Frugal entertaining. HELP!

[PrincessPerky]

Ok truthfully this goes beyond frugal entertaining! I need to make Saturdays dinner for 6-10 people (My friends arn't to big on RSVPing) But I already went to the store and forgot to buy a ham! my origional plan. so what do I feed them! I figured out desert I have the ingredients for a yule log, assuming it works. But I am absolutly clueless on a cheap meal already in my freezer or pantry that will feed company?

[akaivyleaf]

What kind of meat do you have in your freezer, maybe I can help you out. I have a very nice recipe that uses chicken,cream of chicken soup, broccoli, cheese and crescent rolls... or name another meat you have and let me get creative.

[kashi]

what about a big, cheesy pan of lasagna with garlic bread and a crisp salad?

or a do-it-yourself taco and burrito bar? beans, tortillas, taco shells, sour cream, olives, beef, lettuce, salsa, guac...really whatever you have around.

[PrincessPerky]

Well I havn't got any of that!. I have turkey (we just had a turkey dinner tonight, week of entertaiing here). I don't have cresent rolls though. I do have chicken broth.
I have beans of a miscelaneous sort. black, and maybe northern. And cheese. Does that help? No brocolli, but carrots, peas, and green beans. BTW thanks fo the help/

[akaivyleaf]

Well lets see, let me give the recipe for those who might want to do it as written, and then you can make the necessary adjustments. You need Chicken(or Turkey) cooked and cut up into bitesize pieces. White or dark meat is just fine. Once the Chicken has been deboned and cut up, put in a stock pot with cream of chicken soup( You'll probably need a more creamy soup rather than broth. I've not tried Cream of Potato but I'm sure that would work just as well). In the pot with the chicken and the soup, add shredded cheese, and Broccoli. The frozen variety. (Do you have frozen mixed vegetables? This would probably work but again I've not tried it.)

Once this has been thoroughly mixed and heated.... not necessarily cooked completely through, just mixed well and warm... Take your crescent rolls. I use Pillsbury (yeah, get on me now for name brand but...) Open the pack of rolls and you know how they come in two sets? Well lay them completely out in their squares on a lined and lightly dusted/greased cookie sheet. Flatten them as much as possible without disconnecting them. Yes you want two squares. Each square consists of 4 Cresent rolls. Don't separate them into their triangular shape. Once you have them flat, spread your chicken mixture down the center, mounding it up, leaving enough of the cresent rolls on either side so that you can wrap over.

Next take the sides and meet them in the middle, stretching but not tearing. If you wanna get fancy, you can criss cross it, which makes a nice presentation but you don't have to get fancy. Once you have this done for all the cresent rolls that you have. (You'll have enough mixture to make at least 2 cans of cresent rolls, but the mixture freezes well) Bake in the oven at the temp that the crescent rolls call for. When its done, wha-la.... A Chicken and Broccoli loaf. Cut into triangles, and serve.

Hold for another recipe with the beans that you have..... Going to get momma's recipe book.

[miclason]

Do you have rice? you could make a paella-like rice.You want about 1/2 a cup (of uncooked) rice per person......cooking it in the chicken broth instead of in water(same ratio as you always use...oh, and you could add some wine if you have it, that makes it even tastier!!) Add the (cut out) turkey, diced carrots and peas...Or, if you want something fancier, once it's done, you put it in a heat-resistant container and "layer it" with cheese: rice, bits of cheese, rice, bits of cheese (depending on the kind of cheese, though, it is nice if it melts....if not, just put the rice in the container and shred a bit of the cheese on top)

[PrincessPerky]

I have rice! I have never heard of paella? no wine . But I could cut the leftover turkey and frozen peas n carots. The cheese is chedder. does that mix well?

[miclason]

...paella is Spanish rice...it has chicken, chorizo, shrimp and other really great stuff on it...generally done in a really shallow pan....yummy!...so, this wouldn't be the real thing, but it would be really tasty, still...I do it all the time at home!....cheddar cheese will work well...so in reality you will be making what we call : arroz relleno (filled rice)....

...I could perhaps find a recipe for bean salad...but my sister is the salad queen, so I'll have to ask her...

[PrincessPerky]

sounds yummy, whats chorizo? And thank you for the help.

[miclason]

It's a very special type of sausage...

[PrincessPerky]

Thank you for all your help, unless someone has a good recipe for bean stuff I am going with the rice thing, I can't figure out a substitute for the cresont rolls on the chicken loaf. Only problem is I use a rice steamer to make rice. It only holds enough for 4 people. Anybody know how to cook it the old fashioned way on the stove in a pot? Like how much water to how much rice and how long? (well chix broth to rice I guess). My rice is bought in bulk and in a big container, so no directions on the package or anything. In the steamer I use one can of chx broth to one cup of rice. Is that the same for the stovetop?

[miclason]

for stove top, if the rice is parboiled, use 2 measures of liquid per 1 measure of rice....
if not parboiled, use 1.75 measures of liquid per 1 measure of rice...
place everything in the pot, let cook for about 20 minutes, then close the pot (with a lid...awful English here, I know!..I just don't "cook" in English!) and cook for another 10 minutes....Do not stir it, or it will turn mushy!
It is really quite easy!

[PrincessPerky]

English is great, but how do I know if it is parboiled? Did I mention thanks? And what sort of spices should I put in?

[miclason]

"normal" looks white....parboiled rice looks kind of golden and transparent...
spices...what do you have? Make sure you add 1 tbsp of olive oil, if you have it (more to add flavor than anything else) Salt and pepper obviously, you can add some powdered cayenne pepper (very little! unless you like spicy food!), saffron if you have it....powdered garlic, chopped onions, tomatos and peppers are great if you have them...if not, add some tomato paste (or even a couple tablespoons of ketchup!...if using paste or ketchup, it "counts" as liquid!)...parsley or, if you like it (and have it around) some cilantro... I keep thinking of all the things that I have in my spice rack!)

TIP: I generally add all this to the water (or broth) so I can taste it and "adjust" it before cooking the rice in it!

[PrincessPerky]

Ok it must be normal it is white. And I have some cayanne, my husband likes spicy food, I am a bit of a wuss. I have tomato paste too. I think I might be able to manage this. Thanks again, really I need all the help I can get in the kitchen!

[PrincessPerky]

Thanks again for all the help, the rice turned out pretty well. I have lots of leftovers, but the kids devoured it! Oh the adults liked it too, but I was amazed at how much both my kids ate.

[miclason]

LOL!...I think it's the cheese!...kids DO love this recipe!