I started having a conversation the other day with a few lady friends about the kinds of meals we fall back on when we're in a pinch, say, whenever a) it's 5:00 and dinner's been the last thing on your mind all day, b) you can't remember the last time you went to the store, c) you're feeling lazy, or d) all of the above.For instance, I can't tell you how many variations on the soup-and-sandwiches theme I have prepared. Maybe two or three times a month, I'll just warm up some store-bought soup, like something a little more exciting than Campbell's (maybe lentil soup or butternut squash or tomato basil), and serve it with grilled cheese or open-faced sandwiches that I broil in the oven. These usually include bread (sometimes toasted, if I'm feeling gourmet), a slice of ham or turkey, tomato, and topped with cheese. Sometimes I'll even liven things up with a pesto spread, or something like that.
Anyway, it was fun to see what everyone else's staples were, so here are a few we discussed:
tacos
spaghetti (or any pasta dish with a bottled tomato or alfredo sauce)
hamburgers
breakfast for dinner
fried egg sandwiches
baked potato bar
fried rice
quesadillas
And sometimes it's nice to mix it up a little, so share some of your favorite fall-back meals for the rest of us lazy louts. If you'd be so kind.
I am shocked that pizza is not already on your list! That is our number one fall back. Frozen or made with whatever bread is on hand, leftover french bread, pitas, bagels. You name it, we've made pizza out of it.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed that your fall back meal consists of sandwiches with actual meat and fresh toppings like tomatoes. See, that kind of thing takes planning for me. :) My fall back is always chipped beef on toast. I always have stuff to make a white sauce, I always have a can of dried beef, and I there's usually a loaf of bread somewhere in the pantry or freezer. Another is Clam Chowder. Again, stuff for a white sauce, canned meat, and vegetables that keep in the fridge for more than a week. Hmmmm. I'm starting to see a pattern....
ReplyDelete555-THAI FOOD.
ReplyDeleteAmber Larson:
ReplyDeleteHello? Has anyone ever heard of CEREAL?
Chicken noodle soup over mashed potatoes. But only if the mashed potatoes are instant and the soup is a just-add-water number. Add a bag of frozen veggies to the soup and you've got a meal.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the ideas, guys!
ReplyDeleteAnd Amber, thanks for the dose of reality. :D
I really like breakfast for dinner too - we have it at least once a week because we alway have eggs on hand. Also - cornflake chicken fingers because I always have frozen chicken and a box of cornflakes.
ReplyDelete