Pantry Recipes – Part 1

I know the grocery shelves look bare and your pantry scares you right now, but it is what it is – we’re all spending the majority of our time at home during COVID quarantine. I’ve been leaning more heavily on my pantry to allow for less trips to the store, and researching recipes in my spare time. I hope sharing these pantry recipes is helpful for everyone staying in and cooking at home. 

Vegetarian Enchiladas

Adapted From Love and Lemons

Ingredients

Filling:

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups cubed butternut squash or other veggie like zucchini, peppers
• ¹⁄₃ cup chopped scallions or onion
• 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 tablespoons adobo sauce from canned chipotles in adobo sauce
• Kosher and freshly ground black pepper

Enchiladas:

• 6 larger tortillas or 8 smaller tortillas
• 2 cups grated white (or yellow) cheddar cheese
• 1 jalapeño, sliced, or canned jalapeño slices
• Cilantro, optional
• Avocado slices, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Make the filling: Spread the butternut squash cubes or veggies on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Roast until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the scallions or onion and black beans.
3. Make the sauce: In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomato sauce, garlic, and adobo sauce. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
4. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, spread 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish. Assemble the tortillas with about ½ cup of the filling, a tablespoon of the sauce, and a sprinkle of cheese. Roll each tortilla and place seam side down into the baking dish.
5. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and the jalapeño slices. Bake covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling.
6. Serve with fresh cilantro, avocado slices and lime slices – all optional.

Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

Adapted From Love and Lemons

Ingredients

• 1½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon capers
• 1 red onion or scallion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Make the chickpea salad: In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, tahini, Dijon mustard, garlic, capers, onion or scallion, cilantro, lemon juice, and pinches of salt and pepper. Pulse slightly until combined, but do not puree. Season to taste.
2. Serve the salad over a bed of greens, between two slices of bread, in a pita, or wrapped in a tortilla.

Tuscan Ribolita 

Adapted From Food 52

Instructions

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some to serve
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 bunch frozen or fresh Tuscan kale, chopped (stems/ribs removed)
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Parmesan rind
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups cubed, day old or stale bread
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Ingredients

1. Heat the olive oil in a wide based pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until partially softened. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper.
2. Add the tomato paste and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the kale and cook until it starts to wilt, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind and bring to a simmer.
3. Pour about 1/4 of the cannellini beans into a small bowl with a couple of tablespoons of the cooking liquid and mash them together with a fork to form a paste. Pour the paste and the remaining whole beans into the soup and stir to combine. The mashed beans will help to thicken the soup as it cooks. Simmer the soup with the lid slightly ajar, about 25 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but still al dente. Add the bread and simmer, partially covered, for another 5 to 7 minutes. The bread will start to dissolve into the soup and thicken it further.
4. Before serving, remove the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon the ribollita into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

Loaded Smashed Potatoes

Adapted From Joy In Every Season and Tablespoon

Ingredients

• Mini golden or red potatoes
• ¹⁄₃ cup extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ​¹⁄₄ cup cooked bacon, crumbled 
• Sour Cream, optional
• Green onion, optional
• Roasted broccoli, optional
• Roasted peppers, optional
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Boil potatoes whole for about 15 minutes or until fork tender.
2. Drain and place onto a baking sheet.
3. Smash the potatoes down using either a potato masher or just the bottom of a cup.
4. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle generously with Kosher salt. If using any optional veggies, treat them the same.
5. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes until good and crispy. At the same time, roast any veggies (these may be done a few minutes sooner).
6. Add cheese to each potato, to taste. Bake a few more minutes until cheeses melts.
7. Top with sour cream, bacon, green onions, and any roasted veggies you like.

Note – this can be made as a main dish with larger potatoes or several potatoes clustered on a dish. This also makes a good app or side with smaller, individual sized potatoes.

Happy sheltering in!
xx—BB