Hoping this will be a fun diversion...

The scenario: You're at a decidedly non-foodie friend's house when the
phone rings. A group of four VERY important people (the Nobel Prize
selection committee, whatever) have just arrived at the airport and
need to be picked up. Non-Foodie agrees to pick them up and then,
without thinking, insists that they come over for dinner. Once off the
phone, NF panics. They're coming over for dinner??!? "YOU can cook!" NF
sputters. "We'll be back in two hours--please please PLEASE make
something great!!" And with that, NF is out the door.

You survey the kitchen and find the following to work with. Assume that
you cannot go to the store. Your challenge: Come up with the most
appealing dinner you can within these constraints, making sure that it
will be on the table in two hours when the guests arrive and that all
six of you will be well-fed.

1 lb ground beef, frozen
1 package bacon
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen
1 box Minute Rice
8 oz dry spaghetti
2 large baking potatoes
9 corn tortillas, bag opened, freshness questionable
1 loaf artisan wheat bread
7 hamburger buns, frozen
1 box buttermilk Eggos (frozen waffles)
Frozen mixed veggies
Fresh baby carrots
1 can baked beans
1 large can whole tomatoes
1 8 oz brick of sharp cheddar cheese
Ranch dressing
1 jar of peanuts
2/3 bag chocolate chips
Most of a can of Reddi-Wip
Common staples (be honest--milk and flour are staples; fava beans and
escarole are not)
Common pots, pans, and utensils
Stove, microwave, toaster, charcoal grill

Go!

Scooter

> Go!

Chinese Delivery...

Scooter wrote:

> Hoping this will be a fun diversion...
>

6 people on 1 lb of ground beef and some cheap bacon? Ok, ok, I'd
threaten the 'friend' at knifepoint to bring back a couple of heads of
lettuce and some tomatoes along with the guests and then get cracking on
some kind of hearty meat pie using the beef, potatoes, carrots, frozen
veggies and maybe the canned tomatoes. Thick pie crust from scratch.
Warm the wheat bread before serving, and set it on the table with herbed
butter. Fry up the bacon and serve it on the salad with shredded cheese.

If the 'staples' include apples or a can of peaches, or any frozen fruit
I'd make cobbler.



Dawn




> The scenario: You're at a decidedly non-foodie friend's house when the
> phone rings. A group of four VERY important people (the Nobel Prize
> selection committee, whatever) have just arrived at the airport and
> need to be picked up. Non-Foodie agrees to pick them up and then,
> without thinking, insists that they come over for dinner. Once off the
> phone, NF panics. They're coming over for dinner??!? "YOU can cook!" NF
> sputters. "We'll be back in two hours--please please PLEASE make
> something great!!" And with that, NF is out the door.
>
> You survey the kitchen and find the following to work with. Assume that
> you cannot go to the store. Your challenge: Come up with the most
> appealing dinner you can within these constraints, making sure that it
> will be on the table in two hours when the guests arrive and that all
> six of you will be well-fed.
>
> 1 lb ground beef, frozen
> 1 package bacon
> 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen
> 1 box Minute Rice
> 8 oz dry spaghetti
> 2 large baking potatoes
> 9 corn tortillas, bag opened, freshness questionable
> 1 loaf artisan wheat bread
> 7 hamburger buns, frozen
> 1 box buttermilk Eggos (frozen waffles)
> Frozen mixed veggies
> Fresh baby carrots
> 1 can baked beans
> 1 large can whole tomatoes
> 1 8 oz brick of sharp cheddar cheese
> Ranch dressing
> 1 jar of peanuts
> 2/3 bag chocolate chips
> Most of a can of Reddi-Wip
> Common staples (be honest--milk and flour are staples; fava beans and
> escarole are not)
> Common pots, pans, and utensils
> Stove, microwave, toaster, charcoal grill
>
> Go!
>
> Scooter
>

Scooter wrote:
> Hoping this will be a fun diversion...
>
> The scenario: You're at a decidedly non-foodie friend's house when the
> phone rings. A group of four VERY important people (the Nobel Prize
> selection committee, whatever) have just arrived at the airport and
> need to be picked up. Non-Foodie agrees to pick them up and then,
> without thinking, insists that they come over for dinner. Once off the
> phone, NF panics. They're coming over for dinner??!? "YOU can cook!" NF
> sputters. "We'll be back in two hours--please please PLEASE make
> something great!!" And with that, NF is out the door.

After looking at the list, I suggest reservations. At a "great" restaurant.
Goomba

Scooter wrote:

> 1 lb ground beef, frozen

meatloaf

> 1 package bacon

cook it up...

