Pantry-Friendly Salad Dress-Ups

Vegetables are delicious if you know what to do with them.  If you get bored with vegetables or don't know how to add more to your diet, the I think the key is variety!  

Today I'm going to share with you a few ways to dress up a salad.  If you want to eat a salad for lunch more often than you do:  the key is variety.  Switch it up.  Play around.  Variety.  The Salad Dress-Ups I'm sharing with you today are all pantry-friendly, even though the salad part would obviously need to be fresh.

I've loved salad as long as I can remember.  When I was little, my family only went out to dinner on birthdays, and the birthday kid could pick wherever they wanted to go.  I only had this chance ONCE a year, and I picked the same restaurant every.single.time because it had an all-you-can-eat salad bar.  And I think that's the key to loving salad (and maybe especially getting a little kid to love salad): variety.  I loved that I could build my own salad, make it different every time, and add so many different things for different flavors.

a super awesome picture of me at 7 years old 

And here's a funny secret.  I really don't like lettuce.  And maybe that's why I loved (and still do) a salad bar.  I get enough lettuce to call it a salad and then fill it with things I do love like tomatoes and cucumbers and olives.

This recipe is a little bit different than most of the recipes you'll see here at Easy Pantry Recipes because this one does require some fresh ingredients such as lettuce.  However, most of the ingredients are things you can keep in your pantry and pull out any time to dress up a salad.

For this recipe, I will be listing fresh ingredients in italics and pantry-friendly ingredients in regular text.   Ingredients are listed in 5 parts, and the key here is to mix and match whatever you like, doing it the same or different every time.  So, let's go!

PANTRY-FRIENDLY SALAD DRESS-UPS

PREP TIME:  5 or 10 minutes or something
COOK TIME:  none

INGREDIENTS, PART 1:  the greens

• lettuce such as green leaf, butter, red leaf, romaine, iceberg, etc.
• spring mix
• spinach

INGREDIENTS, PART 2:  vegetables, in bite-size pieces

• tomatoes (fresh or canned, drained)
• cucumbers
• shredded carrots
• peas (fresh, frozen/thawed, or freeze-dried for a nice crunch)
• avocado
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• olives
• any other vegetables you like

INGREDIENTS, PART 3:  protein

• shredded cheese (fresh, or my favorite: freeze-dried cheese.  It's delicious dry straight out of the can!  Leave it that way for a crunch in your salad, or rehydrate it.)
• beans (canned/rinsed/drained, such as chick peas, black beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, etc.)
• meat (such as chopped lunch meat or canned chicken rinsed and drained or rehydrated freeze-dried chicken)
• boiled eggs
• nuts such as almond slices or chopped pecans

INGREDIENTS, PART 4:  the crunch (great way to dress up a salad!)

• (freeze-dried cheese or peas fit this category, as do nuts)
• croutons
• tortilla chips or corn chips (I got the Fritos idea from Mary at Barefeet in the Kitchen in her great post "How to Eat Salad Every Day and Like It.")
• French-fried onions

INGREDIENTS, PART 5:  dressing (pantry-friendly until you open them, then they need refrigeration)

• lemon or lime juice
• bottled dressing such as ranch, blue cheese, Italian, Greek, or any favorite dressing

DIRECTIONS

Pile your salad high with your favorite greens, vegetables, and proteins, then top with crunch and dressing. 

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Freeze-Dried Chicken Vegetable Ramen

Something I really love about the pantry-friendly recipes I share here is that they can be whipped up without a run to the store!  Everything is already on-hand.  And that goes for this Freeze-Dried Chicken Vegetable Ramen recipe, too.

In this recipe, you'll notice some options listed for amounts.  If you like a saucier dish, use the larger amounts. 

The whole thing comes together in 20 minutes, too, so if you want something convenient AND fast, this recipe is for you! 

FREEZE-DRIED CHICKEN VEGETABLE RAMEN

PREP TIME:  20 minutes
COOK TIME:  included

INGREDIENTS

• 4 c. water
• 1 1/2 c. freeze-dried chicken
• 1 c. freeze-dried carrots
• 1/4 c. freeze-dried celery
• 1/2 c. freeze-dried green onion (or dried minced onion)
• 1 1/2 c. freeze-dried broccoli (or zucchini)
• 2-3 tsp. sesame oil
• 3-4 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce
• 3-4 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1/4-1/2 c. orange marmalade
• 3 3-oz. packages ramen noodles

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl with a lid, combine the chicken, carrots, celery, green onion, and broccoli.  Pour 4 c. boiling water over, then stir to ensure each piece is wet.  Cover with a lid and leave for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine the sesame oil, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, orange marmalade, and the flavor packets from the ramen noodles.

