Scratch meals from whatever's in cupboard/fridge/free zer

This is my daily routine - gets to 4pm and don't know what to have for tea so resort to the freezer. Sometimes it's inspirational but more often than not it's a disaster . No one would know I used to go to catering college

That sounds just like my idea of forward planning, not.

Witzend may I ask how long that food has been in the fridge?!

If I cannot be bothered cooking, defrosting or whatever one of my favourite cheap, quick meals would be two boiled eggs with two slices of toast. A giveaway I live on my own!

Must admit I sometimes resort to what I call 'Ready Steady Cook' measures as in the old programme I gather together what's in fridge/freezer and see what happens.

....or if on my own for the day my 'go to' meal is cheese biscuits and pickle....and a glass of wine if after 6!

There is usually something in the freezer that I can make a meal of, for instance Angus mince I got a fortnight ago, I've got an onion and some potatoes left, so my forward thinking is that tomorrow I'll make a meat and potato pie which will do me for Sunday as well, even if I have new potatoes and veg ( cabbage ) to go with it, twice.

Charleygirl, it was the freezer, not the fridge, and not more than a month or two.
Though I have to say I'd still use it up even if it had been there a lot longer.
Last year I used up some leftover roast turkey in about October, from the previous Christmas. Made a v nice Mulligatawny soup. ?
Waste not want not.

I usually have some bacon and eggs in the fridge so pasta carbonara is my store cupboard stand by.

This is my normal cooking I never know what I m having I never follow a recipe I open the fridge or vege bowl and decide there and then what to put together I m a ‘one pot cook on the hob’ so everything goes in, normally the wok or big saucepan ....bibbity bobbity boo easy peasy

I zapped my home made soup with the liquidiser and turned it into a pasta sauce. It seemed fine to me, but was a bit textured, so he noticed and had a bit of a moan. I didn't tell him how it started out though

I love just going to the cupboard and opening afew tins ,getting simple veg,abit of seasoning and soon a quick tasty veggie meal is done. You dont have to spend hours for something nice.I watch my son sometimes and he cooks up a great smelling meal in a short time ( shame its not a veggie one or some might be missing from the pot.)

I often make "chuckitinsoup" , "chuckitincurry" or "chuckitincasserole" I open fridge door, and chuck in what is there - the family love it

Leftovers frittata: a few eggs, milk and any leftover vegetables, meat/fish and cheese. Delicious and filling.

One of my favourites is to make a sandwich with cheese and ham, tomato or whatever else is in the fridge, butter the outside too, cut into triangles, then turn it into a savoury bread and butter pudding with egg and milk then grate more cheese on top. Delicious!

My go to ( quite often, cos I love it!) is this; tin of tuna, packet of rice any flavour I’ve got, tin of chopped tomatoes, and any sort of onion or leek leftover, and I always have garlic in, so at least 4or5 gloves, cos I love that too! I use my large frying pan, straight in with chopped onion,garlic, then tomato’s, then rice, then tuna. If I’ve got bits of any colour peppers, in it goes! That’s it, simmer to heat through, job done. Can do it in the advert break!!
P.S.
Anything else leftover can go in. I found an old tin of ‘3 beans for salads’ last week, in it went, and any flavourings you like. I always have homemade French dressing in, so liberal sprinkle all over once I’ve served myself!
It’s filling, nutritious,cheap,low fat, incredibly tasty.???

When my daughter was in halls of residence at uni they used to pool all the food they had when times were tough. A typical meal would be cooked in one pot. Baked beans, chopped onions, peppers, pasta, tinned meatballs etc., I sent this idea into my local paper when they ran a competition for students. I won, and my daughter had a huge hamper of goodies delivered to uni, which was gratefully shared amongst her six room mates.

Not very healthy, but I quite fancy a chip butty sometimes! When I don't feel like cooking I'll probably have a jacket potato with cheese and beans, or get one of my homemade ready meals out of the freezer. I usually cook double anyway, so eat one and freeze one.

You can get an app on your phone which gives you recepies for what's in your cupboards can't remember what it's called but it's one I resolve to use on my poor days

Adding a lot of butter to just about anything .

I LOVE scratch cooking. It is so exciting- never know what is going to happen.
I had a delivery of sausages last week ( gorgeous ones from Supreme Sausages- we treat ourselves to these) so I cooked the Venison, Pork & Red Wine ones with some fresh mixed veg. I'd bought the day before & found a container of home made Mulligatawny Soup in freezer for the sauce. A few new potatoes & 15 mins in pressure cooked (having browned sausages & onions first) & hey presto! a lovely dinner.
Only problem was DH asked me to make it again sometime & I have no more soup left so will have to make another batch of that & I forget how I did it now. No idea where I found the recipe.

Fried egg or bacon roll hits the spot for me every time. I'm salivating at the very thought though not a bit hungry.

I always have a selection of Campbells Condensed soups as an emergency.

They never fail when I'm stuck.

We spent our honeymoon in a seaside flat self catering on the last day I made a fridge casserole with everything left in the fridge. Hubby still raves about it 43 years later only thing is I have no idea what went in it!
Risotto is my go to dish as anything to hand can be used.

Risotto rice, stock, chilies and anything lurking in the fridge. Works every time ?