Every kitchen has a cupboard containing ingredients that are either rarely used, or of such a small quantity that you are left wondering “what could I possibly make out of these?”. Before diving for that phone, or computer to order in takeaways, have a look through the following list for ideas on how to use up those odds and ends that are lurking in your kitchen cupboards!
1. Delicious Fruit Cake Serves 4
1 kg mixed fruit
2 cups fruit juice
2 cups self raising flour
Preheat oven to 125C. Soak fruit in juice for 2 hours. Stir flour into soaked fruit and mix well. Put into large lined baking tin. Bake for 2 hours in the bottom of your oven on 130C. Remove and leave to cool. Put into container or wrap in foil. Keep for 2-3 days before cutting.
2. Easy Pineapple Cake
2 cups self raising flour
1 cup sugar
450g can crushed pineapple
Sift flour into a mixing bowl and combine with sugar. Add pineapple and mix well. Pour into a greased cake tin and bake at 180C for 40 minutes.
(For best results bake in a ring cake tin.)
3. Scones Makes 12
4 cups self raising flour
300ml cream
1 can lemonade
Sift self raising flour into a bowl, make a well and pour in cream and lemonade. Mix to make a firm dough, roll out, cut with a scone cutter and bake in a hot oven until golden brown.
4. Mango, Avocado and Bacon Salad Serves 4
2 large mangoes
2 avocadoes
8 rashers of cooked, crispy bacon
Cube Mangoes and avocados, cut bacon in largish chunks and mix together in a small bowl.
5. Potato Bake Serves 6
6 potatoes
300ml tub of cream
1 pkt French Onion Soup mix
Slice potatoes into 1cm thick slices, place into a baking dish. Combine cream and soup mix, pour over potatoes and bake in oven at 180C for 30 minutes.
6. Sweet and Spicy Chicken Serves 2
6 chicken legs
½ cup of orange marmalade
1-2 tsp chili powder
Preheat oven to 180C. Combine marmalade and chili powder in a plastic bag, add chicken legs and shake until evenly coated. Place chicken on foil on a baking tray and spoon any remaining marmalade/chili powder. Bake for 30 minutes or until done.
7. Baked Fish Serves 2
2 fresh white fish fillets
1 tsp butter
1 lemon
Coat fish with melted butter and then season with salt and pepper. Cut lemon and put slices on fish. Wrap fish in foil and cook in oven for 20 minutes at 180C.
8. Moroccan Salmon Serves 2
2 Salmon Steaks
Macadamia nut oil spray
Moroccan seasoning
Place Salmon on foil on a baking tray. Spray with cooking oil and coat thoroughly with Moroccan Seasoning. Bake at 160C for 15 minutes.
9. Apple Turnovers Serves 8
2 sheets of puff pastry
1 tin pie apple with cinnamon
2 tbs milk
Cut the pastry in quarters. Fill one side of the quarter with pie apple, and then fold into turnovers. Glaze with milk for a golden finish and bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes.
10. Mini Muffins Makes 12
1 cup self raising flour sifted
1 cup thickened cream, not whipped
3 tbs raw sugar
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into mini muffin tray. Bake for 10 minutes at 180C.
Contributor: Maman, Typist: Catriona
I was half-expecting pico de gallo to show up on the list.
We have a type of Vegemite in the United States, but we call it Murphy’s Oil Soap and we use it to clean furniture.
I want to try both. I will have to go a hunting. I know we have nutella (I know totally different), but have never seen the marmite or vegemite. I will have to ask one of the teachers I work for. Her fiance is an Aussie.
I am so curious about Vegemite, and Marmite. If I ever see it in the U.S. I’ll definitely get a jar.
Use the vegemite or marmite in stews and in casseroles.
I had two vegemite toasts this morning. Scrumptious.
Incidentally, i tried to make vegemite with the left over yeast from home brew. I didn’t get the colour right ( it looked like toffee ) and i didn’t get the taste right ( it needed way more salt ), but man it took ages to boil the yeast down. I am not making it again.
My (first) wife used to eat Marmite and Cottage Cheese sandwiches – couldn’t bear it myself. Surprisingly young kids seem to enjoy Marmite on toast fingers – watching their expression as they gnaw at it with just their gums is very amusing!
I’ve heard of Vegemite but what is marmite?