About 8 minutes before the chicken-vegetable bowl is finished re-hydrating, cook the ramen according to package directions.  Drain ramen and add it with the contents of the chicken-vegetable bowl to the serving bowl with the sauce in it.  Stir to combine well and serve hot.

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Sneaky Vegetable Tortellini

If you have littles who don't like vegetables, this Sneaky Vegetable Tortellini is a great way to get a few vegetables in without anyone noticing.    

Better still, this dish is pantry-friendly so all the ingredients can be kept on hand for a convenient last-minute dish or even in case of emergency.  But I do suggest hiding the "sneaky" ingredient in your pantry, out of sight, just in case.  When my kids were little and I made this recipe, one of them discovered the sneaky ingredient and I had to stop.  ha ha

That said, I now have three grown children who like vegetables and whose taste buds are open-minded.

This sneaky ingredient is simply pureed vegetables, but in an unlikely form.

SNEAKY VEGETABLE TORTELLINI

PREP TIME:  3 minutes
COOK TIME:  15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz. box dry tortellini (I personally like the cheese and spinach version; if not making this a pantry-friendly meal, you can substitute with refrigerated tortellini or ravioli if you like)
• The Sneaky Ingredient:  a 4-oz. package or jar of vegetable baby food such as carrots or peas, or consider combinations like carrot-sweet potato or pea-carrot-spinach.
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 24-oz. jar of spaghetti or marinara sauce
• parmesan cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Cook tortellini according to package directions.  Drain.  In the same pot, stir the spaghetti sauce, Italian seasoning, and "pureed vegetables" (baby food) together over medium heat until combined.  Add the cooked, drained tortellini.  Stir until heated through. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.

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Tuscan Pesto Soup

I love a good soup in the winter, and this one is absolutely full of goodness.  Vegetables, beans, and even wheat berries (read their health benefits here) combine with Italian seasonings and pesto for a delicious, hearty soup.  

Better still, this soup is pantry-friendly, so all the ingredients can be kept on hand for a convenient last-minute dish or even in case of emergency.

TUSCAN PESTO SOUP

PREP TIME:  10-15 minutes
COOK TIME:  50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 c. water
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 1 tsp. basil
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2/3 c. dry wheat berries  (Wheat berries are just wheat in whole grain form.  Find them in the bulk foods section of a health food store, or order online here or here or here.)
• 1/4 c. dried minced onion
• 1/2 c. freeze-dried spinach (optional, but it's so good)
• 2 Tbsp. pesto
• 8 oz. can carrot slices, drained
• 2 cans Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cans navy beans, rinsed and drained

DIRECTIONS

Place water, chicken broth, basil, Italian seasoning, wheat, onion, and spinach in a large soup pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Boil for 5 minutes.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  Stir in pesto, carrots, tomatoes, and beans, then heat through over medium heat about 5 minutes.

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Thanksgiving Dinner Casserole (jar mix)

In my quest to find some great meals in a jar, I came across an awesome idea for turkey and stuffing in a jar from Rainy Day Food Storage.  It's more of a casserole, in my opinion, and since it includes cranberries and even gravy right in the mix, I think the best name for this recipe is Thanksgiving Dinner Casserole.  It has such a homey, comfort-food flavor.  And it smells like Thanksgiving.

Isn't this the most amazing idea to send to college students, those in the military, or others who are away from home at Thanksgiving?  

I absolutely love the idea of giving a meal in a jar, too, because it's a little like preparing someone a home-cooked meal when it's not possible for me to actually do it.  What a perfect gift!

Plus, these are easy to make ahead for yourself, too.  Pull out a jar for a quick meal or a quick treat, or even in an emergency. 

IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT THIS JAR MIX:  

• Jar mixes should be used within about a year unless you seal them (like with a FoodSaver and the jar attachment) or use oxygen absorbers.  
• You can purchase many of the ingredients for this recipe at your local grocery store.  
• You can purchase the dehydrated (or freeze-dried) ingredients at Thrive Life (where I get a little discount if you do) or at Honeyville or at Augason Farms, OR you can dry them yourself using a food dehydrator.  That link is to the dehydrator I use--I love it, but I know there are fancier ones out there, too. I dried the carrots and the celery for this recipe myself, and I was amazed at how easy it was and how well the flavor was preserved.
• If you decide to gift this the way I have pictured, use a piece of fabric about 6"x6".

THANKSGIVING DINNER CASSEROLE

PREP TIME (making the jar mix):  10 minutes
COOK TIME:  30-35 minutes

Obviously, this photo was taken pre-renaming:
Thanksgiving Dinner Casserole

JAR MIX INGREDIENTS

In a wide-mouth quart jar, layer in order, tamping down to help the ingredients settle (as needed):

• 1 c. freeze-dried turkey (only available here, to my knowledge; may substitute freeze-dried chicken from here where I get a referral discount or here, if preferred)
• 1 packet chicken gravy mix, dry
• 1 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1  1/2 c. seasoned stove-top stuffing
• 1/4 c. dehydrated carrots (available here where I get a referral discount, or here or here, or you can dry your own with a food dehydrator) 
• 1/4 c. dehydrated celery (available here where I get a referral discount, or here or here, or you can dry your own with a food dehydrator) 
• 1/4 c. dried onion 
• 1/4 c. dried cranberries

See updated directions below.

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Attach to the jar using a sticker or tag:

In a medium pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.  Stir in the contents of the jar.  Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes.  Return to heat, uncovered, and simmer about 20 minutes, stirring periodically.  

See?  Thanksgiving Dinner Casserole from a Jar.  :)

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Creamy Zucchini Soup

This is a pantry-friendly take on an absolutely delicious soup recipe I got from a fellow blogger a few years ago.  "Creamy" is right--the broth of this soup is divine, using just 1% milk and chicken bouillon.

It's a simple recipe, too.  I had to make quite a few substitutions to make this using pantry-friendly ingredients, but the flavor is incredibly close to the original recipe.  Unfortunately, my picture doesn't do it justice, but you definitely need to try this easy, yummy soup.  

It's also low-calorie, at about 68 calories per cup!

CREAMY ZUCCHINI SOUP

PREP TIME:  10 minutes
COOK TIME:  about 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp. oil (I like avocado oil, but any kind will do)
• 6 Tbsp. dry butter powder (I like this kind; also available here and here.  If using butter flavor shortening as a butter substitute, eliminate the 2 Tbsp. water and the oil.)
• 2 Tbsp. water + 4 c. water
• 6 Tbsp. flour
• 4 tsp. chicken bouillon
• 4 c. (1 quart) shelf-stable milk (I used Gossner milk for this recipe and liked it a lot.  Alternatively, use any of these substitutes listed here.)
• 2  1/2 c. freeze-dried zucchini (I like this kind; also available here and here.)

DIRECTIONS

In a large soup pot, over medium heat, whisk together oil, butter powder, and 2 Tbsp. water.  Whisk in flour.  Pour in a little of the 4 c. water and whisk until smooth, stirring over the heat until the mixture thickens.  Whisk in the bouillon, then slowly whisk in the remainder of the water.  Stir in the milk and the dried zucchini.  Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.  As soon as the soup boils, lower the heat to low and stir well.  Cover the pot with a lid and let simmer about 15 minutes.

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Easy Chicken and Rice Bake

I love the simplicity of this recipe!  You mix everything together in an 8x8 pan and put it in the oven.  There's no cooking or chopping since all the ingredients are pantry-friendly so they're all ready to go.  I feel like it's the crock pot version (dump, dump, dump, cook) of pantry-friendly recipes!  

The flavor is subtle but delicious.  My kids are big kids now, but I think this would make an easy little-kid-friendly dish.  Give it a try and see what you think!

EASY CHICKEN AND RICE BAKE

PREP TIME:  10 minutes
COOK TIME:  45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1  1/4 c. water
• 3/4 c. uncooked regular long-grain rice
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 Tbsp. freeze-dried green onions (I *love* these things!  I never buy fresh green onions any more.)
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1  1/2 c. freeze-dried chopped chicken (I love this stuff, too!  It's pantry-friendly, yes, but I *love* not having to cook and chop chicken for recipes!  It tastes just like fresh, cooked chicken, too.  If needed, you can substitute this for a 12.5-oz. can of chicken breast chunks, but the flavor isn't the same.)