> 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen

cut up in small pcs for chicken cheddar bacon tortilla snacks
fry in pan after bacon is done

> 1 box Minute Rice

cook all of it

> 8 oz dry spaghetti

set a few sticks on the dining room buffet.. great for lighting candles
with
put the rest back in the cabinet

> 2 large baking potatoes

rub down in bacon grease and bake them
will be making mashed potatoes (one small scoop)
make bacon and cheddar tater skins in oven
smaller but rich

> 9 corn tortillas, bag opened, freshness questionable

rolled up with chicken, rice, cheddar bacon mixture, cut up for snack
tray

> 1 loaf artisan wheat bread

slice and serve hot with entree
whipped herb butter

> 7 hamburger buns, frozen

crumble into meatloaf


> Frozen mixed veggies

goes on entree

> Fresh baby carrots

croudette, dip in ranch dressing

> 1 can baked beans

could pick the beans out and use the sauce in the meatloaf
ha, just kidding.. no use for these nasty things
too sweet for any use I could see...
wouldn't dream of serving them hot and plain

> 1 large can whole tomatoes

reduce and make sauce, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, herbs

> 1 8 oz brick of sharp cheddar cheese

use on tater skins and tortilla snacks
also cut some slices to serve as is

> Ranch dressing
snack wheel dip

> 1 jar of peanuts

snack wheel

> 1 box buttermilk Eggos (frozen waffles)

split each waffle in half (like an english muffin split)
cut one large square from each peice

make a simple chocolate vanilla butter creme sauce (save some ch chips
back for decorating)

butter and bake the squares. serve stacked two high with waffle grid
facing in
pour a little sauce on... save some sauce for spooning at the table

call them choc creme squares..

one waffle per ho

> 2/3 bag chocolate chips
> Most of a can of Reddi-Wip

after dinner sex toppings

> Common staples (be honest--milk and flour are staples; fava beans and
> escarole are not)
> Common pots, pans, and utensils
> Stove, microwave, toaster, charcoal grill
>
> Go!

LOL

croudette: peanuts, carrot/ranch wheel, baked chicken rice cheddar
bacon tortillas (cut each one in 3 pcs) makes 27 chicken tortilla
snacks, tater skins

reduce the can tomatoes, add salt pepper garlic sugar splash of lime
(I FOUND IT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FRIDGE.. REALLY I DID)
makes a sauce... sauce is for dipping, and for putting IN and ON the
meatloaf
prior to baking.. get meatloaf in oven asap..

croudette: peanuts, carrot/ranch wheel, baked chicken rice cheddar
bacon tortilla snacks (cut each one in half. OR NOT.... 9 is enough)
baked cheddar and bacon tater skins

could also use narrow ends of artisian bread for large general purpose
croutons
herbs and butter.. tasty simple snack before meal.. goes on snack
table/tray
goes with sliced cheddar

entree
-----------
meatloaf - I could make this good
garlic mashed potatoes (one widdle scoop) - could make a rue/gravy from
chicken pan
veggies pan-seared, a little oil or butter and salt, with a hint of
garlic
favre beans
rice - large scoop
and
hot bread / whipped herb butter

desert: chocolate creme squeers

Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan wrote:

> "Scooter" >
> oups.com:
>
> > Hoping this will be a fun diversion...
> >
> > The scenario: You're at a decidedly non-foodie friend's house when the
> > phone rings. A group of four VERY important people (the Nobel Prize
> > selection committee, whatever) have just arrived at the airport and
> > need to be picked up. Non-Foodie agrees to pick them up and then,
> > without thinking, insists that they come over for dinner. Once off the
> > phone, NF panics. They're coming over for dinner??!? "YOU can cook!" NF
> > sputters. "We'll be back in two hours--please please PLEASE make
> > something great!!" And with that, NF is out the door.
> >
> > You survey the kitchen and find the following to work with. Assume that
> > you cannot go to the store. Your challenge: Come up with the most
> > appealing dinner you can within these constraints, making sure that it
> > will be on the table in two hours when the guests arrive and that all
> > six of you will be well-fed.
> >
> > 1 lb ground beef, frozen
> > 1 package bacon
> > 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen
> > 1 box Minute Rice
> > 8 oz dry spaghetti
> > 2 large baking potatoes
> > 9 corn tortillas, bag opened, freshness questionable
> > 1 loaf artisan wheat bread
> > 7 hamburger buns, frozen
> > 1 box buttermilk Eggos (frozen waffles)
> > Frozen mixed veggies
> > Fresh baby carrots
> > 1 can baked beans
> > 1 large can whole tomatoes
> > 1 8 oz brick of sharp cheddar cheese
> > Ranch dressing
> > 1 jar of peanuts
> > 2/3 bag chocolate chips
> > Most of a can of Reddi-Wip
> > Common staples (be honest--milk and flour are staples; fava beans and
> > escarole are not)
> > Common pots, pans, and utensils
> > Stove, microwave, toaster, charcoal grill
> >
> > Go!
> >
> > Scooter
>
> I'd call Gourmet To Go.

