What recipes use any of these canned goods?

[Ginevra]

I have come to be in possession of a bunch of canned goods from a sad situation (tenant eviction). Some of these are not things I normally buy - actually, have never bought - and I don’t know how I might use them. I would like to use them, though, so as not to have them go to waste. Do you have a good family recipe that uses:

canned carrots

canned peas

garbonzo beans

pinto beans

canned apple sauce

canned salmon

I also have a bag of grits and don’t know if one can make anything with them besides grits. 

Also, unrelated to the canned goods, but if you ever grill too much steak, what do you do with the leftover steak? 

[HomeAgain]

Garbanzo beans are chickpeas.  You can make hummus.

[Selkie]

We eat a lot of chickpeas. Spicy chickpeas are good in curries and Buddha bowls, crispy ones make a good addition to a salad, and you can make vegan burgers and "tuna" salad with them, too.

ETA: Also falafel!

[JennyD]

I was going to say hummus for the chickpeas as well.  Canned garbanzos make a perfectly respectable hummus.

For canned salmon I would make salmon salad -- just tuna salad with salmon instead.

Grits are similar enough to polenta that IMO you can serve them with pasta toppings.

[Cinder]

I think I first learned of this recipe here--Smoky Chickpea, Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup

canned salmon = salmon patties; eat on slider buns. My mom likes eating plain canned salmon on salad.

canned peas aren't good for anything ?  but you could add the canned carrots to the chickpea soup. What the heck, just throw the pinto beans in too. Now you have soup and sandwiches with a side of applesauce.

edit: why did my emoji get replaced with a question mark? It was supposed to be a laughing face. *insert eyeroll*

[Cecropia]

Your first four types of cans would be perfect in "shipwreck soup" -- meaning cooked diced meat (I usually use poultry or ham or both), broth, and whatever veggies are in the pantry simmered together.

I'd probably use the applesauce as an oil substitute in heavily spiced bread/muffins, just in case it tastes a little, well, canned.

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Cinder said:

I think I first learned of this recipe here--Smoky Chickpea, Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup

canned salmon = salmon patties; eat on slider buns. My mom likes eating plain canned salmon on salad.

canned peas aren't good for anything ?  but you could add the canned carrots to the chickpea soup. What the heck, just throw the pinto beans in too. Now you have soup and sandwiches with a side of applesauce.

edit: why did my emoji get replaced with a question mark? It was supposed to be a laughing face. *insert eyeroll*

This is great. Using several items up would be optimal.

The emojis have been wonky lately. Nobody’s emojis have been translating recently. 

[Carol in Cal.]

17 minutes ago, Quill said:

I have come to be in possession of a bunch of canned goods from a sad situation (tenant eviction). Some of these are not things I normally buy - actually, have never bought - and I don’t know how I might use them. I would like to use them, though, so as not to have them go to waste. Do you have a good family recipe that uses:

canned carrots

canned peas

garbonzo beans

pinto beans

canned apple sauce

canned salmon

I also have a bag of grits and don’t know if one can make anything with them besides grits. 

Also, unrelated to the canned goods, but if you ever grill too much steak, what do you do with the leftover steak? 

Personally I would donate the carrots and peas, because I hate them canned but somebody else might enjoy them.  My husband likes a can of salmon on a big green salad, so he'd do that sometime.  The applesauce goes well with leftover cold meats, especially roast beef or pork chops.  You can warm it in the microwave and sprinkle cinnamon on it to make it more fancy. 

The beans I would use in a salad--you make a light vinaigrette, drain and rinse the beans, mix together with chopped shallots or red onions, and some green beans cut in 1 inch pieces, throw in some mushrooms if you have them around (canned or fresh would work), and add some cubed white cheese--feta would be ideal, but monterey jack would be really good.  Mix with the vinaigrette just before serving.  This is pretty much a meal salad; I'd serve it with good bread or rolls and that's it.  

I have never owned grits--no idea.

Leftover steak--I like to slice it across the grain, very thinly, mix it with a little brown gravy or beef broth and a little tobasco, and simmer it until it is very tender.  Then adjust the seasonings, and use as fajita fillings.  This is good in a wrap, too, with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and grilled onions.

 

[Annie G]

Carrots and peas could go into a chicken pot pie or veggie soup. 

Pinto beans - you can drain, rinse, add some water to reheat and add diced onion and cumin, then serve with tacos or other Mexican dishes. Or make retried beans out of them.  We love pinto beans and cornbread!

