Ever come home and there is practically nothing in the fridge? Throw open your pantry cupboard and dig a little. With a little ingenuity a delicious dinner can be on the table in minutes.
Originally published December, 2009
By LeeAnne Wright
Photo by Luis Albuquerque
Drain 2 cans of canned salmon and mash, mixing in a few spoonfuls of may and 1 egg. Crush 15 soda crackers and mix in half of the crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped roasted red peppers and 1 teaspoon of dried dill. Shape into 6 cakes and chill. Heat pan with some oil over medium high heat. Dredge cakes in remaining crumbs and fry until golden brown on each side. Serve with mayo mixed with green relish and horseradish.
Sauté a chopped onion and minced garlic in a large skillet with some oil until tender. Add a pinch of chili flakes and dried basil. Add can of drained chickpeas, can of diced tomatoes and 1/2 cup of chopped roasted red pepper to pan. Increase heat and simmer uncovered until liquid has reduced and slightly thickened. Serve over cooked long grain rice with sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan and add 1 chopped onion and minced garlic clove. Add 1 teaspoon dried basil. Pour in 1 cup of short grain rice and stir to coat in oil. Add 2 cups of chicken stock and increase heat until stock is boiling; cover and reduce heat, simmering for 10 minutes. Stir in can of drained white beans and 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers. Add a few more tablespoons of stock if rice is not tender but all stock has been absorbed. Let simmer another 5 minutes or until tender. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease 9x9 shallow baking dish. In glass bowl melt 2 tablespoons butter in microwave. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour. Whisk in 2 cups chicken stock. Microwave, stirring every 60 seconds until sauce thickens. Mix in 2 cans of drained tuna and 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers. Pour into prepared baking dish. Combine 1 cup biscuit mix and 1/3 cup milk. Scoop spoonfuls of batter and dollop over tuna until covered. Sprinkle top with 1/2 grated cheddar. Bake 30 minutes or until buscuit top is golden brown.
(Can also be salmon, shrimp or crab). In a large saucepan, sauté 2 chopped shallots and a minced garlic clove in a bit of olive oil until tender but not coloured. Add 4 cups of chicken stock and 1/2 cup of potato flakes. Increase heat to thicken. If you like your chowder thicker, add a few more tablespoons of potato flakes. Add 3 cans of drained clams. Reduce heat and simmer for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve. Switch up: Add a can of drained corn and 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers.
In a large, heavy bottomed pot sauté 1 cup chopped celery and 3 minced garlic cloves in a glug of olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add a pinch of chili flakes and a teaspoon of dried thyme. Add 1/2 cup long grain rice, juice from 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes (just over 1 cup) and 1 cup chicken stock to pot. Increase heat and bring to a boil, cover and reduce temperature; simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 can drained, rinsed red kidney beans and reserved diced tomatoes. Increase heat slightly, cover and cook for another 8 minutes or until the rice is tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring salted water to boil in large pot. Cook spaghetti a few minutes shorter than package instructions. Drain and return pasta to pot and put over medium high and stir in 2 cans of drained tuna, 1 28 ounce can of whole plum tomatoes and 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs. Lightly crush tomatoes and continue to heat until pasta is tender and everything is warm. Add chopped black olives and capers and serve.
In a large saucepan heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Sauté 1 small chopped onion and 1 minced clove of garlic until translucent. Add 1 can of crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup vodka, increase heat and bring to boil then immediately reduce to simmer for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile bring salted water to boil in a large pot. Cook penne a minute or two shorter than package instructions. If not using vodka, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water and add to sauce. Drain and transfer pasta to saucepan with sauce over medium high toss pasta, sauce and a few splashes of 35 per cent whipping cream together and simmer until pasta is tender. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Combine a can of red kidney beans and a can of chickpeas in a 3-quart baking dish. Stir in 1 can of stewed tomatoes, 3/4 cup of chunky salsa and one tablespoon chili powder (or to taste). In a bowl combine 1 1/2 cups baking mix, 1/3 cup cornmeal and 2/3 cup milk. Drop spoonfuls of baking mixture over beans and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Spray oil over 10-inch ovenproof skillet and heat over medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion and a minced garlic clove to pan and sauté until tender. In bowl, whisk together 8 eggs, drained canned salmon, 1/2 cup chopped roasted red pepper, 3/4 cup of Asiago cheese, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup potato flakes and salt and pepper. Pour into pan. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup more of cheese; cook covered over medium-low heat until firm (top still slightly runny), about 10 minutes. Broil in oven until golden and set, about 4 minutes. Slice into wedges.