Don't forget to use his credit card.

Yeah right.... like I am going to cook dinner for a friend who has company.

lubricant wrote:
<snipped a ton of great ideas>

Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about! Lubricant, you are one creative
cook. Hats off to you.

Scooter

Dave Smith wrote:

> Yeah right.... like I am going to cook dinner for a friend who has company.

you would cook it, cause you're a good house boy

Scooter wrote:
> Hoping this will be a fun diversion...
>
> The scenario: You're at a decidedly non-foodie friend's house when the
> phone rings. A group of four VERY important people (the Nobel Prize
> selection committee, whatever) have just arrived at the airport and
> need to be picked up. Non-Foodie agrees to pick them up and then,
> without thinking, insists that they come over for dinner. Once off the
> phone, NF panics. They're coming over for dinner??!? "YOU can cook!" NF
> sputters. "We'll be back in two hours--please please PLEASE make
> something great!!" And with that, NF is out the door.
>
> You survey the kitchen and find the following to work with. Assume that
> you cannot go to the store. Your challenge: Come up with the most
> appealing dinner you can within these constraints, making sure that it
> will be on the table in two hours when the guests arrive and that all
> six of you will be well-fed.
>
> 1 lb ground beef, frozen
> 1 package bacon
> 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen
> 1 box Minute Rice
> 8 oz dry spaghetti
> 2 large baking potatoes
> 9 corn tortillas, bag opened, freshness questionable
> 1 loaf artisan wheat bread
> 7 hamburger buns, frozen
> 1 box buttermilk Eggos (frozen waffles)
> Frozen mixed veggies
> Fresh baby carrots
> 1 can baked beans
> 1 large can whole tomatoes
> 1 8 oz brick of sharp cheddar cheese
> Ranch dressing
> 1 jar of peanuts
> 2/3 bag chocolate chips
> Most of a can of Reddi-Wip
> Common staples (be honest--milk and flour are staples; fava beans and
> escarole are not)
> Common pots, pans, and utensils
> Stove, microwave, toaster, charcoal grill
>
> Go!
>
> Scooter

Gosh, I hope these distinguished folks appreciate simple, down, home
but tasty cooking! Assume that I'm a very fast worker, here, or that
there are a few delays due to rush hour traffic.

Thaw then cook chicken breasts in the microwave.
Parboil and cut up potatoes while simultaneously browning beef and a
chopped onion in the frying pan with some salt and pepper. Add diced
potatoes and microwaved frozen veggies. Chop up the canned whole
tomatoes and add them to the pan, including juice. Ahah! I just found
a nice jar of decent spaghetti sauce in the pantry (I consider that a
staple food that even a non-foodie might have on hand), and I add
some of that to meat, onions and tomatoes. Ah, my non-foodie friend
also has a bag of acceptable supermarket mushrooms in the fridge, so in
they go, too, all nicely sliced up. Turn down heat, allow sauce to
simmer on a back burner. Is that dried oregano? That'll work too.

Cut up cooked, now cooled chicken and make a nice little chicken salad
with it, using a mixture of mayo and ranch dressing as the binder, and
maybe a celery stalk and scallions if I can find them in the fridge.
Not bad. one rather wilty but acceptable celery stalk chopped fine is
added for crunch, and the chicken salad is put in refrigerator.

Assuming the presence of at least two sticks of butter in the fridge, I
make a batch of shortbread cookies and roll them out thick and cut out
about a dozen pretty big, thick cookies, bake them up quickly,
intermittently stirring the meat sauce. While cookies are baking, I
locate a 9X9 inch baking pan, pour in the meat sauce and grate some
sharp cheese over it. After the cookies come out, the beef goes into a
moderate oven.

I melt the chocolate chips in the microwave and dip the warm shortbread
cookies in melted chocolate and set them aside to cool.

Then I slice up the artisanal wheat bread for toast points, trim the
crusts and put a spoonful of chicken salad on each one for appetizers.
Also slice up some of the cheese and some crackers, in case
distinguished guests would rather have that. Also serve baby carrots
with a dish of ranch dressing, and hope people will eat lots of
appetizers.

I put my meat dish under the broiler for just a minute or two, so that
the melted cheese gets a little brown and bubbly on top while
listening for my friend's car to pull into the driveway. Enter host and
guests to a scene of industry and a nice hot, one dish supper ready to
eat as soon as the table is set.

Balanced meal? Maybe not. But tasty and satisfying, and served up on
time and hot to hungry guests and a very impressed friend who now owes
me big time. Chocolate dipped shortbread cookies are a major hit for
dessert.

Well... you didn't say we had to use EVERYTHING in the kitchen!

