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This is a great question! Here is one:
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/italian-soup-gift-basket

We'll hopefully have more responses for you soon! Until then, I look forward to reading the recipes by other members! Sincerely, CC

I make a bean salad that could work.  I vary the ingredients a lot, but basically it's a can each of corn, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, yellow beans, green beans, and maybe white or black beans, according to taste. sometimes I add a can of diced tomatoes as well. the recipe calls for fresh onion and red pepper, but roasted red pepper and pearl onions, both canned, would work too.  the dressing is 2/3 cup vinegar with 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use olive oil, but I think there are other kinds that are less perishable.), with a teaspoon of garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.  Canned mushrooms can also be added. I know the recipe is vague, but it's nice because it's so much just from cans, and can be adjusted according to which ingredients the cook likes and/or has.  I hope it helps! :)

I have a 4 ingredient soup I make in the crockpot.  I use frozen vegitables, you could probably used canned vegitables and that might work.

Bekki's Tex Mex Soup

1 large jar Salsa (I use Pace Picante sauce) - you determine the mild, medium or hot

2-3 quarts of Vegitable Broth

1 package Wagon Wheel Pasta

1 package frozen Santa Fe mixed Vegitables  (you could use canned corn and black beans)

Either cook in a slow cooker all day or on the stove top until pasta is cooked.  Serve with cornbread or corn biscuts.

I have a desert for you: Lady Finger Cake.

1 packet of Lady Fingers

1 Jar of applesauce

vanilla flavoring

cinnamon

half a cup of brown sugar, or more or less to liking

Mix the applesauce, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Spread a thin layer in a shallow cake dish. Cover it with ladyfingers in neat rows. Cover with applesauce mix, then ladyfingers, then applesauce, last layer being applesauce. Set it away to let the ladyfingers get soggy. You can test it with a fork, it usually takes several hours to overnight.

You can also make this on a flat plate and cover the sides of the ladyfingers with sauce, to make it look more like a cake. For adults on a special occasion like Christmas, you can add rhum or Amaretto to the apple sauce. For kids, add some sprinkles to make it less boring looking. You can also use the ladyfingers that are half vanilla, half chocolate, that also comes out nice.

lpuffer: We asked our Facebook fans to help you. Please check out their responses here: http://www.facebook.com/bettycrocker

Here are some of them (so far)

Rhonda: chicken corn chowder and a box of stove top stuffing makes a great stuffed soup!
29 minutes ago

Sheri: Large bag of Fritos, 2 cans of chili, and one jar of processed cheese (Like Cheez Whiz). Alternate layers (chips, chili, cheese) twice. Bake in oven at 350 for 25 minutes, or until piping hot.
19 minutes ago

Diane: Can of mixed vegetables (drained), rotini noodles (or really any noodles will do, but small), can of chicken, and chicken of broth. Heat on the stove, and it makes a great chicken noodle style soup. You might need to add a little water depending on the size of broth you use.
13 minutes ago


Karla: Sounds like food that we might make post-hurricane, for those of us prone to such things! There's a book on this ... let me think of the name of it & I'll post it later.
6 minutes ago

Jill: We add tuna fish to a box of macaroni after its made and bake it in the oven for cheesy tuna casserole! Crush potato chips on top before its finished baking for some crunch!
5 minutes ago

Madaline: can of mixed veggies (drained), 2 cans of chicken, a can of cream of celery soup or cream of chicken soup (plus 1/2 to 1 can of water) and biscuit mix made with water. Mix everything but the biscuit mix together and heat to boiling. Pour into an 8x8 baking dish and top with prepared biscuit mix then bake at 350 until biscuits are done for a nice chicken pot pie. Can use a pie crust mix instead of biscuits.
3 minutes ago

Emily: Don't forget dessert!
Dump cake:
1 large can of fruit (anything will do, but peaches or fruit cobbler work best) dumped into a cake pan.
1 package of cake mix (spice cake is the best) dumped on top and spread around.

Vegetarian Chili:

1 can tomato juice

2 cans chili beans

2 cans diced tomatos

1 packet of chili seasoning (McCormick's)

1 cup water

Heat to boil. Simmer for 15 min.