DIRECTIONS

In an 8x8 baking dish, stir together the soup and water until well-combined.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.  Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  Stir before serving.

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Pantry-Friendly Roast Beef and Gravy over Potatoes

There is NO easier way to make potatoes and gravy with roast beef!  I'm not kidding.  You are going to love this.

This is a great recipe to make in a pinch, so let me tell you about my pinch.  The COVID-19 panic buying was in full swing when I was shopping for our Easter dinner meal.  I couldn't get butter, milk, eggs, flour, yeast, pasta, rice, and most meat.  So in order to pinch-hit what was supposed to be a meal for a special occasion, I fell back on this classic favorite.  Being pantry-friendly-minded, I already had the ingredients on hand.  And it was perfect.  

I was introduced to canned roast beef and gravy in a cookbook a few years ago.  (You can see what you're looking for at this amazon.com link, but don't look at the price.  Sheesh.  It's much more affordable at your local grocery store.)  This is cooked roast beef, canned, in gravy.  You can find it in the canned meat section of your grocery store near the tuna and deviled ham and canned chicken breast chunks.

If you aren't able to find it locally, I will give you a suggestion for a substitute at the end of the recipe.  (My go-to- grocery store stopped carrying it, so I have to go to a different store to find it.  I've tried both the original and the substitute.  I like the original better, but the substitute is fine, too.  Options are good!)

PANTRY-FRIENDLY ROAST BEEF AND GRAVY OVER POTATOES

PREP TIME:  10-15 minutes
COOK TIME:  included

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cans roast beef with gravy* (made by Hormel, Hereford, and Armour)
• 6 cups mashed potatoes, made from potato flakes according to package directions

DIRECTIONS

Pour the roast beef and gravy into a saucepan.  Heat through.  Serve over prepared mashed potatoes.

* For this recipe, you want roast beef with gravy, but also available is roast beef in beef broth.  These are not the same.  Roast beef with gravy is ready to eat, while the roast beef in beef broth is just the beef without sauce (similar to a can of tuna).  If you cannot find roast beef with gravy, you can substitute roast beef in beef broth this way:  Drain the cans of roast beef, discarding the liquid.  Make 3 packets of brown gravy, according to package directions.  Stir in the roast beef and heat through.  

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Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

This soup has been a family favorite for years!  So much so that I was a little nervous about making the changes required to make it a pantry-friendly soup.  I left out one of the main ingredients because I don't like the taste of the dried version (carrots), and I was using freeze-dried cauliflower for the first time ever.

But I was nervous for nothing.  I couldn't believe how well this turned out.  So in a pinch, without fresh ingredients, I still can make one of our favorite comfort foods.

And, yes, of course, you can substitute all fresh ingredients instead, if you prefer!

CHEESY CAULIFLOWER SOUP

PREP TIME:  35 minutes
COOK TIME:  15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 3 c. freeze-dried cauliflower (I used this brand; when I make it with fresh ingredients I use a 16-oz. bag of frozen cauliflower because it's so convenient!)
• 4 c. very hot water
• 2 tsp. chicken bouillon
• 4 Tbsp. butter powder (I used this brand; also available here and here; or just use regular butter)
• 3 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 1/4 c. flour
• 3  1/2 c. milk (either reconstituted from dried or evaporated, or shelf-stable milk; see options here)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1  1/2 c. freeze-dried cheddar cheese (I like this brand the best)

DIRECTIONS

Put cauliflower, 4 c. very hot water, and chicken bouillon in a bowl with a lid.  Let sit 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  After 20 minutes, turn the stove heat to medium-high while combining in a large soup pot the butter powder, 3 Tbsp. water, oil, and flour.  Whisk together until the mixture becomes a thick paste.  Slowly whisk in milk and salt.  Whisk mixture occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom until it comes to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes while stirring.  Reduce heat to medium.  Stir in cheese, boiling and stirring for 3 minutes.  Do not drain the cauliflower; pour the cauliflower and water into the pot.  Cover and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

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Chicken Broccoli Rotini

This recipe is a winner, if I don't say so myself!  A little parmesan cheese gives it just the right hint of cheese, and the freeze-dried chicken and broccoli are amazing, I think.  It's pretty great that you can have chicken and broccoli that tastes so fresh after coming straight from a can.  I love that.

