Treat friends and family to a gift of “Dinner in a Basket.” Assemble the ingredients in a basket, box, gift bag, or pail; include the recipe or recipes; and wrap! (For safety reasons, make sure all the ingredients can be stored without refrigeration.)
Here is some help from Pantry Cooking: Unlocking Your Pantry’s Potential (PC) and Pantry Cooking Plus:
Appetizers, Snacks, and Beverages
- Frappe’ (PC p. 43)
- Fruit Gels (PC p. 37)
- Hot Cranberry Wassail (PC p. 43)
- Last Minute Party Punch (PC p. 43)
- Orange Squares (PC p. 38)
Breakfast
- Apple Topping (PC p. 45)
- Breakfast Soup
- Cracked Wheat Cereal (include a container of honey!)
- Cream of Whole Wheat (include a container of brown sugar)
- Indian Meal (PC p. 47)
Meats and Burgers
- Bean and Rice Cakes (PC p. 52)
- Pineapple Luncheon Loaf (PC p. 51)
- Sweet Potato Casserole (PC p. 51)
- Vegetarian Burger Mix (PC p. 55)
Casseroles and One Dish Meals
- Bavarian Spam Skillet
- Beans and Barley (PC p. 70)
- Beans and Macaroni (PC p. 71)
- Beans and Sauerkraut (PC p. 57)
- Beef and Potato Pie (PC p. 67)
- Beef and Rice Skillet
- Black Beans and Rice (include precooked rice pouches)
- Cheesy Tomato Macaroni (PC p. 58)
- Chicken and Rice Skillet (PC p. 67)
- Chicken Noodle Casserole (PC p. 61)
- Chickpea Sauce (PC p. 72)
- Chickpea Stew
- Chili and Rice (PC p. 72)
- Chili Macaroni (PC p. 68)
- Chinese Fried Rice (PC p. 68)
- Clam Sauce (PC p. 72)
- Divine Turkey (PC p. 60)
- Five Can Casserole (PC p. 61)
- Four Grain Pilaf (PC p. 64)
- Herbed Buckwheat (PC p. 71)
- Layered Chicken and Potato Casserole (PC p. 62)
- Lentil Casserole (PC p. 62)
- Mac and Tom (PC p. 72)
- Mexican Beans and Chicken (PC p. 73)
- Peas and Barley (PC p. 75)
- Pinto Beans (PC p. 75)
- Quick Pasta Sauce (PC p. 72)
- Red Flannel Hash (PC p. 67)
- Sausage Penne Bake
- Southern Rice
- Spaghetti Sauce (PC p. 71)
- Spaghetti Tuna Casserole (PC p. 63)
- Tamale Pie (PC p. 63)
- Tuna Barley Casserole (PC p. 63)
- Turkey and Stuffing
- Turkey Tetrazzini (PC p. 69)
Soups and Stews
- Blackeye Pea Soup (PC p. 79)
- Breakfast Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Fifteen Bean Soup (PC p. 80) (include canned meat or summer sausage and seasonings)
- Ham Chowder
- Italian Style Chickpeas and Macaroni (PC p. 87)
- Mexican Vegetable Soup (PC p. 82)
- Old Fashioned Supper Soup (PC p. 82)
- Pantry Soup Mix
- Pork and Bean Soup (PC p. 82)
- Pumpkin Bisque (PC p. 83)
- Quick Stew (PC p. 87)
- Quick Supper Soup (PC p. 83)
- Quila’s Limas (PC p. 83)
- Salmon Chowder
- Sopa de la Casa (PC p. 83)
- Split Pea Soup II (PC p. 84)
- Tex-Mex Stew
- Vegetable Bean Soup (PC p. 84)
Salads
- Ambrosia Salad (PC p. 89)
- Black Bean and Rice Salad (PC p. 95)
- Canned Tomato Salad (PC p. 91)
- Cherry Pineapple Salad
- Vanilla Pudding Salad (PC p. 90)
Sides
- Au Gratin Potato Bake
- Cinnamon Pineapple (PC p. 98)
- Green Chile Rice (PC p. 104)
- Herbed Rice
- Italian Beans (PC p. 99)
- Pantry Fideo
- Peas and Mushrooms (PC p. 99)
- Pineapple Sweet Potatoes (PC p. 102)
- Potatoes in Cheese Sauce (PC p. 101)
- Southwest Green Beans (PC p. 99)
- Stewed Corn and Tomatoes (PC p. 98)
- Tex-Mex Seasoned Rice
- Tomato Millet (PC p. 105)
Desserts
- Apple Raisin Compote (PC p. 114)
- Apricot Rice Pudding
- Chocolate Chip Cake Brownies
- Chocolate Chip Spice Cake Brownies
- Double Chocolate Cake Brownies
- Graham Cracker Creams (PC p. 125)
- Graham Cracker Mint Sandwiches (PC p. 125)
- Hot Fudge Sauce (PC p. 124)
- Mango Coconut Rice “Cake”
- Orange Millet Pudding (PC p. 117)
- Popsicles That Please (PC p. 118) (could include popsicle molds)
Extras
- Cherry Sauce (PC p. 130)
- Chunky Barbecue Sauce (PC p. 130)
- Pizza Sauce (PC p. 129)