What kind of grits? Instant? Throw them out. If they take between 5-20 minutes to cook you can make shrimp and grits. We love grits with butter and salt and leftovers are sliced and browned in butter the next day. 

The only thing I’ve ever heard to make with canned salmon is salmon patties but I think they are gross. maybe I never had a good one. 

You could probably make an applesauce cake with the applesauce. Or make it into muffins or cupcakes for the kids. 

I would just donate it all since it’s stuff you don’t use. 

[gardenmom5]

2 minutes ago, Quill said:

 

I've made salmon quiche from canned salmon

canned peas are disgusting and referred to around her as little green balls of mushy poison.    - you could probably use them in split pea soup.

garbonzo beans - something indian

apple sauce is used in rotkraut. . . . yum

 

[Sherry in OH]

• Peas, carrots, chickpeas - minestrone soup
• Peas, carrots, chickpeas - Indian vegetable dumplings
• Chickpeas - falafel, hummus, curry
• Pinto beans - chili, refried beans
• Applesauce - applesauce cake or muffins
• Steak - cut into strips - cold in salads or on sandwiches, add to stir fried vegetables, or heat with sauce for steak sandwiches
• Peas, carrots, chickpeas, pinto beans, and chopped steak - meat pie/shepard's pie
• Grits - cheese grits souffle, polenta, any recipe calling for corn meal

 

 

[marbel]

Here's how this would go in my house:

Donate canned carrot, peas, apple sauce, salmon, grits if no one in your house eats grits (my kid eats them for breakfast with egg and/or cheese. Though I might use the applesauce in a cake or muffins.  I might use the salmon for salmon cakes but we prefer fresh or frozen over canned.

Garbanzo beans: Use for hummus or roasted/spiced, as mentioned above

Pinto beans: use for chili

Leftover steak is great in quesadillas.  

 

[Tanaqui]

This is the situation where I'd say "just donate it to the food bank". (And I usually say "seriously, just give them cash", so.)

[Soror]

I'd donate the peas, carrots, and grits because I wouldn't use them.

Canned salmon I only used for salmon cakes.

Garbanzo beans- hummus, roasted chickpeas for salad or snacking or in curry

applesauce- oil substitute, in cake, for a snack or donate (I've got kids that would eat it here)

pinto beans- season and smash for refried beans, use in taco bake or soup, or just season them up for a burrito or bowl

[Guest]

The main reason I don’t want to donate them is because using this food is psychologically a way for me to feel (very slightly) mollified over the thousands and thousands of dollars in lost income from the tenant. So, a tiny partial payment in groceries. 

Also, it does bother me to donate anything (food, clothes, etc.) that I feel are not good enough for me. It feels so condescending of those who use food banks. 

There was a time in my life when all my clothes “shopping” was donated goods. It was always so exciting to come across something really excellent. So this is my way of paying it forward: I only donate things that are good. 

<sorry if that sounds like a sermon>

[Carol in Cal.]

3 minutes ago, Quill said:

The main reason I don’t want to donate them is because using this food is psychologically a way for me to feel (very slightly) mollified over the thousands and thousands of dollars in lost income from the tenant. So, a tiny partial payment in groceries. 

Also, it does bother me to donate anything (food, clothes, etc.) that I feel are not good enough for me. It feels so condescending of those who use food banks. 

There was a time in my life when all my clothes “shopping” was donated goods. It was always so exciting to come across something really excellent. So this is my way of paying it forward: I only donate things that are good. 

<sorry if that sounds like a sermon>

I get this, honestly, but you know what?  People like different things.

My dad loves canned carrots.  I find this incomprehensible, but I know it to be true.

[KathyBC]

Seconding the salmon patties. Old-fashioned applesauce spice cake is yummy. I would put canned carrots and canned peas in a meat pie, chicken pot pie, stew or any type of casserole.
Beans in a chili or three bean casserole.
Cannot help you with the grits, sorry.
Leftover steak in a sandwich or wrap is my first choice. Great in quesadillas, too.

[Ravin]

Chickpeas and canned salmon are both good on salads.

[Ravin]

You could donate them to your local food bank. That would also prevent them from going to waste.

[Ravin]

We like pouring applesauce over pancakes. Canned is no different from jarred.