Melissa

wrote:

> So why those particular ingredients? Not to sound suspicious, but
> those are rather unique ingredients.

Honesty, I just made 'em up on a whim. May be related to the fact that
we're in the middle of a house move so we're trying to use up what we
have (and running out of what we usually have in stock), plus the
freezer in the rental house we're moving out of just went on the blink
so I lost most of my frozen meat. (The Eggos are fine, though.) I'm
afraid at the moment my kitchen supplies are closer to the list I made
up than I would like to admit.

Scooter

Shortbread!! Never would have thought of that.

Scooter

Scooter wrote:
> Hoping this will be a fun diversion...
>
> The scenario: You're at a decidedly non-foodie friend's house when the
> phone rings. A group of four VERY important people (the Nobel Prize
> selection committee, whatever) have just arrived at the airport and
> need to be picked up. Non-Foodie agrees to pick them up and then,
> without thinking, insists that they come over for dinner. Once off the
> phone, NF panics. They're coming over for dinner??!? "YOU can cook!" NF
> sputters. "We'll be back in two hours--please please PLEASE make
> something great!!" And with that, NF is out the door.
>

Oh, puleeeeze. Try something closer to earth.

sf wrote:

> Oh, puleeeeze. Try something closer to earth.


lemme guess, you woulda went for 8 hamburgers and everybody gets ONE
dab of baked beans

num num e v e r y b o d y

aight! TWO of you can have a baked potatoe

On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 23:46:19 GMT, "~-x-y-~" >
wrote:

>> Go!
>
>Chinese Delivery...
>

Absolutely correct !

I can remember hosting a post-funeral gathering at the house.

I was so damn busy prepping and moving food,
that I never really got to visit with the guests.

In retrospect, a cooler of ice, several cases of drinks,
and lots of take-out would have simplified my job,
( and the food selection would've been alot better. )


<rj>

Scooter wrote:
> Hoping this will be a fun diversion...
>
> The scenario: You're at a decidedly non-foodie friend's house when the
> phone rings. A group of four VERY important people (the Nobel Prize
> selection committee, whatever) have just arrived at the airport and
> need to be picked up. Non-Foodie agrees to pick them up and then,
> without thinking, insists that they come over for dinner. Once off the
> phone, NF panics. They're coming over for dinner??!? "YOU can cook!" NF
> sputters. "We'll be back in two hours--please please PLEASE make
> something great!!" And with that, NF is out the door.
>
> You survey the kitchen and find the following to work with. Assume that
> you cannot go to the store. Your challenge: Come up with the most
> appealing dinner you can within these constraints, making sure that it
> will be on the table in two hours when the guests arrive and that all
> six of you will be well-fed.
>
> 1 lb ground beef, frozen
> 1 package bacon
> 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen
> 1 box Minute Rice
> 8 oz dry spaghetti
> 2 large baking potatoes
> 9 corn tortillas, bag opened, freshness questionable
> 1 loaf artisan wheat bread
> 7 hamburger buns, frozen
> 1 box buttermilk Eggos (frozen waffles)
> Frozen mixed veggies
> Fresh baby carrots
> 1 can baked beans
> 1 large can whole tomatoes
> 1 8 oz brick of sharp cheddar cheese
> Ranch dressing
> 1 jar of peanuts
> 2/3 bag chocolate chips
> Most of a can of Reddi-Wip
> Common staples (be honest--milk and flour are staples; fava beans and
> escarole are not)
> Common pots, pans, and utensils
> Stove, microwave, toaster, charcoal grill
>
> Go!
>
> Scooter
Hey- hope it's not GW and Dick- in that case, GW would have to decide!

lubricant wrote:

> Dave Smith wrote:
>
> > Yeah right.... like I am going to cook dinner for a friend who has company.
>
> you would cook it, cause you're a good house boy

Not good enough to play silly head games.

On 23 Aug 2006 15:54:17 -0700, "Scooter" >
wrote:

>Hoping this will be a fun diversion...
>
>The scenario: You're at a decidedly non-foodie friend's house when the
>phone rings. A group of four VERY important people (the Nobel Prize
>selection committee, whatever) have just arrived at the airport and
>need to be picked up. Non-Foodie agrees to pick them up and then,
>without thinking, insists that they come over for dinner. Once off the
>phone, NF panics. They're coming over for dinner??!? "YOU can cook!" NF
>sputters. "We'll be back in two hours--please please PLEASE make
>something great!!" And with that, NF is out the door.
>
>You survey the kitchen and find the following to work with. Assume that
>you cannot go to the store. Your challenge: Come up with the most
>appealing dinner you can within these constraints, making sure that it
>will be on the table in two hours when the guests arrive and that all
>six of you will be well-fed.
>
>1 lb ground beef, frozen
>1 package bacon
>2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen
>1 box Minute Rice
>8 oz dry spaghetti
>2 large baking potatoes
>9 corn tortillas, bag opened, freshness questionable
>1 loaf artisan wheat bread
>7 hamburger buns, frozen
>1 box buttermilk Eggos (frozen waffles)
>Frozen mixed veggies
>Fresh baby carrots
>1 can baked beans
>1 large can whole tomatoes
>1 8 oz brick of sharp cheddar cheese
>Ranch dressing
>1 jar of peanuts
>2/3 bag chocolate chips
>Most of a can of Reddi-Wip
>Common staples (be honest--milk and flour are staples; fava beans and
>escarole are not)
>Common pots, pans, and utensils
>Stove, microwave, toaster, charcoal grill
>
>Go!
>
>Scooter

