Pantry meals in a pinch
There are many options when it comes to cooking with what's at hand
My favourite quotation is attributed to Arthur Ashe: “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.”
While people either can’t get out or choose to avoid trips to public places in order to minimize contact with others, the idea of using what you have comes into play. This, for many of us, is a time to stay home and cook with the supplies at hand.
The contents of the pantry vary from home to home, depending on tastes, financial resources, storage space and cooking practices.
Whether you have a jar of peanut butter in the cupboard and a few loaves of bread in the freezer, a selection of 10 kinds of dried beans, plus a dozen cans of tomatoes or a freezer full of fish and vegetables with some pasta and rice in the cupboard, you might be calling on these foods instead of visiting grocery stores.
If you freeze leftovers and forget to use them – a common situation – this might be the occasion to rely on them at mealtime.
Live alone and want a quick and tasty soup? This can be made with foods that are staples in many homes.
QUICK VEGETABLE EGG-DROP SOUP FOR ONE
From Topp, Ellie & Marilyn Booth: Fresh & Healthy Cooking for Two. Formac Publishing
Company Limited, Halifax, 2011.
375 mL (1½ cups) lowsodium chicken broth
2 to 5 mL (½ to 1 tsp) sodium-reduced soy sauce
125 mL (½ cup) frozen peas and carrots or other mixed vegetables
50 mL (¼ cup) small pasta or noodles such as filini or orzo 1 egg, lightly beaten
1 green onion, sliced (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper
In a medium saucepan, bring broth and soy sauce to a boil. Add vegetables and noodles. Return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until pasta is just tender.
Remove soup from heat and slowly pour egg into hot soup, stirring constantly as you pour. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowl and garnish with green onion if using.
Makes 1 serving, about 500 mL (2 cups).
Tuna casserole is a pantry meal that will be familiar to almost everyone of my vintage. It is variously topped with crushed potato chips, corn flake crumbs, chow mein noodles or bread crumbs for crunch.
You can make substitutions in this and many recipes, according to what is available. You could use cooked macaroni or rice instead of noodles; margarine, vegetable oil or olive oil instead of butter; chopped celery instead of or in addition to onions; cream of celery soup or thick cream sauce instead of cream of mushroom soup; evaporated milk or non-dairy milk instead of milk; grated Monterey jack or shredded mixed cheese instead of grated cheddar; grated lemon zest instead of garlic powder; Dijon mustard instead of dry mustard; Panko crumbs instead of regular bread crumbs or crushed potato chips.
You get the picture. Alter the recipe using ingredients you have and enjoy.
TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE
Adapted from London Home Economics Association: Cooking with L.H.E.A. London
ON, 1998.
775 mL (3¼ cups) wide egg noodles, cooked
25 mL (2 tbsp) butter
125 mL (½ cup) chopped onions
1 can (170 g) tuna, drained 1 can (284 mL) cream of mushroom soup
125 mL (½ cup) milk
375 mL (1½ cups) grated medium or old cheddar cheese 2 mL (½ tsp) garlic powder 1 mL (¼ tsp) dry mustard Freshly ground black pepper
Sauté onions in butter. Combine all ingredients in a 2 L (2 quart) casserole. Top with bread crumbs or crushed potato chips (optional).
Bake at 180 C (350 F) for 45 minutes.
Makes 4 servings
For another main dish, think about making vegetarian chili using canned or cooked dried beans, chopped onions, canned tomatoes, tomato paste and/or tomato sauce and chili powder. If you have bell peppers in the fridge or freezer, all the better.
Serve with bread, rolls, biscuits or cornbread.
When did you last make homemade bread with your bread machine?
Social distancing provides the opportunity to be creative in the kitchen and “use what you have”. If you know your neighbours haven’t been able to get out to refill their stores, I encourage you to share.