[Ravin]

You can cut up and freeze the leftover steak. It will then be handy to pull out for stir fry or adding to a casserole.

[Bluegoat]

2 hours ago, Quill said:

I have come to be in possession of a bunch of canned goods from a sad situation (tenant eviction). Some of these are not things I normally buy - actually, have never bought - and I don’t know how I might use them. I would like to use them, though, so as not to have them go to waste. Do you have a good family recipe that uses:

canned carrots

canned peas

garbonzo beans

pinto beans

canned apple sauce

canned salmon

I also have a bag of grits and don’t know if one can make anything with them besides grits. 

Also, unrelated to the canned goods, but if you ever grill too much steak, what do you do with the leftover steak? 

 

With the veg, you could use them for something like a shepherd's pie.  

Beans - anything really.  You can make baked beans.  I like garbanzo beans in squash curry.  Or harira, which is an awesome soup.

Canned apple sauce - you could use it like regular, it's better if you add some spices or maybe lemon juice.  But you could make applesauce cookies or cake, too.

Salmon - I don't really like canned salmon, because of the little bones, but a lot of people use it for sandwiches, or you can make dip, or even a sort of casserole like tuna casserole.

No ideas about grits, I'd not know one if I fell over it.

[Carol in Cal.]

OH!  Applesauce is great on potato pancakes.

[Momto6inIN]

2 hours ago, Quill said:

I have come to be in possession of a bunch of canned goods from a sad situation (tenant eviction). Some of these are not things I normally buy - actually, have never bought - and I don’t know how I might use them. I would like to use them, though, so as not to have them go to waste. Do you have a good family recipe that uses:

canned carrots

canned peas

garbonzo beans

pinto beans

canned apple sauce

canned salmon

I also have a bag of grits and don’t know if one can make anything with them besides grits?

Also, unrelated to the canned goods, but if you ever grill too much steak, what do you do with the leftover steak? 

For the canned goods I'd make Trashcan Soup ? otherwise known as whatever we have too much of mixed with some type of diced meat and broth.

Not sure what you mean by "leftover steak" ... what is this strange new food??? Never heard of it Lol

[marbel]

2 hours ago, Quill said:

The main reason I don’t want to donate them is because using this food is psychologically a way for me to feel (very slightly) mollified over the thousands and thousands of dollars in lost income from the tenant. So, a tiny partial payment in groceries. 

Also, it does bother me to donate anything (food, clothes, etc.) that I feel are not good enough for me. It feels so condescending of those who use food banks. 

There was a time in my life when all my clothes “shopping” was donated goods. It was always so exciting to come across something really excellent. So this is my way of paying it forward: I only donate things that are good. 

<sorry if that sounds like a sermon>

But several people, myself included, have said that they would use all or some of those foods. So one could read this comment as being condescending.  I know you are not being condescending!  So don't think I'm criticizing you. But I believe your thinking is off.  It's as if you feel the food is unfit for consumption, but really it's just that those are foods you don't like/don't eat.  It does not mean everyone else feels that way or dislikes those foods.  To some people, those foods are good. 

[Bluegoat]

Well, sometimes it is nice to try some new things that aren't normally what you buy.

[kbutton]

Weird but really yummy canned pea recipe:

1. Saute diced scallions

2. Add juice from the can

3. Whisk in mustard (the condiment, not the spice)--I would guess about 1-2 T. per can of peas. You want the sauce to still be slightly yellow after step 4.

4. Thicken with cornstarch as you would gravy (mix with a little water and then whisk into the juice)

5. Add the peas and simmer for at 15 or so minutes to let the flavor soak into the peas. You can add more mustard at this point, but it's difficult to thicken the sauce once the peas are added.

It sounds very disgusting, but my family has served it forever, and we get rave reviews from everyone we introduce to the dish. If we don't have it at a holiday meal, people are disappointed.

It's also a favorite alongside salmon patties, lol! 

[Selkie]

Pea pesto is delicious. I always use frozen peas, though, so I'm not sure how it would taste with canned peas.

[ScoutTN]

This is my salmon cakes recipe:

To 2 cans of salmon, add crushed crackers or bread crumbs, 2 eggs, finely chopped green onion and celery, some parsley if you have it, a dash or two of hot sauce and a generous seasoning with Old Bay. Make into patties of about 1/2 C. and chill 30-60 minutes.

Cook in a non stick skillet coated lightly in oil ( I use coconut.) over medium high heat. 