hmmm... I see some people turned their noses up at this but I don't
see anything wrong with stretching my imagination a little :P

The first thing that springs to mind is of course meatloaf with lots
of bread to extend it, but that's already been suggested by someone
else so I'll get a bit more creative.

The first thing I'd take care of would be dessert - flour, eggs,
sugar (you didn't state it but EVERYONE has sugar, even if I have to
rip open little packets that were meant for coffee - anyone who was
dieting strictly enough not to have a jar of sugar wouldn't have the
flour/pasta/rice either...) and a stick of butter equals home-made
chocolate chip cookies. Go for the giant cookies because they're less
fiddly to bake (prep time 20 minutes, baking time 20 minutes)

Cookies done, slice the tortillas into small wedges and put them on an
oven tray. Brush them with oil, then sprinkle with seasoning and bake
until they're crisp. Let them cool and put them onto a tray with the
peanuts and baby carrots and ranch dressing to dip. (prep time 5
minutes, baking time 15 minutes)

On to the main course.

Starch = baked potato salad

Pop the two LARGE potatoes into the microwave for ten minutes and
while they're cooking chop up and brown up half of the packet of bacon
and an onion with a spoonful of crushed garlic that was in the fridge.
Add a finely diced celery stalk and raid the olive jar (friend is a
martini-lover...) Chop the olives up for volume. Chop up the cooked
potatoes and mix the lot together with a couple of tablespoons of
mayonaisse (ranch dressing if you insist) and spread it in a casserole
dish and top with grated cheese. Bake until brown and bubbling. (prep
time 20 minutes - get it ready while the tortilla chips are baking so
it can go in the oven right away. Baking time 30 minutes)

Entree = Pseudo-Chicken Cacciatore

Slice the chicken breasts into thin fingers. Slice up another onion
and some more celery. Brown them in the pan and add the rest of the
bacon, chopped into small pieces. Add the large can of tomato and the
other half of the martini olives. Season with garlic and whatever
herbs could be found lurking in the pantry (paprika if you're lucky)
and add the frozen vegetables (the tomato flavour will cover up their
ordinariness). Simmer until the chicken is cooked and the moisture is
absorbed. (prep time 20 mins, cooking time 30 mins)

Cook up the minute rice and heat the loaf of bread in the oven. Serve
the chicken spooned over the rice with cheese sprinkled on the top and
potato on the side.

Your guests should be walking in the door and dinner is served... and
if they happen to be early they've got a tray of nibblies to occupy
them while the main course finishes cooking.

Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:
> On 23 Aug 2006 15:54:17 -0700, "Scooter" >
> wrote:
>
> >Hoping this will be a fun diversion...
> >
> >The scenario: You're at a decidedly non-foodie friend's house when the
> >phone rings. A group of four VERY important people (the Nobel Prize
> >selection committee, whatever) have just arrived at the airport and
> >need to be picked up. Non-Foodie agrees to pick them up and then,
> >without thinking, insists that they come over for dinner. Once off the
> >phone, NF panics. They're coming over for dinner??!? "YOU can cook!" NF
> >sputters. "We'll be back in two hours--please please PLEASE make
> >something great!!" And with that, NF is out the door.
> >
> >You survey the kitchen and find the following to work with. Assume that
> >you cannot go to the store. Your challenge: Come up with the most
> >appealing dinner you can within these constraints, making sure that it
> >will be on the table in two hours when the guests arrive and that all
> >six of you will be well-fed.
> >
> >1 lb ground beef, frozen
> >1 package bacon
> >2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen
> >1 box Minute Rice
> >8 oz dry spaghetti
> >2 large baking potatoes
> >9 corn tortillas, bag opened, freshness questionable
> >1 loaf artisan wheat bread
> >7 hamburger buns, frozen
> >1 box buttermilk Eggos (frozen waffles)
> >Frozen mixed veggies
> >Fresh baby carrots
> >1 can baked beans
> >1 large can whole tomatoes
> >1 8 oz brick of sharp cheddar cheese
> >Ranch dressing
> >1 jar of peanuts
> >2/3 bag chocolate chips
> >Most of a can of Reddi-Wip
> >Common staples (be honest--milk and flour are staples; fava beans and
> >escarole are not)
> >Common pots, pans, and utensils
> >Stove, microwave, toaster, charcoal grill
> >
> >Go!
> >
> >Scooter
>
> hmmm... I see some people turned their noses up at this but I don't
> see anything wrong with stretching my imagination a little :P
>
> The first thing that springs to mind is of course meatloaf with lots
> of bread to extend it, but that's already been suggested by someone
> else so I'll get a bit more creative.
>
> The first thing I'd take care of would be dessert - flour, eggs,
> sugar (you didn't state it but EVERYONE has sugar, even if I have to
> rip open little packets that were meant for coffee - anyone who was
> dieting strictly enough not to have a jar of sugar wouldn't have the
> flour/pasta/rice either...) and a stick of butter equals home-made
> chocolate chip cookies. Go for the giant cookies because they're less
> fiddly to bake (prep time 20 minutes, baking time 20 minutes)
>
> Cookies done, slice the tortillas into small wedges and put them on an
> oven tray. Brush them with oil, then sprinkle with seasoning and bake
> until they're crisp. Let them cool and put them onto a tray with the
> peanuts and baby carrots and ranch dressing to dip. (prep time 5
> minutes, baking time 15 minutes)
>
> On to the main course.
>
> Starch = baked potato salad
>
> Pop the two LARGE potatoes into the microwave for ten minutes and
> while they're cooking chop up and brown up half of the packet of bacon
> and an onion with a spoonful of crushed garlic that was in the fridge.
> Add a finely diced celery stalk and raid the olive jar (friend is a
> martini-lover...) Chop the olives up for volume. Chop up the cooked
> potatoes and mix the lot together with a couple of tablespoons of
> mayonaisse (ranch dressing if you insist) and spread it in a casserole
> dish and top with grated cheese. Bake until brown and bubbling. (prep
> time 20 minutes - get it ready while the tortilla chips are baking so
> it can go in the oven right away. Baking time 30 minutes)
>
> Entree = Pseudo-Chicken Cacciatore
>
> Slice the chicken breasts into thin fingers. Slice up another onion
> and some more celery. Brown them in the pan and add the rest of the
> bacon, chopped into small pieces. Add the large can of tomato and the
> other half of the martini olives. Season with garlic and whatever
> herbs could be found lurking in the pantry (paprika if you're lucky)
> and add the frozen vegetables (the tomato flavour will cover up their
> ordinariness). Simmer until the chicken is cooked and the moisture is
> absorbed. (prep time 20 mins, cooking time 30 mins)
>
> Cook up the minute rice and heat the loaf of bread in the oven. Serve
> the chicken spooned over the rice with cheese sprinkled on the top and
> potato on the side.
>
> Your guests should be walking in the door and dinner is served... and
> if they happen to be early they've got a tray of nibblies to occupy
> them while the main course finishes cooking.
Nice job!!

Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:

> Entree = Pseudo-Chicken Cacciatore
>
> Slice the chicken breasts into thin fingers.

nice recipe, but you can't trick 6 people into thinking they are eating
chicken with two chicken breasts, the math is just not there

i'd be whispering (what the hell is this)

lol

just kidding!

cookies? woo woo I like cookies and milk!

I have to admit, it was a real challenge because there was really no
way out of feeding 6 people something meaty unless you cooked the beef

but you know..

I may have also cooked everything seperate and laid it out hot or warm
let people build and pick and choose what they wanted

long as there was pickels on the buffet, i think everyone would have
"got it"

Scooter wrote:
> wrote:
>
> > So why those particular ingredients? Not to sound suspicious, but
> > those are rather unique ingredients.
>
> Honesty, I just made 'em up on a whim. May be related to the fact that
> we're in the middle of a house move so we're trying to use up what we
> have (and running out of what we usually have in stock), plus the
> freezer in the rental house we're moving out of just went on the blink
> so I lost most of my frozen meat. (The Eggos are fine, though.) I'm
> afraid at the moment my kitchen supplies are closer to the list I made
> up than I would like to admit.
>
How many Nobel Prize winners are in your life?

On 24 Aug 2006 18:56:44 -0700, "lubricant" >
wrote:

>
>Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:
>
>> Entree = Pseudo-Chicken Cacciatore
>>
>> Slice the chicken breasts into thin fingers.
>
>nice recipe, but you can't trick 6 people into thinking they are eating
>chicken with two chicken breasts, the math is just not there
>
>i'd be whispering (what the hell is this)

lol! I guess that depends on how big the chicken breasts are... the
ones we bought last week looked like they came from an OSTRICH! I
sliced one breast in half and roasted it and it was still too much for
the two of us to eat. When I was cooking for four the standard dinner
allocation of meat was two chicken breasts (or one giant one) and we
never felt like we were starving... if you chop or slice chicken it
goes a lot further especially if you add some vegetables.

