Three Simple Meals from the Pantry
The weekend soccer tournament meant we were on the road three hours Saturday and three hours Sunday. We at lunches out after the games, and were so beat that I could have easily ordered pizza or takeout each night too. Fortunately, I’ve got three back-up meals that I can almost always make out of our pantry. Each only takes ten to fifteen minutes, so I know that I can pull them together much more quickly than we can order pizza. Having a rotation of simple meals also helps avoid burnout. I know that I’ve got a couple of options, so even if we don’t have the exact ingredients for one we can do another. If you’re trying to cut back on eating out, keep recipes for three simple meals. When you know that you can eat in fifteen minutes, you won’t be as tempted to hop in the car and get fast food. What you have on hand is even faster!
Gourmet Pizza
one pre-made crust (ideally, I use a frozen homemade one, but I grab one from the store in a pinch)
olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic (I use the kind in a jar to avoid chopping garlic when I’m tired)
1-2 TBs fresh herbs (basil is nice in the summer, and sage is lovely in the winter)
1-2 cups shredded pizza cheese
your favorite toppings, such as peppers and pepperoni; or spinach, butternut squash slivers and tomatoes; or artichoke hearts, anchovies and onions. With fresh herbs, even simple cheese is delicious.
Preheat the oven to 450°. Getting the oven nice and hot makes a big difference. Drizzle olive oil and garlic over the crust. Use a pastry brush to spread it over the edges. Sprinkle the crust with herbs, then cheese and toppings. Pop it into the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, on a pizza stone or baking sheet. So simple and delicious! We usually eat some sort of pizza once a week. Serve with a simple salad.
Salad Night
4 cups of greens
2 oz goat cheese
3 TBs slivered almonds
1 oz toasted prosciutto (broil in oven about 7 minutes, until crisp)
toppings on hand: tomatoes, peppers, onions are all nice
olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper
crackers, cheese, and dip (we indulged in olive tapenade, mmm)
Salad night is pretty simple; I try to use whatever we have on hand. This reflects what we had Saturday night. Sometimes I toss in leftover sausage or chicken; sometimes I use a can of kidney beans; sometimes a can of tuna; sometimes mixed nuts instead of almonds. I try to add some sort of protein to make it a little heartier, and I don’t skimp on cheese. Goat cheese is especially nice because it turns all creamy when you toss the salad. Just mix together the ingredients, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on the vinegar sparingly, and toss. Some people like to mix their dressing ahead of time, but I find it just as easy to mix it as I toss the salad. On salad nights, I like to serve some sort of carb, be it bread or crackers with a little dip and cheese.
Spinach Stracciatella
- 1 package of frozen spinach (the small box)
- 4 cups boiling water
- 4 chicken bouillon cubes (or use stock if you prefer and omit the water)
- salt and pepper
- two eggs, beaten
This is the meal I always make when I’m too tired to do anything else. I make sure that we always have spinach and eggs on hand. Just boil the water and dissolve the bouillon. Put it in a 3 quart pot. Add the spinach and cook over medium-high heat about eight minutes, breaking up the spinach as it thaws. Add salt and pepper. Beat the eggs in a small bowl, then add in a thin stream, stirring constantly. The egg cooks as it hits the water. Adjust the seasoning and serve, hopefully with some nice chunks of bread. The soup is delicious because the eggs and bouillon give a nice chicken flavor. It’s economical and so easy to make!
Tags: food·frugal·pantry
4 responses so far ↓
1 Stephanie // Oct 13, 2008 at 11:13 am
I love making homemade pizza. There really is savings isn’t there. You can actually make the dough in the kitchen aid mixer and do the whole pizza from start to finish in under 30 min.
I was curious what soccer tournament you were at. My little sister was at one this weekend too. I think it was in Virginia.
2 mydailydollars // Oct 14, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Yes, pizza really is one of my favorites. Our tournament was in Columbus, OH for my youngest stepdaughter. Fortunately, we had brilliant weather!
3 Anne // Aug 26, 2009 at 10:55 am
Just found your site via Almost Frugal. I’m curious about the Spinach Stracciatella. I have all of those ingredients on hand. What does it taste like? It is like a soup. thanks for the tips!
4 mydailydollars // Aug 26, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Yes, it is a soup. . .and super easy! It’s a great way to use up a few eggs.
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