Recipe using these ingredients?

summerday

Hi Old stylers,

I'm going to shamelessly ask your help as I'm still not feeling great after my operation on monday and am trying not to move too much as it hurts

But I need to cook dinner tonight without facing the agony of walking to the shop to buy any more ingredients, and I have quite a few fresh veg in my fridge that I really don't want to go off before I'm better. I also have quite a lot of cupboard staples that I could combine with the veg into a meal. Here is what I have:

fresh parsnips
fresh carrot
fresh celery
fresh leeks
some new potatoes
sweet peppers
tinned beans (mixed)

I also have things like tinned tomatoes, sweetcorn, pasta, rice, herbs and spices .

I'm not a fan of curries or very spicy foods but I don't mind if it has a little bit of flavour/ zing to it.

If anyone can suggest something fairly simple that I could do with these ingredients to use the veg up I'd be most grateful, if it involves a dry/ cupboard ingredient pls ask me as I may well have it lurking in the cupboard somewhere! I do have a slow cooker and suppose I could put it on the fast setting given the time if a recipe requires it.

Many many thanks to anyone who can help,
Sarah.x

squeaky

I made myself a stew yesterday with pretty much the same ingredients.

You'll need to parboil the root vegetable and the potatoes (all chopped) or you can zap them with a small amount of water in the microwave for six minutes or so.

Mixed herbs, stock cubes and half tsp of pepper and a whole one of salt.

Bung it all in on high and it'll be ready for when you need it - especially if you use boiling water to cover and don't forget to use the nice veggie water from the potatoes etc.

Bamaziga

How about a chicken stock cube and chuck them all together and make a nice soup!!!!!!!

pasta, tinned tomatoes, herbs!!!! A nice pasta dish. Use your rice or pasta, boil accordingly and add whatever takes your fancy!

ps. Your making me hungry!!!!!

lucylou

how about a cold pasta salad?

make some pasta and then add the cooked vegetables
or you could make some mash and add all the vegetables to make it a colourful and different mash

r.mac_2

minestrone soup - chop up all the veg and bung in a pan for a quick saute - add some stock and just before eating chuck in a few handfuls of pasta. Eat when pasta is cooked.

Yum

honey

Or roasted veggies, peel and chop into similar sized chunks, drizzle with olive oil and maybe add some rosemary with salt and pepper. Should be roasted in about 30 - 40 mins.

Yum

p.s. hope you're feeling better soon xxx

summerday

Wow thanks for all your suggestions! They all sound great.

Squeaks- I know I sound daft but how long do I need to parboil the vegetables for on the hob? And when I put them in the slow cooker how long do you reckon it will take on high?

Thanks, Sarah

squeaky

I'd go for 10-15 minutes. Esp since you're running short of time now

Start the cooker heating on high as you start the parboiling to make sure it's hot when you add as much boiling water as needed. If you parboil for fifteen minutes it shouldn't take more than three to four hours on high - three should really do it if you start from well hot already

summerday

I've gone for your stew Squeaky, the veg are parboiled and have just been thrown in the slow cooker. I haven't really made stews in the SC before so how can you tell when it is properly done?

squeaky

When it smell delicious and you're absolutely starving... then you've only got three or four hours to go

Well - it's like that on a long cook...

At three hours I'd do the standard potato test - you know, stick a knife in it and if it sticks to the knife as you lift it ain't done yet, and if it slips off - it is. Don't do the test too often after that because you lose heat while the lid is off. If you're really hungry tip the whole lot into a big pan and boil it vigorously 'til the taters are done; probably no more than five minutes, but really, if you can, wait...

carly

http://www.cookingbynumbers.com/frames.html

have a look at this site, it may throw up a few ideas.