"Karen AKA Kajikit" > wrote in message
...
> On 23 Aug 2006 15:54:17 -0700, "Scooter" >
> wrote:
>
>
> The first thing I'd take care of would be dessert - flour, eggs,
> sugar (you didn't state it but EVERYONE has sugar, even if I have to
> rip open little packets that were meant for coffee - anyone who was
> dieting strictly enough not to have a jar of sugar wouldn't have the
> flour/pasta/rice either...) and a stick of butter equals home-made
> chocolate chip cookies. Go for the giant cookies because they're less
> fiddly to bake (prep time 20 minutes, baking time 20 minutes)

We don't have sugar! Honestly, we don't use it.

kili

kilikini wrote:

> We don't have sugar! Honestly, we don't use it.
>
> kili

you can't make kool-aide without sugar

HOW CAN YOU MAKE KOOL-AIDE WITHOUT SUGAR

this is crazy

maybe you like sugar in the raw

Scooter wrote:

> Come up with the most appealing dinner you can within these constraints,
> making sure that it will be on the table in two hours when the guests
> arrive and that all six of you will be well-fed.
>
> 1 lb ground beef, frozen
> 1 package bacon
> 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen
> 1 box Minute Rice
> 8 oz dry spaghetti
> 2 large baking potatoes
> 9 corn tortillas, bag opened, freshness questionable
> 1 loaf artisan wheat bread
> 7 hamburger buns, frozen
> 1 box buttermilk Eggos (frozen waffles)
> Frozen mixed veggies
> Fresh baby carrots
> 1 can baked beans
> 1 large can whole tomatoes
> 1 8 oz brick of sharp cheddar cheese
> Ranch dressing
> 1 jar of peanuts
> 2/3 bag chocolate chips
> Most of a can of Reddi-Wip
> Common staples (be honest--milk and flour are staples; fava beans and
> escarole are not)
> Common pots, pans, and utensils
> Stove, microwave, toaster, charcoal grill


Make nachos by cutting the tortillas into wedges and cooking them. (Frying
is fastest.) Melt the cheese and stir in the tomatoes; spice it up with
whatever "staples" you have that would work.

Using the beef, frozen veggies, potatoes, and some of the bacon, make
Cottage Pie. (Assumes Worcestershire sauce as a staple.)

Make chicken & rice using the chicken, rice, and carrots. (Assumes chicken
stock as a staple. Canned or fresh chiles would be welcome; so would peas.)

Cook some more of the bacon and spice up the beans with it (plus some
mustard, brown sugar, and hot sauce).

Make microwave fudge using the chocolate chips and peanuts. (For the recipe
I know, this assumes that sweetened condensed milk is a staple.)

Good luck!


Bob

Barry wrote:

>> We don't have sugar! Honestly, we don't use it.
>>
>> kili
>
> you can't make kool-aide without sugar
>
> HOW CAN YOU MAKE KOOL-AIDE WITHOUT SUGAR
>
> this is crazy
>
> maybe you like sugar in the raw


Maybe I'd like kili in the raw.
<leer>

Bob

Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> Make microwave fudge using the chocolate chips and peanuts. (For the recipe
> I know, this assumes that sweetened condensed milk is a staple.)
> Bob

nice ideas, was you saying put the tomatoe sauce in the cheese to make
a dip?
i wonder what favre beens in dip would taste like...

nice try on the condensed milk but that be no staple (not around here
anyway)

lubricant wrote:

> Bob Terwilliger wrote:
>
>
>>Make microwave fudge using the chocolate chips and peanuts. (For the recipe
>>I know, this assumes that sweetened condensed milk is a staple.)
>>Bob
>
>
> nice ideas, was you saying put the tomatoe sauce in the cheese to make
> a dip?
> i wonder what favre beens in dip would taste like...
>
> nice try on the condensed milk but that be no staple (not around here
> anyway)
>

I keep a can on hand, along with a graham cracker crust, ever since I
discovered how ridiculously easy "key lime" pie is to whip up. It lasts
forever (the canned milk) and in January the local drugstore marks down
all the baking supplies they stocked for Christmas, and I can buy it for
half price.


