Chili - If I have a can of beans on hand, that almost guarantees that I can make chili. I usually have cooked ground beef in the freezer and canned tomatoes or sauce. The spices are available. Chili is good with a quick homemade bread; my favorite is to serve it on spaghetti. Once I make a pot of chili, I sometimes buy hot dogs & buns (not a staple at our home) for chili dogs.
Spaghetti - Who doesn't have this as a staple in their kitchen? I often have canned sauce, but I can mix up a quick recipe if I have fresh tomatoes or canned sauce on hand. Sometimes we just have noodles and sauce; sometimes I add beef or chicken. On rare occasions, there will be meatballs in the freezer that I can thaw. We have some stock vegetables for sides that I also keep on hand: fresh whatever, a few frozen ones that we like, canned green beans (don't turn up your nose--this is the real Ellis house, and we're just fine). You can also vary this meal with different noodles, even tortellini or frozen ravioli.
Tuna - Everyone has their go-to sandwich, for a quick weekend meal or an evening when you're particularly tired. I'm not sure if my husband really likes tuna sandwiches, but I do. For variety, I can make tuna melts: I always seem to have some kind of cheese slice on hand. And I have a favorite tuna casserole that I am usually stocked for.
Paninis - A friend gave me a panini maker, and now our lives are complete. I keep sourdough bread on hand (my girls' favorite). Any lunch meat (although I most often use Mexican chicken that I have frozen) and a slice of cheese makes a panini. Pair with an apple or grapes or and you have a guilt-free, popular meal. My youngest prefers Mexican chicken, apple slices, and Provolone on her panini. My middle child created the Italian Panini Marguerita: tomato slices, grilled onion, Italian seasoning (or fresh basil) and some kind of white cheese. I now do my grilled cheese in the panini maker--pretty gourmet, eh?
Quesadillas or enchiladas - I have three staple Mexican meals, all of which require tortillas, some kind of meat, onion, cheese, spices, and salsa. I keep red and green salsa stocked in my pantry. I cook Mexican chicken regularly and freeze it, as well as the handy cooked, frozen hamburger. (Today I have shredded pork in the freezer...so yummy.) The kids love quesadillas, and they are easy to prepare. Enchiladas can be as simple as onion, cheese, and meat rolled in a tortilla and smothered with salsa (bake at 350). I also have a Mexican skillet, which is torn tortillas cooked in oil, then add meat, salsa, and cheese. These meals are simple and a hit with the kids (and their friends).
The nice thing about stock cooking is that you don't have to think. It may be boring, but honestly, there are just times that boring is fine; there are higher priority things (like homework or a car crisis) that need our attention. What's your favorite stock meal?