Plus, this whole dish is ready in less than 30 minutes.  No chopping or dicing or slicing.  Easy peasy!

CHICKEN BROCCOLI ROTINI

PREP TIME:  5-10 minutes
COOK TIME:  17 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz. rotini pasta
• 2 c. freeze-dried broccoli (also available here)
• 1 c. freeze-dried chopped chicken (also available here)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 tsp. chicken bouillon
• 1/2 c. parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 c. water

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of water to boil, then add the rotini, broccoli, and chicken.  Boil for 12 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.  Drain the rotini with broccoli and chicken.  Place in a serving bowl.  Stir in the creamy mixture until all the pasta is well-coated.

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Taco Pie

I really do love the simplicity of pantry-friendly recipes.  Having all these ingredients on hand in a pinch is fabulous!  The ingredients are mainly canned and freeze-dried, and it comes together quickly.

And this taco pie is delicious!  So that makes it perfect.

TACO PIE

PREP TIME:  about 20 minutes (plus 2 hours for cheese rehydrating)
COOK TIME:  25-35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 c. freeze-dried monterey jack cheese, rehydrated (This is my favorite brand.  Rehydrating just takes a little cold water and 2 hours in the fridge.)
• 1 c. freeze-dried beef crumbles, rehydrated (I get mine here.  Soooo convenient.)
• 3 Tbsp. dried minced onions
• 1 can black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1  1/2 c. dry milk, reconstituted (or other milk options like shelf-stable milk or evaporated milk mixed with water)
• equivalent of 3 eggs reconstituted from freeze-dried
• 1 tsp. taco seasoning mix
• 3/4 c. baking mix (Bisquick)
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

DIRECTIONS

Reconstitute the cheese 2 hours ahead of time, following package directions.  Reconstitute beef crumbles, following package directions.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix with an electric mixer the milk, eggs, taco seasoning, and baking mix until smooth.  Spray a deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray.  Place the beef crumbles in the pie plate.  Sprinkle with onions.  Place beans on top.  Pour the baking mix mixture carefully over the top.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Remove from oven and pour the tomatoes over the top, then sprinkle with the cheese.  Return to the oven for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

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Chicken Broccoli Crepes

This is on the fancy end of pantry-friendly recipes!  I was so pleased to find out I could make my favorite crepe recipe using some pantry-friendly substitutions.  Yay!

I'll tell you that I'm a huge fan of shortcuts, especially when it comes to crepe-making.  So although this is probably the least "easy" of all the easy recipes I'm posting here, the way I do it makes a difference. 

I have been using the most amazing crepe maker for several years now.  It was made by Velata, which is no longer in business, but I'm telling you it's the easiest way to make crepes.  It's a lot like this cordless crepe maker from amazon.com.  You dip the non-stick pan in the crepe batter so it gets just the right amount (already spread evenly).  It's no-mess and definitely the fastest way to make crepes.  I highly recommend it, but I'll give directions for making crepes in a regular skillet, too.

As a bonus, the crepe recipe I have makes enough crepes to have for dessert with a little Nutella.  You're welcome.

But I digress.  This lovely chicken broccoli crepe dish is made from freeze-dried foods and other pantry-friendly staples, so it's great in a pinch.  

CHICKEN BROCCOLI CREPES

PREP TIME:  10 minutes
COOK TIME:  about 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp. butter-flavoring shortening
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1 1/2 c. milk (reconstituted from powdered, or shelf-stable; see pantry-friendly milk options here)
• 2 freeze-dried eggs, reconstituted (available here and here)
• 2 c. freeze-dried monterey jack cheese, reconstituted (available here and here)
• 3 c. freeze-dried broccoli (available here and here)
• 2 c. freeze-dried chopped chicken (available here and here)  (You can use 2 cans of chunk chicken breast, drained, if needed, but the freeze-dried tastes much better in this recipe.)
• 1 c. water
• 1/2 c. powdered creamer (coffee creamer)
• 1 c. flour
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• Nutella for the extra crepes.  Just sayin'. 