Dawn

On 25 Aug 2006 23:51:02 -0500, "Bob Terwilliger"
> wrote:
<snip>
>Make nachos by cutting the tortillas into wedges and cooking them. (Frying
>is fastest.) Melt the cheese and stir in the tomatoes; spice it up with
>whatever "staples" you have that would work.
>
>Using the beef, frozen veggies, potatoes, and some of the bacon, make
>Cottage Pie. (Assumes Worcestershire sauce as a staple.)
>
>Make chicken & rice using the chicken, rice, and carrots. (Assumes chicken
>stock as a staple. Canned or fresh chiles would be welcome; so would peas.)
>
>Cook some more of the bacon and spice up the beans with it (plus some
>mustard, brown sugar, and hot sauce).
>
>Make microwave fudge using the chocolate chips and peanuts. (For the recipe
>I know, this assumes that sweetened condensed milk is a staple.)

I suspect the rfc collective notion of "staple" is quite a bit
different from that of the average bear.

I often buy things on spec, just to have them around -
non-perishables, that is. That way, when I get a hankerin' for
something, I have that tamarind paste, or rose water, or za'tar on
hand. I have some dried limes in the cupboard for my Afghani/persian
food (Bob, have you been to the Persian Garden in Sac? Very good.).
Now my sister (non-cook) has cream of _____ soup, minute rice,
hamburger helper, bisquick, etc, as staples. I'm not dissing any of
these items (I think I have some bisquick in the freeze), but she is
always amazed when she is here at the "weird" stuff I can't do
without.

If that makes me an effete snob, ah well, I've been called worse :-)

TammyM

On Sat, 26 Aug 2006 15:45:00 GMT, (TammyM) wrote:

>I often buy things on spec, just to have them around -
>non-perishables, that is. That way, when I get a hankerin' for
>something, I have that tamarind paste, or rose water, or za'tar on
>hand. I have some dried limes in the cupboard for my Afghani/persian
>food (Bob, have you been to the Persian Garden in Sac? Very good.).
>Now my sister (non-cook) has cream of _____ soup, minute rice,
>hamburger helper, bisquick, etc, as staples. I'm not dissing any of
>these items (I think I have some bisquick in the freeze), but she is
>always amazed when she is here at the "weird" stuff I can't do
>without.

I am finding all sorts of "staples" I bought before I put all my stuff
in storage: the movers packed them all. I had a lot of beans in
glass jars... I know what they are..but not sure how good they are
now. Plus, I am finding all these different flours that I had. They
still look good..but I have no clue as to which one is which now.
And all the pasta shapes...I must have a boatload of pasta......
And rices. I have lost count of all I had/have. And I am trying to
figure out if any of this will still be good.
Oh, and boxes of couscous....

Plus the things like truffle oil...or tarragon vinegar...or pequillo
peppers... I have a ton of candied fruit...that I had gotten for
making fruitcake..it seems to have survived well.

Still have a lot more to unpack..so I am sure I wll encounter even
more "staples"....

Christine

Christine Dabney, after taking an infinite amount of time, finally, on 26
Aug 2006, typed out:

> Plus the things like truffle oil...


Christine,

Is truffle oil as flavorful as the real truffles?

Andy

TammyM wrote:

> I often buy things on spec, just to have them around -
> non-perishables, that is. That way, when I get a hankerin' for
> something, I have that tamarind paste, or rose water, or za'tar on
> hand. I have some dried limes in the cupboard for my Afghani/persian
> food (Bob, have you been to the Persian Garden in Sac? Very good.).
> Now my sister (non-cook) has cream of _____ soup, minute rice,
> hamburger helper, bisquick, etc, as staples. I'm not dissing any of
> these items (I think I have some bisquick in the freeze), but she is
> always amazed when she is here at the "weird" stuff I can't do
> without.

My ex-girlfriend was always exclaiming about the jellies, jams, preserves,
pickles, and condiments that I have in my refrigerator, taking up room that
would otherwise be available for FOOD. And my pantry contains all manner of
international and obscure ingredients, just because SOMEDAY I'll use that
Kala Jeera and that Brady Street cheese stuff. But at the drop of a hat I
can whip up a Chinese meal. Or a Moroccan meal. Or a Mexican meal. Or an
Indian meal. Or an Italian meal. Or a French meal. Or a Greek meal. Or a
Thai meal. Or an Ethiopian meal. Or a Lebanese meal. Or a Vietnamese meal.
Or a Russian meal. Or a Korean meal. Or a Spanish meal. Or an
Austro-Hungarian meal. Or a Peruvian meal. Or a German meal... you get the
idea. I like having the flexibility to cook whatever I want.

(I've never heard of Persian Garden. Unfortunately, I don't think my
girlfriend would like it. She dislikes combinations of sweet and savory, and
just seeing raisins on the menu would close her mind against the entire
place.)

Bob

Scooter wrote:
snip
>
> Scooter

That's an awfully sneaky way of finding out what to do with the
contents of your fridge//freezer/cabinets scooter!

Ingenious in fact!
well done!

LadyJane'
"Never trust a skinnt cook!"