I’ve been wondering lately what is it that is REALLY tripping me up when it comes to getting a tasty (and hopefully healthy) meal on the table? I used to blame it on the busyness of the week or month (take December, for instance). But I’ve noticed that even in the slower months (take January, for instance), I still struggle to figure out what’s for dinner.

Next, I blamed this crazy-making issue on a lack of good recipes. Well, if I’m honest, we all know THAT’S poppycock! Any Cook’n user knows a lack of recipes is never the issue.

I’ve concluded it’s all about ingredients. You either have ‘em, or you don’t. If your cupboards are well-stocked, then say hello to all sorts of dinner-time options. If the cupboard is bare, then say hello to another night of toasted cheese sandwiches (or peanut butter and jelly, or scrambled eggs, or…you get the idea)!

If you can relate, then you may be interested in a couple ideas for quick meals that don’t hinge on lots of ingredients that an older and seasoned cook shared with me:

CREAMED PEAS (or MIXED VEGGIES) OVER BAKING POWDER BISCUITS. Flour and frozen peas. That’s it. And if you have any leftover ham or beef, dice that up and toss it into the white sauce along with the peas. Broccoli can be substituted for the peas, by the way.

SPUD NEST: Spuds and fresh or frozen veggies plus a little grated cheese for topping. Whether you use instant mashed potatoes, leftover mashed potatoes, or just peel fresh spuds and cook—this is a quick and delicious dinner that adapts well to vegan or meat-eating preferences. You’ll butter a 9x13 baking dish and fill it with your cooked potatoes. Push them away from the center, creating a “nest” in the center of the dish.

Fill this with any assortment of your favorite vegetables. For the meat-eaters, add diced or chopped leftover cooked meat of choice and sprinkle the entire dish with grated cheese. Place in a preheated oven (350°) and bake for about 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly. Another approach is to put the vegetables (and meat if using) on the bottom of the pan and cover these with your mashed spuds and grated cheese (and now you have a version of Shepherd’s Pie).

The idea behind quick meals, of course, is to keep the cupboard or pantry well-stocked (as mentioned above). Meal-making research shows that it’s possible to create 20 or more meals from about 8 basic staples categories. In fact, Fitness Magazine did an article some years ago on this very idea. Here are the categories. Keep one or two items from each category on hand and you can make the magic happen. (NOTE: this is besides the basics such as flours, sugars, butter, and eggs).

This may be old news to some of you, but for our newbie cooks, this is a goldmine of information:

PROTEIN:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
White fish fillets
Ground meat (beef or turkey)
Canned tuna
Canned beans (especially black, pinto, and garbanzo)

VEGETABLES:
Tomatoes (canned and fresh)
Onions (fresh and dried)
Potatoes (fresh, dehydrated, frozen)
Canned mushrooms
Canned chilis
Frozen peas, corn, broccoli
Garlic (fresh and powdered)

GRAINS:
Rice
Pasta
Quinoa
Tortillas

HERBS and SPICES (fresh and dried):
Cilantro and parsley
Rosemary
Oregano
Ginger
Thyme
Marjoram
Cumin
Chili powder
Oregano
Italian seasoning
Basil
Salt and pepper

SAUCES and CONDIMENTS:
Salsa
Soy sauce
Steak sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Hot Sauce
Whole-grain mustard
Ketchup

COOKING LIQUIDS:
Beef broth or stock
Chicken broth or stock
Red and white cooking wines
Vinegars

DAIRY:
Grated Parmesan cheese
Cheddar cheese

FATS:
Extra virgin olive oil
Nonstick cooking spray

From your past experience, you might add or subtract from this list. But overall, with these staples on hand, you can whip up just about any recipe or convert almost any leftovers into a tasty meal. And don’t forget to turn to Cook’n with your list of what you have on hand, then breathe easy as all sorts of recipes pop up!

It’s not a shortage of recipes we suffer from, it’s a lack of ingredients on hand that usually trips us up.

    Alice Osborne
    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
    Email the author! alice@dvo.com