Storecupboard staples. What do you keep in there that can be turned into a meal?

[nkf]

I have:
pasta
tinned tomatoes
rice

But bit dull really.

[nkf]

Can you put mozarella in the freezer? New vistas open up.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Yes I slice it up first and pt into portions big enough for the 3 of us.

I wonder if you could make little pizza making bags with frozen already sliced mozzarella and grated chedder ready to just pull out and stick on!

[nkf]

Yes! With some sliced peppers mixed in. Frozen pizza base, frozen topping. Job done.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

We need to package this idea up and sell it to the masses.

[SizzleSazz]

Chicken Marengo - not the healthiest but scrummy winter dish with rice

400g cooked chicken (sliced)
1 can condensed mushroom soup (or chicken)
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp mild curry powder
150g mushrooms (sliced)
knob butter
1pt plain crisps
25g cheddar cheese (grated)

saute mushrooms in butter and spread over bottom of shallow ovenproof dish
Layer chicken over mushrooms
Mix soup, mayo & curry powder and spread over chicken
Crush crisps and sprinkle on top
Sprinkle grated cheese on top

Bake for 35-40 mins at 180 degrees

[evertonmint]

Some store cupboard essentials from our house

• squeezy lime and lemon juice for perking up everything
• soy sauce and oyster sauce. 1tbsp each + 1/2 tsp sugar mixed together is a yummy stir fry sauce for leftover veg. That does 1 person so just scale up for however many you're serving.
• eggs, frozen prawns, sweetcorn, rice will always ensure you can do a fried rice - just chuck in whatever extra veg you've got and then flavour with five spice powder, ginger, garlic, soy, chilli depending on what you have/want
• tinned fruit for instant puddings - our kids love fruit kebabs of prunes, lychees, peaches, apricots etc with raspberry sauce (frozen raspberries blitzed with bit of icing sugar)

[nkf]

I'm adding to my shopping more spices esp Chinese ones and lemon juice. Often need it and have never thought to buy it in a bottle. I can't quite imagine crisps on top of food. Why not breadcrumbs?b

[OneLittleToddlingTerror]

nkf isn't it just what you are used to eating? I can't imagine crisps on top of food either. I looked at the links on the first page and I seldom eat bacon, ham, potatoes and cream. So it would hardly be my 10 things.

My quick turn into meal staples are

• rice, egg noodles
  
• thai red curry paste, thai green curry paste, gochujang (korean red pepper paste), soy sauce, sesame oil
  
• egg, cashew or peanuts, frozen shrimps or mince
  
• frozen sweetcorn, peas and broad beans, plus random fresh veg in the fridge.
  

From that I can make red or green curry, fried noodles or egg fried rice.

[happyhorse]

I like to buy those part baked baguettes to bung in the cupboard (£1 for 4 in Tesco). We always have fishfingers in the freezer so I do fishfinger baguettes to eek out the shopping a bit.

[fuzzpig]

Agree about the part baked things. I used to order a fresh baguette with my online shopping if it was on a day where I was at home, but they always ended up a bit stale and meh. DH is coeliac and the DCs don't eat much so getting the part baked ones makes it more economical.

Also, pizza bases (I get the napolina mini ones)

[OneLittleToddlingTerror]

But those part baked baguettes are more expensive than the normal ones. (I don't understand why that is). I put the baguettes in the freezer, defrost them, and then bake them in slightly wet greaseproof paper.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

I usually use the part baked baguettes for pizza bases or I make it. I only make it when dc whinge for it and if I'm really broke value pitta breads make good bases to.

[BiddyPop]

Campbells tomato soup can be stretched quite far by adding a chopped and gently fried onion (and garlic if have it), a tin of tomatoes (I buy whole and chop to desired size), italian herbs (dried oregano and basil, pepper) and the usual tin of liquid (half milk, half water is our usual to make it creamier - in fact, whole tin milk and half of water again works well to stretch even further as creaminess disguises stertching).

Campbells mushroom, chicken, chick in white wine - any of those can be mixed with chicken (diced and fried) and mushrooms to serve with rice or mash. Dash of cream or milk (or chick stock or white wine) to loosen a little. Some tarragon or parsley if you have it gives it depth.

Tin tuna, half tin sweetcorn, loads of old veg from fridge (including an onion and garlic) and leftover cooked rice (and frozen prawns maybe) fried up with some mild curry powder makes a nice dish mostly from stores. (I use both tuna in brine and oil for different things - but tend to use oil one for this as the oil goes into pan for the cooking, extra pennies saved and extra flavour gained).

Pasta with garlic fried gently in a good slug of olive oil, with a handful of frozen prawns thrown over the top, all mixed together, is nice (squeeze lemon juice brings it all together!).

I try to have a tin of bamboo shoots, tin of beansprouts etc in the cupboard to make a stirfry.

Always have onions and garlic.

Lidl's double pack of bacon lardons, and their chorizo sausage, have long fridge life and many many uses.

Frozen cooked prawns are faster to defrost (throw straight into sauce) for an emergency dinner - heat a jar of tomato or curry or chinese sauce with prawns, and veg if have any, while rice/pasta cooks.

I always have dried mushrooms and usually risotto rice - I make a few different risottos, but mushroom one from dried mushrooms is handy for "just before big shop" days.

Usually have chick or veg stock in freezer, but stock cubes for emergencies too.

My cupboards are a very varied smorgasbord, I can rustle up a big variety of meals and treats in minutes usually - but I do have to remember to empty them out at the back at times....

[Palmtree]

Our local Lidl store is currently stocking tinned chopped toms with garlic and onion - they are great, and save you having to chop the garlic & onion separately. We have bought a tray of them, and bung them in curries, casseroles, stir fries, you name it.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Lidls packs of microwaveable rice are 40p ish this weekend.