DIRECTIONS: CREPES

Rehydrate cheese according to package directions (only for about 30 minutes).  Place chicken and broccoli in a bowl of hot water with enough water to cover the chicken and broccoli.  Start the crepes by melting the butter-flavor shortening in a large microwave-safe mixing bowl.  Using a mixer, mix the eggs into the shortening.  Add flour and milk a little at a time, mixing after each addition.  Heat and grease a skillet (unless you are using a cordless crepe maker similar to the one I'm in love with from Velata).  Pour approximately 1/4 c. batter into the hot skillet, rotating the skillet to cover the whole bottom of the skillet with a thin layer of batter.  Cook over medium heat until small bubbles or holes appear in the crepe, then flip over like a pancake to brown the other side for about 1 minute.  Keep crepes warm wrapped in a clean kitchen towel, with paper towels in between to keep them from sticking together.  (I use a tortilla warmer to keep mine warm.  Like this --or these bags work, too.)

DIRECTIONS: FILLING

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together the water, creamer, flour, chicken broth, parsley, paprika, and garlic salt.  Bring to a boil, stirring often.  Reduce heat to low and stir in the rehydrated cheese, stirring until well-mixed.  Stir in the rehydrated chicken and broccoli, then cover with a lid and keep warm on low, stirring occasionally.  Fill crepes with filling. 

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Lemon Spinach Pasta

This is one of my very favorite pasta dishes!  It only took a couple of changes to make this a pantry-friendly, shelf-stable recipe, and it was just as delicious as the regular recipe.  So I'm really excited, to be honest with you!  I love that this is a recipe I can make in a pinch or in an emergency without a trip to the store for anything fresh.

Plus, it comes together SO fast.  The angel hair pasta--my favorite--cooks quickly because it's so thin.  And the rest of the ingredients are even faster.  Win-win.

LEMON SPINACH PASTA

PREP TIME:  5-10 minutes
COOK TIME:  5-6 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz. angel hair pasta
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 4 Tbsp. butter (find pantry-friendly substitute options here; I prefer the powdered butter reconstituted with water plus a little oil)
• 4 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2  1/2 - 3 c. freeze-dried spinach (available here; or you can dry your own with a food dehydrator)

DIRECTIONS

Rehydrate powdered butter (or melt butter-flavor shortening) and stir in lemon juice and garlic salt.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  During the last minute of cooking, add spinach to the boiling pasta.  Drain pasta and spinach.  Place in a serving bowl.  Drizzle with butter-lemon juice mixture and stir until well-combined.

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Cheesy Baked Spaghetti

This is one of my family's all-time favorite meals.  When my daughter came home for Christmas during her first year of college, she--of course--was only here for a couple of weeks--and Cheesy Baked Spaghetti was on the list of requested dinners while she was here.  We've loved this recipe for years, and it's now kind of the definition of "comfort food" around here.

Most of the time, I prefer using freeze-dried sausage to make this meal anyway because it's so much faster and easier (and less messy) than cooking up a pound of sausage.  So I really only needed one other swap to make this recipe entirely pantry-friendly.  We really couldn't even tell the difference between this swapped-out recipe and the original.  And that's perfect.

I have to say, too, that having a delicious dish like this one just "waiting" in the pantry is pretty awesome.  You're going to love this.

CHEESY BAKED SPAGHETTI 

PREP TIME:  15 minutes
COOK TIME:  30-35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• two 14.5-oz. cans of diced tomatoes, undrained (I prefer petite diced)
• 1/4 c. dried minced onion
• one 2.25-oz. can sliced olives
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 - 1  1/2 c. freeze-dried sausage (or you could use freeze-dried beef instead)
• 12-16 oz. spaghetti, cooked and drained
• 2 c. freeze-dried shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1/4 c. water
• grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Rehydrate the sausage and cheese according to package directions.  (Suggested rehydration time for cheese is 2 hours.)  In a large bowl, stir together tomatoes, onion, olives, and oregano.  Place half the cooked spaghetti in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Spread half the meat-vegetable mixture on top.  Sprinkle half the cheddar cheese on top.  Repeat the layers.  In a bowl, mix the soup and water until smooth.  Spread on top of the last cheese layer, being careful to cover all the spaghetti pieces so they don't dry out in the oven.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

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Hawaiian Haystacks

I originally got this recipe from my grandmother.  So I've loved this recipe for as long as I can remember.  A few years ago I made some changes to the original ingredients just for ease and convenience, so just a couple more changes make this delicious meal entirely pantry-friendly!

This is one of those recipes that always seemed to me a strange combination of ingredients, but you wouldn't believe how delicious it is.  Try it out!