 

[Lecka]

I made a salmon salad recently with eggs, my husband loved it.  It was basically an egg salad with canned salmon. 

Today for lunch I made a recipe that called for pinto beans but I substituted canned refried beans.

It was brown rice, refried beans, jar salsa, and garlic (because I had it).  The refried beans were already seasoned or I would have added I think cumin.  

So i cooked the brown rice in one pot.

Then in a pan I put in oil, added chopped garlic, cooked it a little, then added some jarred salsa and cooked it, then added the retried beans.

It was tasty and did originally call for pinto beans.

It was easy though and a nice change and we need to eat more beans.  

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, ScoutTN said:

This is my salmon cakes recipe:

To 2 cans of salmon, add crushed crackers or bread crumbs, 2 eggs, finely chopped green onion and celery, some parsley if you have it, a dash or two of hot sauce and a generous seasoning with Old Bay. Make into patties of about 1/2 C. and chill 30-60 minutes.

Cook in a non stick skillet coated lightly in oil ( I use coconut.) over medium high heat. 

 

As a Chesapeake native, you are speaking my language right there!

 

[Lecka]

Oh, for garbanzo beans, you can buy pouches to make hummus, they are found next to the canned beans at the store.... you just drain the beans, rinse the beans, and then put the beans and the contents of the hummus pouch into a blender.  It’s easy.

I also like bean salad with garbanzo beans.  I make it different but it has things like red onion, olive oil, lemon juice, some chopped veggies, and maybe some cooked/drained lentils.  My recipe is based on (iirc) Mediterranean Salad on allrecipes.com.  

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Momto5inIN said:

For the canned goods I'd make Trashcan Soup ? otherwise known as whatever we have too much of mixed with some type of diced meat and broth.

Not sure what you mean by "leftover steak" ... what is this strange new food??? Never heard of it Lol

 

This is why I got to be 47 without having to solve this problem before, lol! 

The exact number of family members and girlfiends/boyfriends was in question until the last minute so DH cooked four big steaks and that was about 1 1/2 too many. 

I did make the steaks into a beef and gravy dinner tonight, as someone mentioned upthread, which was a hit. 

[Lecka]

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/14260/mediterranean-lentil-salad/

Okay, this is my base recipe I think.  But I put canned garbanzo beans in this if I don’t want lentils or don’t want to mess with cooking them when I could use garbanzo beans from a can.  

It’s really good!  I add Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar also, there may be another recipe that calls for them, there must be.  Or I have used balsamic vinegar.  It makes it be more of a vinegary bean salad then.  

I do also sometimes add cilantro, I am not really big on parsley.  

[Toocrazy!!]

Roasted chickpeas make a great snack. Little olive oil and spices of your choice, or just salt, and roast until crunchy. 

I love cheese grits! I like the ones baked with eggs, milk, etc, as a yummy brunch type food. I can't find my recipe, but Paula Dean has a similar one. 

[KatieJ]

 

 

I believe you could use the carrots in a carrot cake recipe.

 

salmon, I make an amazing salmon loaf. It requires whipping the egg whites, but makes it light and fluffy.

Since  you have the peas, I would make a white sauce, add the peas at the very last minute, well drained of course, and serve it over the salmon patties or salmon loaf. 

They can be added to about any casserole, however they are so well cooked that I would do it very last minute if at all possible. 

 

Leftover steak usually becomes steak steak salad here. Or hash.

I like  serving applesauce with hash. 

 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, marbel said:

But several people, myself included, have said that they would use all or some of those foods. So one could read this comment as being condescending.  I know you are not being condescending!  So don't think I'm criticizing you. But I believe your thinking is off.  It's as if you feel the food is unfit for consumption, but really it's just that those are foods you don't like/don't eat.  It does not mean everyone else feels that way. 

Yeah, but “donate them” seemed to be picking up speed as a solution. I wanted to explain that that had been considered and turned down as an option. 

I do like all of those foods, but don’t use them in canned form. I actually thought suggestions to donate them seemed like that - as if they are unfit for consumption. (That might actually be true in the case of canned peas! <wink>) 

Basically, I just don’t want to get rid of the food; I want to put it to good use. I guess I want to call on my Inner Chopped Contestant and figure out how to use the items in the mystery basket. If a good contestant can make a delicious meal in thirty minutes using squid, jicama, graham crackers and cinnamon candies, I can surely turn a heap of canned vegetables into a nice family meal with the help of the Hive.

