Store cupboard challenge

dannie

If you have an easy bread recipe you have quite a few ingredients to put on sliced bread. Alternatively, put some of your other ingredients in a bread recipe.

zippychick

as this has dropped down the board ive merged it with our storecupboard challenge. There isn't really a lot there apart fronm baking ingredients? What about your fridge/freezer ?

beans and toast - here's a gluten free bread thread

These threads may help on baking

gluten free the OS way

gluten and wheat free baking

Rice recipes may help or what about egg fried rice using scraps of veg?

when you say "tea supplies" do you mean tea and coffee?

We have a pasta salad thread or pasta sauce recipes
or pasta bake recipes or pasta ideas

Also tuna pasta bake and pasta sauce with no tomatoes

Do you know anyone with the Ministry of food cookbook as it has a load of recipes for pasta using not many ingredients

Hope these help. Maybe if we know whats in your fridge and freezer we could offer more ideas but those links should certaibnly help

Zip

recovering_spendaholic

I have just had a phone call from a friend to tell me that she and the family would be coming over tomorrow for a visit. Whilst I will be delighted to see them and have their company, I am REALLY broke at the moment and only have just less than £10 to last me until Thursday when I get paid. Anyway they will be staying for tea and I don't have the money to go out an buy anything - we are currently eating out the cupboard and freezer!

There will be two adults, four kids (17,15,4 and 2) plus my lot - 2 adults and up to three kids (depends on who's in). My friend's kids are quite fussy so I am not sure what to make. Can you suggest anything from the following which I have in:

Pasta spirals (about 750g dry), spaghetti (about 500g dry)
rice (over 1kg)
5lb bag of potatoes
2lb bag of new potatoes
peppers
salad
eggs
cheese
milk
mushroom bulghar wheat (Ainsley H.)
tinned tuna
tinned salmon
tinned corned beef
tinned fruit
basics instant mash
minced steak (freezer)
minced pork (freezer)
Quarterpounders, buns (freezer)
Birds Eye crispy chicken (on offer for £1 the other day) - 3 packets
oven chips
sweetcorn
peas
green beans
onions
mushrooms
prawns (freezer)
haddock (freezer)
frozen hm curry, naan bread (not that much really)
hot dog rolls
sausages
apples
storecupboard stuff like flour, sugar etc
packet of carrot and swede mash (whoopsied)
baked beans
kidney beans
fish fingers

I usually make something really special when they come but can't this time - plus her kids are the FUSSIEST eaters in life - except for the two little ones!

I was thinking that I could make a cottage pie with the mince and make a topping of the carrot and swede mixed with some potato for the adults and then make a big bowl of tuna pasta salad for the kids (except I don't know if they will eat the saladdy bits) and maybe an apple pie, or apple crumble - but I don't have any cream ice cream or custard to go with. Normally I do a big roast dinner, or steak or something and I feel a bit embarrassed that I have got to cobble together something. I don't know if they like cottage pie so do you think that chilli might be more popular?

Having just read my list of stuff which I have in, I have realised that I do actually have loads of food in - this morning DD1 was bemoaning the fact that there was nothing to eat in the house!

Thanks for any ideas!

gillypkk

i would go for the cottage pie and tuna pasta salad and maybe give them a text and ask them to bring something for dessert.

when i go to people houses i always bring something! especially since you havent exactly been given much notice!

Spendless

What about a pasta bake putting in the ingrediants you have and know they (the younger ones) will eat?

Reverbe

how about them NOT expecting you to feed them?? if they are close friends they should know or at least understand your situation. I would never expect anything when visiting a friend except their time and company.. not even a glass of water, Sadly too many these days seem to be happy or even expect to ponce off another persons income in ways like this 2 adults would be enough but an additional FOUR kids... can't they eat at home before or after or on the way if they are travelling a distance?

MY sympathies and good luck btw.. x

Sagz_2

I always take something when visiting friends, so, as gillypkk says, just contact them and ask them to bring something for desert as you'll be busy cooking.

mark55man

if her kids are fussy - well they won't each much then will they - your OP suggests they are old enough not to kick off about that.

alternatively if you have some tortilla crisps or can get some value ones (not too expensive) jsut grill them with grated cheese over - and that tends to take the edge off the appetite (Cheapest I did it was 2xtesco value tortilla + 250g value cheese for just over a quid)

I agree about the dessert - when we go visiting we always bring something (we have 4 kids so she shouldn't be upset)

Chilli is a good idea - we did that when entertaining a couple of months ago - or a lasagna with salad goes down well (plenty of lentils/oats in the meat sauce to keep it cheap

(Or you could just say you are busy this weekend and next weekend would be better)

recovering_spendaholic

Thanks for the replies! found some panninis in the freezer which I'd got for 10p in Asda so have thawed them and will make tuna and cheese panninis for the kids as I know they like them, and will do a cottage pie for the adults with some peas. I have just made 24 fairy cakes which I will ice tomorrow and that means I will have fed them and not had to spend anything!

I really must start meal planning as I know it would save me so much money on food!

babyshoes

My first thought on seeing your ingredients was a giant bolognese with the beef and pork mince, bulked out with loads of veggie bits, baked beans (partially mashed to disguise them, if necessary) and/or oats (stir the oats into the mince before adding liquid-y ingredients so they soak up the juices from mince after browning meat, then add beef stock/bovril or similar to give them beefy flavour and colour, then continue with recipe - you won't notice them at all, I promise!). Serve on choice of spaghetti, spirals or potatoes. Everyone likes bolognese, right? Could turn any leftovers into chilli for another meal.