Peggy R. Anderson

Extension Agent

October 20, 2010

Making a Meal with What's on Hand

Are you tired of buying ingredients for which you use only part of the food in a recipe? Do you end up tossing the remaining portion of the package a couple of months later? Is there any way around this? Alice Henneman, MS, RD, UNL Extension in Lancaster County shares some great advice from her recent “Cook It Quick” newsletter. 

Think of a cookbook as not just 100 recipes, but 100 starters leading to 1,000's of meals advises an article in "Tastings," a publication of the Food and Culinary professionals practice group of the American Dietetic Association. 

The article recommends that you feel free to move off the beaten path if a recipe requires ingredients you don't have on hand. 

Here are some examples to spark your imagination: 

·         Want to make sandwiches, but you've just eaten your last slice of bread? Use tortillas, pita bread, rolls or focaccia instead.

·         Feel like pasta, but you're missing the pasta sauce? Try topping your pasta with chili soup or a favorite soup you may have on

               hand. (NOTE: for some soups, you may wish to add less liquid so they make a thicker sauce.)

·         No ingredients for a meat marinade? Marinate the meat with your favorite vinegar and oil salad dressing.

·         Need a side dish for your meat and you're completely out of vegetables? Try sliced, sautéed fruit, such as apples or mangoes.

·         What if there's no wine to add to a sauce? Perhaps fruit preserves might work equally well. 

How to Make a Casserole from What’s on Hand

Source: Alice Henneman, MS, RD, UNL Lancaster County Extension Educator, ahenneman1@unl.edu 

Create delicious casseroles from this basic recipe.

Make-Your-Own" Casserole (Makes 6 servings)

General Directions: Select food(s) from each category or use your own favorites. Combine in a buttered 2- to 2 1/2- quart casserole dish. Cover and bake at 350 F for about 50 minutes to 1 hour or microwave using 50% power for about 15 to 30 minutes, rotating or stirring as necessary. Heat until steaming hot (165 F) throughout.

Starch - select ONE:

·         2 cups uncooked pasta (macaroni, penne, spiral, bow tie), COOKED

·         1 cup uncooked long-grain white or brown rice, COOKED

·         4 cups uncooked noodles, COOKED

Protein - select ONE:

·         2 cups cooked ground beef

·         2 cups cooked and diced chicken, turkey, ham, beef, or pork

·         2 cups chopped hard-cooked egg

·         2 (6 to 8-oz.) cans fish or seafood, flaked

·         2 cups cooked or canned dry beans (kidney, etc.)

Vegetable - select ONE:

·         1 (10-oz.) pkg. thawed and drained frozen spinach, broccoli, green beans, green peas

·         1 (16-oz.) can green beans, peas, carrots, corn, drained

·         2 cups sliced fresh zucchini

Sauce - select ONE:

·         2 cups white sauce or 1 can sauce-type soup (mushroom, celery, cheese, tomato, etc.) mixed with milk to make 2 cups

·         1 (16-oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice

Flavor - select ONE or MORE:

·         1/2 cup chopped celery, 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup sliced black olives

·         1 - 2 teaspoons mixed dried leaf herbs (basil, thyme, marjoram, tarragon)

·         Salt and pepper to taste

Topping- select ONE or MORE: (If desired after heating, place on top)

·         2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

·         1/4 cup shredded Swiss, Cheddar, or Monterey Jack cheese

·         1/4 cup buttered bread crumbs

·         1/4 to 1/2 cup canned fried onion rings

Return casserole with topping(s), uncovered, to oven for about 10 minutes or to microwave for about 2 minutes.

Schedule

Wednesday, October 20 – Burke County

Thursday, October 21 – Divide County

Friday, October 22 – Burke County

Monday, October 25 – Burke County

Tuesday, October 26 – Divide County