HAWAIIAN HAYSTACKS

PREP TIME:  10-15 minutes
COOK TIME:  15-20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 3 c. uncooked rice
• 4 chicken gravy mix packets
• 4 c. cold water
• 1  1/2 c. freeze-dried chicken or two 12-oz. cans of chicken breast chunks, drained (For a while now, I've used freeze-dried every time I make this because it's so easy!)  (original recipe:  2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped)
• 1/4 c. freeze-dried green onions (I love these things!  SO convenient!  I use them all the time in lots of recipes.)  (original recipe:  1/4 c. sliced green onions)
• 1 15-oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed (original recipe:  2 chopped tomatoes)
• freeze-dried grated cheese (I love this stuff--it's good even straight out of the can before rehydrating!)
• 1 bag chow mein noodles (I prefer rice noodles; pictured)
• 1 can pineapple tidbits
• slivered almonds

DIRECTIONS

Rehydrate the freeze-dried cheese according to package directions.  (Suggested on the package:  refrigerate for 2 hours before using.)  If using freeze-dried chicken, rehydrate it.  Otherwise, drain the cans of chicken.  Cook the rice according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk the gravy mixes with the water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often, then simmer on low 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Add green onions and chicken, then cover with a lid to keep warm.  To make the haystacks, pile rice, cheese, chicken gravy, tomatoes, pineapple, almonds, and chow mein (or rice) noodles.    

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Pantry Chicken Fricassee over Mashed Potatoes

If you're new to fricassee like I was, fricassee is basically meat in a cream sauce.  It's originally French, but there are Cajun and Mexican and all sorts of varieties of the same idea.

This particular fricassee recipe, however, is a very easy, pantry-friendly version, so it's not a traditional fricassee.  I can tell you, though, that it's both simple and tasty.  And that counts for a lot!

I love the herbs in this dish!  It actually gives it a bit of a green tint, but I'll tell you--seconds will be had by all.

PANTRY CHICKEN FRICASSEE OVER MASHED POTATOES

PREP TIME:  15 minutes
COOK TIME:  5-10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 6 c. water
• 1/2 c. whole powdered milk 
• 1/2 c. dry creamer (coffee creamer)
• 1/2 c. corn starch
• 2 Tbsp. chicken bouillon
• 1 Tbsp. dried butter powder (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 c. dried minced onion
• 2 c. freeze-dried chopped chicken (rehydrated according to package directions) or 2  12-oz. cans chicken breast chunks, drained
• potato flakes, enough to make 8 servings of mashed potatoes

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot over low heat, whisk together water, powdered milk, creamer, corn starch, and bouillon until well-mixed.  Turn heat up to medium-high.  Add butter powder, parsley, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, and minced onion.  Whisk well.  Bring to a boil, stirring often.  When it boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring often.  Add *chicken.  Prepare potato flakes according to package directions.  Serve the chicken fricassee over the mashed potatoes. 

*You can see in the photo that I used the canned chicken breast this time.  I actually didn't like the flavor of it in this recipe.  I'll use freeze-dried from now on.

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Mushroom Chicken Noodles

I came across this recipe recently and was pleased to see that it's all pantry-friendly!  I do like the challenge of seeing what types of regular recipes I can adapt to use only ingredients that store easily in the pantry, but yummy recipes that don't require any changes are pretty fantastic, too.  Plus, this one is so fast.

I don't care for mushrooms, but the mushrooms here just come from a cream of mushroom soup, so they're not very strong.  This recipe can be made with any kind of noodles, so use your favorite or go with what you have.

MUSHROOM CHICKEN NOODLES

PREP TIME:  5 minutes
COOK TIME:  15-20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz. noodles, cooked and drained
• 12-oz. can evaporated milk
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 Tbsp. parsley
• 2 Tbsp. dried minced onion
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 c. freeze-dried chopped chicken (rehydrated according to package directions) or 12.5-oz. can chunk chicken breast, drained

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan, pour in about half the can of evaporated milk and whisk in flour.  When smooth, whisk in the rest of the milk.  Stir in parsley and onion.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often.  When it boils, reduce heat to low.  Whisk in the mushroom soup until smooth.  Drain the can of chicken and stir it into the sauce.  Warm through.  Mix into the cooked noodles and serve hot.

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