What can I cook for dinner?!


Question: Onhand have pork sausages, stewing beef, onions, only 2 small potatoes, pasta, rice, couscous, carrots, frozen peas, yoghurt, tinned tomatoes, and a range of herbs and spices including chilli, harissa and ginger but no garlic. I feel like something a bit different... Won't be home until late, so needs to be fairly quick to prepare.


Answers: Onhand have pork sausages, stewing beef, onions, only 2 small potatoes, pasta, rice, couscous, carrots, frozen peas, yoghurt, tinned tomatoes, and a range of herbs and spices including chilli, harissa and ginger but no garlic. I feel like something a bit different... Won't be home until late, so needs to be fairly quick to prepare.

When you get home;

While you preheat a heavy bottomed pan; slit the casings on the sausage meat and dice an onion. Add enough oil to the hot pan, turning it so the bottom gets oiled then add the sausage and onion. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat into smaller clumps. Keep stirring as it begins to cook to make sure nothing sticks to the pan.

For natural sweetness and flavour, clean and dice one or two carrots into very small dice (so they cook quickly); add to the pan. Open the tomatoes; drain, but reserve the liquid. (If whole tomatoes, rough chop them before adding to the pan.) If the mixture seems too dry, add the reserved liquid. Bring everything to a simmer and keep cooking till the sausage meat is cooked through and the carrots are beginning to soften.

It will be at this point you choose which direction you want the flavours to go - here are a few examples:

if an Italian dish is to your liking; season with those herbs most associated, i.e. oregano, marjoram, etc. Let the sauce cook down until it's rich and thick and to your taste then serve over pasta with some grated cheese.

if you'd like to go a more Mexican route; season the mixture with a bit of chilli, oregano, a pinch of cinnamon, any kind of pepper you may have to hand, some paprika (smoked sweet would go great - but only a little bit will be needed!), add chopped (or even some ground) almonds to enhance the textures and flavours. Serve the mixture over rice, (cooked with frozen peas right in the rice - trust me, its fantastic!), topped with grated cheese.

if you want more exotic meal; add harissa, chilli, a handfull of raisins (to give a contrasting sweetness and texture), all of which you can serve over couscous - and if you have them, quick toast some chopped, sliced or blanched almonds in a dry frying pan to sprinkle over top for that final contrast of flavour and textures.

Even if you don't use any of the above, if it's helped to get the imagination going, then bravo and I hope you experiment with what you've got to see where it can take you!

Thanks! I hope you had a nice dinner and intend to start "playing with your food" more often - :o) Report It


Other Answers (7)




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  • Vee's Avatar by Vee
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  • What about a beef and sausage casserole,

    Chop up and add all the veg you have the tinned tomatoes and the herbs with enough water to cover, you could serve with the potatoes or add them to it.

    Add the chili for a spicy kick

    it would serve well with the cous cous

    I would dice the beef cook with onions, boil pasta and rice and mix all, add tin tomatos and peas and hey presto, enjoy

    Vee has the right idea, why does someone always suggest exactly the same as I would? Problem is, it usually takes a while. If you have a slow cooker, put it on before you go, the meat will be so tender and juicy...mmm...*drool*

    Log onto videojug.com...or .bbc.co.uk/food...loads of info.

    try a sausage and tomato pasta dish. cook sausages and set aside. fry an onion and add some chopped or pureed tomatoes and add chili etc whatever you fancy .add some frozen peas and let it simmer for a while.when im making a tomato based sauce i always add a beef oxo.cook some pasta .slice the sausages and add them to the sauce serve with the pasta .to up your veg intake you could also grate carrot into sauce!!

    CHICKEN WITH COUSCOUS OR RICE

    2 c. couscous or cooked rice for 4
    1 qt. apple cider, the stronger the better
    1 good frying chicken
    1/2 c. butter
    1 c. fresh cream
    2 c. chicken bouillon
    2 rounded tbsp. cornstarch
    1/4 c. slivered almonds

    In a Dutch oven, brown cut up chicken in half the butter on medium heat. Add cornstarch plus 1 cup cider and 2 cups chicken bouillon. Bring to boil. Season with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper. Cook 20 minutes on reduced heat. Remove chicken and keep warm (in a slow cooker). Thicken sauce with 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Add 1 tablespoon cream, then the remainder. Season to taste.
    At the same time, brown couscous or rice in 1/4 cup butter. Remove from heat. Add 2 cups cider and let the couscous absorb the liquid if you use the rice.

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...

    PORK SAUSAGE AND RICE CASSEROLE

    1 c. rice, cooked and drained
    1 c. vegetable soup
    1 lb. small pork sausage links

    Place rice into casserole; add soup. Stir. Brown pork sausage; drain. Add to rice mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Yield 4 servings.

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...

    EASY BEEF STEW

    2 lb. beef stew
    1 med. onion, peel & slice
    2 stalks celery, cut up
    6 carrots, cut
    2 tsp. salt
    4 tbsp. Tapioca
    1/4 tsp. black pepper
    1 (12 oz.) can V-8 juice

    Place beef stew in casserole or 9 x 13 pan. Add all ingredients in order given.
    Cover pan and bake in a 250 degree oven for 4 hours. SDR

    how about making a stew for dinner.
    with a salad,rolls





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