Thrown Together Meals

What happens when you have nothing in the kitchen and you're hungry? Improvise. There has to be something there that can be quickly turned into a meal of some sorts.It's amazing what you can create with limited resources.

Any kitchen should have the three important basics:milk, bread and eggs. These three together can make a savory or sweet French toast.If you're going for a savory check your crisper. Add some tomatoes or kale sauteed in garlic  or just salt and pepper to top it. Sweet French toast needs cinnamon and vanilla, but if you don't have these then sub in nutmeg and almond extract.(even orange extract can work here). Eggs and bread together can be turned into the American version of toad in the hole.It's just cutting out a hole in the middle of the bread slices and filling them with eggs. Fry in butter but if you don't have that vegetable or olive oil will do the trick too.Scrounge around for cheese that can be put on top. Eggs are also great a variety of different ways and pair reasonably well with most ingredients. If it's just them and a spice rack, then think about the French classic omelet aux fine herbes. Milk plus eggs can make a creamy scramble. Add some whole peppercorns for bite.

Another idea of thrown together cooking is scouring the fridge, freezer and pantry for what's there. Everybody should have some kind of pasta. You can whip up a simple pasta con burro, by just getting rid of any butter or even margarine you  have, melting it for sauce. No garlic? Add garlic powder or garlic salt. Oregano can be tossed in to give the dish some zing.Smaller pasta such as orzo or stars can be thrown into any kind of plain broth for either soup or a pasta lunch or dinner. If there's a vine ripe tomato or two, cut it or chop it , then include it into the mix.One of the best  ingredients to have around is any type of greens. Salads can be easily made and can be hot or cold. Think a hot salad with spinach and sausages being quickly sauteed in olive oil and Dijon mustard.Any leftover roast can be cut up and mixed into spring greens and kale.If you have tomatoes and stale Italian or French bread lying round, then cube the bread , toss with the tomatoes and a good glug of olive oil. This Neopolitan bread salad usually be benefits from onions but if those aren't in the house, use onion powder.

Be creative with what your kitchen has to offer.Anything thrown together is a good mix and will be filling. It just takes some quick thinking and even quicker cooking.