Random cupboard item challenge

nikongirl

I'd like to make lunch to take into work for the next few days while spending as little as possible. I've just looked through my cupboards and came across a Maggi sauce mix which was originally in a race-finishers goodie bag. It's not something I would ever buy otherwise. I kept it mostly for amusement purposes (you'll see why in a moment) but now I'm wondering if I can use it to make something nice for lunch.

It's a Maggi Cheesy Chicken & Bacon pasta bake packet and on the front it says:

"Just add:
3 rashers unsmoked bacon
2 chicken breasts
150g pasta
700ml semi skimmed milk
60g reduced fat grated mature cheese"

Which leaves me wondering !!!!!! is actually in this thing! :eek:

Apparently it's full of modified starch, wheat flour, yeast extract, onion powder, starch (again), maltodextrin, flavouring, salt, smoked bacon fat, garlic powder, sugar, lactose, paprika, milk protein, emulsifier, rapeseed lecithin, pepper and parsley.

Sounds delightful, right?

I have pasta, one onion, various dried herbs, fresh chives, frozen spinach, spelt barley, cheese and I need to get some milk anyway.

Best recipe spending £4 or less gets a clapping emoticon. :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

Try making up the mix with a bit less milk, simmering it, cool and use as a pasta sauce to make a nice chopped chicken and *insert random salady ingredient here* pasta salad

sooty&sweep

Personally I'd bin the Maggi sauce. I suspect that any of the ingredients they are advising you to add will taste better without it & can't see any nutritional gain from eating it.
I'd get some canned tomatoes & do pasta with tomato & onion sauce + whatever else you find to add + sprinkle grated cheese.
You can make a type of risotto with pearl barley so wonder if you could do something similar with spelt barley ? You'd need some stock, mix through the frozen spinach & sprinkle over grated cheese.
Jen