Economy Cooking from your pantry

[cluckychick]

Hash brown taters mixed with sour cream or cream cheese
Add a meat
Put in a casserole dish
scramble eggs and pour over the top and bake in the oven

I add spices and cheese and whatever always comes out good

 

[Tutter]

Parsonswife, I'm looking forward to the lemonade cake recipe!

Cluckychick's recipe reminded me of something; breakfast for dinner. It can be one of the faster, least costly meals, and sometimes just hits the spot. If your chickens are laying, so you have eggs, and you've got potatoes and such, you can make some combination of the following menus:

Menu 1:

Eggs
Potatoes
Fresh Slices of Tomatoes
Buttered Toast
Jam

Choices for potatoes: Hash Browns; Browned Potatoes; Fried Potatoes; Cottage Fries; Potato Cakes; Potato Pancakes; Potato Wedges; French Fries etc. (If you've got leftover baked potatoes, you are really set with some of these.)

Choices for Eggs: Scrambled; Sunny Side Up; Fried; Hard or Soft Boil; Coddled etc.

Menu 2:

Omelette
Potatoes of Choice (See Above)
Toast etc.

I like a Western Omelette. You can use ham if you have it, or not; tomato; green or regular onions, and green bell peppers. Some people eat them plain, others like hot sauce or cayenne with theirs. But, the nice thing about an omelette, is that it uses whatever's around. Cheese is a good addition, if you have it.

Or, scramble the eggs with veggies. I like to saute onion and finely cut up greens. When they are cooked, add beaten eggs and finish cooking. Usually most people have eggs, potatoes, bread, and onions on hand. You can make it without the greens if you don't have them, and if you have it, use peppers, instead or with.

Menu 3: Pancakes or Waffles

You can use a mix, or whip them up from scratch. You can make a larger meal by having them with cottage fries, and eggs, or have them just alone, or with bacon. If you have berries in the garden or freezer, you can boil them with sugar and a little water to make a quick and tasty syrup, or spread your waffles with jam, or have them with whipped cream and fruit, if you have the cream.

Menu 4:

French Toast
Bacon, or not

Have older bread? Dip in egg and milk and pan cook. Or put bread in a pan, cover in a egg and milk mix with some spice and let sit. Bake. You can use syrup, or just have powdered sugar over it.

Out of powdered sugar? Have an electric coffee bean grinder? Put 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in it, and grind well, shaking now and then. Do Not Open Immediately. Let it set and cool a few minutes before opening.

Menu 6:

Fried egg sandwich or hard boiled egg sandwich
Potatoes of Choice or Potato Chips

Fried egg and crisp bacon on bread with either mustard, mayonnaise, or both. I've fried extra pastrami and put it on this sandwich instead of bacon. Also, some people fry bologna. It's not for me, but I know people who swear by it.

 

[SterlingAcres]

I can't say that I have my 'own' recipes for pantry dishes, but I have a few fall backs when we're low on cash here.

Tuna Casserole -
1 pk egg noodles
1 can tuna
2 cans cream of mushroom soup - 1 can water
pepper
bake until warm.

Pasta Bake-
whatever noodles on hand
that cheap hunts pasta sauce
whatever veggies sound good from the garden - zukes, peppers, onions
Throw it all together and bake with whatever cheese is in the fridge.

Since ground turkey's been on sale here, I bought bulk.
I make turkey meatloaf into burgers for the grill and serve with a veggie and baked potato.

Turkey Burgers-
1lb turkey
1 sleeve crackers, crushed
1 egg
pepper, garlic powder
small onion chopped or half a container of French Fried Onions
grill until done.


I'm writing down recipes guys. I got some good cheese ones off MissPrissy's thread and I'm dying to use them. LOL

 

[skeeter9]

Hamburger Gravy:

Brown ground beef with some diced onion. Sprinkle flour into the pan and stir until you've soaked up all of the juices, etc. Pour in beef broth or water and bouillon and a couple Tbsp of soy sauce. Stir and cook until thickened - should be about like gravy. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles. Our favorite is mashed potatoes. To finish the meal I make whatever vegetables we have on hand or make a salad.

Lori

 

[mangled]

Okay. I'm also waiting for the lemonade cake.

Em

 

[love-my-wolves]

Wow, I'm getting some great ideas, since I can't cook! I basically can do the spaghetti, and breakfast for dinner, but anything with hamburger is out in my house, as we don't eat any except for tacos. Keep em coming!!! Steph

Oh, I do have one recipe that I use quite often. I make homemade mac n cheese. Might push the $5 if you don't keep cheese on hand, but I take noodles (kids like shells, but I use elbows too) and cook. Pour in 13x9. While noodles cook, melt 3 bricks of any kind of cheese with 1 cup of milk. I prefer white and yellow cheddar, mozzerella, and sharp. My dad uses jalepeno instead of mozz, and I think you could try any kind of cheese combo. Take cheese/milk mix and pour over noodles and mix. Cook in 375 til golden about 35 minutes. Serve with hot dogs or add ham cubes or whatever you have on hand. My kids love it!!!

Oh, my brother uses the pizza mix in the cheese section, the biggest bag, instead of 3 bricks.

 

[Tutter]

Skeeter, I've done that, and it's good!

ShellieESterling, That's almost how I used to make tuna casserole! The only real difference is that I often used cream of celery, and put in peas. (Frozen.)

 

[jackiedon]

One thing my girls love is: 2 boxes of Jiffy Cornbread mix follow directions then add a can of cream of corn. They won't eat anything but this for a meal. They like it better if I have some heavy cream to use instead of milk.

The other night I was hurting so bad I couldn't get comfortable so I decided to cook. I chopped a potato and I had a bag of seasoned onions in the freezer (onions, bell peppers, and celery) I cooked the potatoes and onion mix until the potatoes are tender then I had a half dozen of fresh eggs. Scrambled until eggs were cooked then added cheese from frig. It was great and even warmed up since I cooked at 3 am and hubby and kids didn't get up until 6:30.


My youngest daughter always begs to put a can of corn in a Hamburger Helper Mix.

jackie

 

[EllyMae]

Quote:
Good grief, I think we are related...talk about good eatin!

 

[Tutter]

Love-my-Wolves, that's a good basic cheese sauce, which can make other dishes, too.

I've done that, with sharp cheddar (The more flavorful the cheese, the less you need, too!) adding salt and pepper, and tossed it with pasta (shells or elbows work perfectly.), sauted broccoli florets and sauted bite sized chicken cubes. Bake, and you have a wonderful chicken-broccoli-pasta-cheese casserole!

Thanks, your version of mac 'n cheese is one I will try!