Trust me….nobody except someone who has grown-up with it will want to try Vegemite. If you still have this bizzare yearning to taste the stuff, consider yourself warned…
Why what does it taste like? What is in it??
Vegemite on toast :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Vegemiteontoast_large.jpg
ew, my boyfriend brought home some marmite for me when i was prego, it’s still sitting in the cabinet unopened. I can’t bring myself to try it. But the Branston original pickle stuff is really good on sandwiches. Yummy!
Sandra – yup, Branstons is nice; especially a cheese sandwich with Branston…yum!
And throw that Marmite out. Get Vegemite instead.
SocialButterfly: Can I refer you to SlickWilly’s post number 128. True, true, true. You will have noticed that none of the fans of these poisonous concoctions has even tried to describe the taste. That’s because they can’t. And they both stink like you wouldn’t believe. I’m a Kiwi and we are all allegedly fans of either Vegemite or Marmite. I think I must have nearly drowned in a vat of it as a kid, because I cannot stand the stuff. Thankfully I must also have blotted out the horrible memory. My grandkids eat it (Marmite, I think) like there is no tomorrow. I struggle to cope with wiping it off their faces. Both products are some sort of yeast extract. Excuse me, I’m going outside for some fresh air.
Another Kiwi: Well that’s good enough to keep me away from that for a very long time. Thank you!
WUSS!!!!!!!
Social Butterfly : ignore Another Kiwi – he is obviously a listverse infiltrator, paid by the Peanut Butter guys to undermine the competitive threat of Vegemite.
Hiss! Kiwi get some Vegemite and lets stick this guy to the ceiling!!!
lol most people who are trying vegemite for the first time all have the same problem… they spread it on like it’s peanut butter.
vegemite is awesome… but you just don’t use that much dammit!
I’m with sarahenity – if you’re trying vegemite for the first time, it has to be spread thinly, preferrably on hot buttered toast!!
I was raised on the stuff. I still love it.
Mmm vegemite… I haven’t gone a day of my life without having vegemite on toast or a vegemite sandwich.
I like it thick, but it’s true if you’re new to it, spread it thin or you’ll be in for a nasty time.
To make it a little more palatable, try adding a smear of peanut butter to your vegemite toast, it’s a delicious combination!
Now you’re talking, guys. I dunno…all these Vegemite-critics are on a different planet!
kiwiboi, unlike us happy little vegemites, as bright as bright can be, we all enjoy our vegemite for breakfast, lunch and tea….sorry, couldn’t resist. Love a stroll down memory lane.
Lizzie – LOL
See what happens when you drink while looking at this site!! You people are such a bad influence.
Who am I kidding.
Lead me not into temptation – I can find the way myself.
Vegimite is wonderful stuff full of all kinds of goodness it’s a pity it’s colour and smell put people off, I’ve also heard you can’t get it in america as the people controlling it’s importation can’t put it into any particular food catagory.
^Oh Great! That means I would have to get black market Vegemite. I’ll Meet some guy in an alley who says, “Psst, hey buddy, I gots yer Vegemite here.” Then I’ll get arrested for receiving a controlled vegetable based food product.
thedragon – you sure you’re not thinking of the recent Vegemite issue; apparently the banning of any products containing folic acid (or whatever) meant that it was banned in th USA.
In this case, it turns out to be an urban legend – though the “respectable” press in the UK (as well as in Oz) also carried the story.
Read it here :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegemite
I made my 3 ingredient spaghetti and meatballs tonight. I made it in 30 minutes and took it to a pot luck. It was a huge hit. Especially with the younger ones.
kiwiboi – yes I probably do but I really think it’s the smell they object to and the fact that it looks like axle grease, thay don’t realise it’s wonderful especially on toast with a poached egg on top Yummy he he he
The first recipe is the best for me.
Have a nice appetite
I am making the potato bake for dinner. I will post how it comes out. I do have to say. 6 potatoes is a lot! I hsoul dhave altered the recipe. I forgot Jamie’s mom had to cook for a small army.
Finally got a jar of marmite yesterday. Got to say, not as tasty, but it’ll have it’s place. Need to find the Vege though.
Ok the potatoes are still cooking lol. I have to remember to make a smaller batch, increase time and temp for altitude. I also got self rising flour and pineapple for food friday this week, and the making for the sweet and spicy chicken. I will let you know how it goes.