Easy Beef Stew

1 lrg. can cooked beef w/ juice

1  can of mixed vegetables (drained)

1 can diced potatoes (drained)

1-2 pkgs of instant beef gravy

Put beef with juice into a lrg saucepan. Warm on medium heat.  add the veggies and potatoes. in a separate saucepan make the gravy. Add to beef and veggies. Add the other package of gravy if a thicker stew if desired.

hi lpuffer, This isn't a recipe. I thought about doing this at our food pantry, then decided it was to time consumming,. Package together in a baggie, items for a whole meal. Like spagetti & the sauce, Tuna helper and the other items needed, some chunky canned soups with rice or noodles, I've even used tuna in hambuger helper and the other way around. We are going to get Gift cards from local grocery stores to give so that the people can buy the fresh foods that we can't stock. Lots of luck, Granna2

You've inspired me! Just posted a week's worth of pantry only recipes here! Hope you enjoy! Sincerely, Cate

http://www.bettycrocker.com/CommunityBlogs/blogs.aspx/catherineblog/2009/10/31/the-challenge-pantry-only-recipes

CateC, thanks for the link. Now that my printer is working, I'am going to try printing these recipes for our food pantry. Beef & noodle:  1 can sliced or chunk beef with or without gravy, 1 -8 oz. pack noodles, 2-4 bouion cubes, or teaspoons powdered bouion :  Put half of the amount on water that the noodles call for in a large pan, when it comes to a boil add noodles, beef, and bouion, cook as directed on noodle package, accept don't drain off the liquid, there should be just enough water/broth to just cook the noodles.  You can also use canned chicken and chicken bouion. To make more sevrings you can also add 1 or 2 cans, drained or frozen mixed vegitables, although I don't care for it that way. Chicken pot pie : 1 can shreded/chunk chicken ( tuna fish size), 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 can mushrooms (drained), 1 c. mixed vegitables ( drained), mix all together, put into cassirole disk and top with, crust,( in seperate boul mix 1 c. bisquick & 1/2 cup milk, you can use reconstituded canned or powder milk) melt 1/2 stick butter/margarine pour on top. Bake for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees or untill crust is brown. Granna2

Thanks Granna2. I usually don't keep canned chicken in the house... but after reading your recipes... I think I might :) Thank you for sharing!

Sincerely, Cate

CateC, Your welcome,Post if you try it,:-). I'am still looking for recipes to share. Granna2

Hello IP,

I found a great FREE website I have been using all month long I LOVE it the name is Super Cook

You put in the ingredients you have on hand, then you type in what your looking for say Lunch, Dinner or snacks and it will pull up all types of things you can make with what you have on hand plus it gives you  the recipes too!  It is a major money saver that's for sure. 

We have been eating better this year then ever, because I am trying all kinds of new interesting dishes. My family thinks that have died and gone to heaven.  ha ha

Of course I told them what's going on, but I was thinking dang it I shouldn't of kept it to myself and just had then wondering for a while if there mom had been taking over by aliens or something.  ha ha

Good luck, I am more then positive this will help you out.

Nice meeting ya, sorta ;)

Laura

Hi lpuffer, I had been looking for this post, because I came across a cook booklet for of recipes, now that I see the post, I don't know where the booklet is. Maybe I'll find it before this is gone again, Granna2

Hi all!

This hotdish (Minnesotan for casserole) can be made with all pantry items.  It is so easy and tasty while being quick and inexpensive.  I have posted it before so I appologize for being repetative. 

Cheesy Tuna or Chicken Hotdish

1 box Mac & Cheese

1 can Tuna or Chicken

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup or Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can Peas, drained

Prepare mac & cheese according to package directions.  Add soup and tuna or chicken, stir to combine.  Gently fold  in peas.  Heat until bubbly.  Enjoy.  You can substitute a cup of diced ham for the tuna.  Buttered breadcrumbs or buttered cracker crumbs can be sprinkled on top before baking.  Bake in 350 preheated oven 30 minutes.  This can be topped with crushed potato chips or French's Fried Onions as well.