P.S. - True confessions: we also obtained several boxes of orange mac and cheese, which I have not deigned to eat since I was 10. But we’re eating them now! And TBH, they are kind of good, in that remembering-plastic-cheese-from-childhood way. 

 

Edited May 8, 2018 by Quill
Typo

[Jenny in Florida]

4 hours ago, Quill said:

 

As someone else said, I'd just donate the carrots and peas, because I find most canned vegetables inedible.

Around here, garbanzos would likely become something Indian inspired, usually channa masala. Or they might get used in a Mediterranean-inspired salad.I make one similar to this, except that I use rice instead of couscous: http://dads-blog.dadsguidetowdw.com/foodie-friday-tangierine-couscous-salad/

Pinto beans would probably become something Tex-Mex. 

I'd use the applesauce for baking, probably something like a coffee cake.

I'd cook the grits as grits, because I like them.

Can't help with the steak or salmon.

 

 

[Clemsondana]

I'd use the pintos in chili or as an addition to tacos or a burrito.  My kids love the Taste of Home recipe for Garlic Salmon Linguine, which uses canned salmon.  Applesauce is a good addition to meals with pork (it's a part of some pork chop recipes), or as a side at breakfast (we sometimes do sausage biscuits and applesauce) - you can stir in some cinnamon if it's bland.  It's also an ingredient in some muffins.  We don't usually use canned carrots, but they might be fine for a quick glazed carrot recipe since you wouldn't neeed to cook them first - I make brown sugar and mustard glazed carrots using frozen sliced carrots sometimes, but I have to cook them a little before I glaze them.  

For leftover steak, we slice it thin, saute with onion and pepper, and make fajitas.  If you use the pinto beans, you could multitask with your leftovers.  ?  

[Bootsie]

Are the carrots sliced or diced canned carrots?  Diced canned carrots can be a good edition to a soup or to a spaghetti sauce. 

The peas and beans could be used in a three-bean marinated salad.

Shrimp and grits is a Louisiana classic that you could search some recipes for.  

[umsami]

Here in the south, shrimp and grits are very popular.  

Garbanzo beans=hummus.  Easy to make at home.  Add ice water.  If you don't have tahini, leave it out or you could even buy a small packet of Badia sesame seeds and grind them in a spice grinder.  (Do not follow the old Alton Brown advice of using peanut butter. It.does.not.work.)  (Recipe....rinse the garbanzos and throw them into a food processor.  Add 2-4 cloves of garlic, a few glugs of olive oil, some salt, pepper, ground cumin, and a big spoon of tahini if using.  Turn on the food processor.  Blend until smooth.  Now add in either a few ice cubes or spoonfuls of very cold water.  It makes the hummus all smooth and lovely.  If hummus is too hummus-y tasting for your family, you can also add in some plain Greek yogurt.  It will make it more mild.

Pintos can be mashed/refried, used in chili, used in homemade burritos.  

 

I'd use the canned peas and carrots in soup, or maybe throw them into a homemade pot pie type thing.

 

We use applesauce on Eggo (or homemade) waffles....make them into a sort of sandwich.  Can also make a yummy applesauce snack cake.

 

Canned salmon you can mix with potatoes and make fish cakes.  (This is similar to the recipe my friend uses.  She makes it with either canned tuna or salmon.  They are really good and I'm not a fish person.  https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2195659/the-best-salmon-fish-cakes  )  

 

With leftover steak, we make steak sandwiches.  So sauté some peppers and onions in a pan with olive oil (or butter if you are of the Paula Deen/Julia Child school), salt, and pepper, and then add in the sliced steak to warm.  Put on French bread or a roll with cheese (optional), and your choice of condiments.  My kids like them Mike's Way (Jersey Mike's....so lettuce, tomato, onion, oil, red wine vinegar, and oregano.)

[mom@shiloh]

I'd make hummus from the garbanzo beans and donate the rest to a food pantry. Except maybe the grits  -- I've done grits with cheese, sausage and eggs from time to time and we all like it pretty well.

Ummmm, is there such a thing as grilling too much steak?  My dh and teen boys would say no; but, since you asked.....  I'd add it to some sauteed onions and peppers for fajitas, add it to a bag of stir fry vegies and serve over rice OR (my favorite) warm it slightly and add it to a huge salad and top with french fries.