Finished the potatoe. I think I will try sour cream next time. I also will make a smaller batch. But they are mmmmmmmmmm.
Ok, I made the Easy pineapple cake. I don’t have a sifter, I don’t have a ring pan, I bought chunk pineapple in heavy syrup instead of crushed. I used a glass pyrex round dish heavily buttered, tapped the flour into the bowl, blended the pineapple, but forgot to drain it so it was blended with the syrup. It took about 50 minutes to cook. It was yummy, with an odd chewy consistency inside. I will definitely try again with this one. It was easy to make and came right out of the pyrex dish. No sticking.
Next adventure: Sweet and Spicy Chicken. I hope I have chicken still.
Okay I made the Sweet and Spicy chicken. Followed the recipe to the tee. Well almost. I used thighs instead of legs. It came out a bit wet on the pan. But they were very yummy. A little more sweet than spicy. The dog got hold of the last three. It was yummy and the boys enjoyed it too. Hubby ate the chicken that was seasoned with salt and pepper. He is not as adventurous. We will see what other recipes I try. Thank you for helping me become more adventurous in cooking and eating.
Where does one find Macadamia nut oil spray? Is this a specialty item? I don’t recall seeing it the grocery store. And I cant afford to go to Hawaii right now
I don’t know what country or state you are in, but I am in the US in Colorado and they sell the macademia nut oil at the Whole Foods and Wild Oats health food stores.
Im in California but thanks for the tip. I will see if we have those stores here.
this is a really good website…. i made 40 mini muffins in 1 day….HA …. it was SOOOOOOOOOOO FUN!!!!!!!…. and im only 12 years old!!!!!! and i already know how to make muffins…. wowo this website is awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In trying to find this list again so I could make the potato bake for a party tomorrow, I saw that it’s listed under the category “entertainment” and not “food”. I think it may be because when you did this list there wasn’t a food category yet, but I might go back and re-categorize at least the food lists…
Tin of tuna
+ Tin of cream of mushroom soup
+ Drained, cooked pasta
= Tuna pasta
Mix together, eat. A student’s dream.
Ah, yes, your basic tuna surprise. An unfortunate staple of my youth. Along with Turkey Curry and meatloaf.
Teddy Pain, for a twelve year old your grammar is remarkably better than most high school kids who come in here.
Those are cool recipes.Except the one about using lemonade to make scones??? Im gonna try it anyway!
you missed shortbread
butter Sugar and flour
what about s’mores XP
For a variation on #1 Fruit Cake, replace the juice with 600ml of chocolate-flavoured milk (for a dark fruit cake) or 600ml of coffee-flavoured milk. Use a low fat variety if you wish. Add the milk into a bowl with the fruit & soak overnight in the fridge, then add the flour, mix then bake.
With a 1/2 mixture & a muffin pan you’ll be able to make around 12 snack-sized cakes. Bake at around 180°C for 50 minutes until a skewer comes out only just moist.
That potato bake is about 8 MILLION times better with kumera
Ooh! I wanna try the Mini Muffins! They look yummy.
Honestly who has these ingredients just lying around?
People need to stop making lists with number one at top. YOU RUIN THE SURPRISE AND ALLURE OF THE LIST. YOU PUT NUMBER ONE AT THE BOTTOM JESUS CHRIST
i call it toast with philidelphia and tomatoes
1. toast some bread
2. use philidelphia as buter and spread generously on toast
3. cut the tomatoes and put them on
4. (technically this is a 4th ingrediant but still) add salt to taste
um um
hmm… yummy! ^_^
I thought at first: 3 Recipes with 10 recipes or less
I have tried the fruitcake! It is phenomenal!!!!!!!!!!! Instead of 2 cups of juice, I used 1 cup of orange juice & 1 cup of brandy. Came out soooo nice. Thanks.
apple turnover
Hey I’m going to make the sweet & spicy chicken and potato bake for dinner tomorrow. Has anybody made that one yet? Any suggestions or add on’s? I was thinking about topping it with cheese.
how can u make a fruit cake without eggs???!!!
mad i think
I have an urgent question re the fruitcake: I've made it 3 times and it's divine. But with the fruit juice in it, how long can one keep it?? Please help!