chicken with some black beans -
you can serve over rice
make a lasgana with soft tortilla shells and cheese
-- add corn if you want

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

Tuna sandwiches
pesto pasta
mac & cheese
pasta with butter sauce

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

Tuna Noodle casserole - I always keep in the back of the pantry some tuna, a cream of mushroom soup, and a box of pasta. I have a giant thing of bread crumbs that I put on top.

If I have meat and cheese, I make a "lasagna" type of casserole too. I just pretty much dump whatever cheese I have into the casserole dish along with the meat and pasta and mix it all up. Good enough, you know!

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

usually pasta & sauce

Re: what are your "empty pantry" dishes?

pasta and sauce or pasta with vegetables

bean and cheese quesadilla

pancakes