We usually always have steaks in the freezer in case we get surprise guest. I do have to say, though, that we rarely get surprise guests. Most of our friends would never come at supper time without arranging it in advance. However, when we were younger, it happened more frequently, so we have always just gotten in the habit of having steaks in the freezer. Then we can do a fast and simple, steak, baked potato, salad type thing.
Another thing we can do is spaghetti. We can pasta sauce (thanks for the recipe readinglady) and have it on hand always. Then I could throw together spaghetti very quickly. If I have no garlic bread to go wit it, I use hot dog buns, which we usually have, and toast them with butter and garlic and mozzarella to make garlic bread. Open a bottle of wine, and Voila! Supper!

I always have some sort of "quick meat" in the freezer....and always have greens of some sort...so, Like sheshe I can always toss together a fast meal...chicken breasts any number of ways, or steak or pork chops and either a baked potato...rice pilaf or pesto pasta...always have blue cheese and home made vinaigrette and Poof! Dinner!

I don't have so much people drop by...but I do things like see someone working in their yard and sy....come for dinner....or at a sunday afternoon concert or at a meeting that runs late....and I invite them for dinner.
Linda c

Angel:
I always have some prebaked Pizza Dough in the freezer.
Everyone loves that. Ready in no time.
A good surprise.!!!
Lou

Depends on how much time I have and who they are! LOL For a casual meal I would grill some chicken or fish to go with a salad. If time permits I would do a cornbread. If not, I always have plenty of sourdough bread on hand.

We often end up with impromptu dinner company at the cottage. I do have a few "go to" meals for these situations but between my pantry and my freezer I can throw together a nice meal in no time flat.

I keep certain things on hand at all times so I know I can put a decent meal together in a hurry. Spaghetti sauce, meatballs, lemon juice, shrimp, cabbage rolls, German sausage and sauerkraut are in the freezer at all times.

That means I can do spaghetti and meatballs, or Gina's amazing Lemon Shrimp Pasta, or cabbage rolls, brats and kraut in a flash. As used they are restocked.

Although these things are always in the freezer a well stocked pantry is a life saver. I always keep a stock of my favourite recipe ingredients in a jar or can because I don't always have fresh and there is no such thing as a quick trip to the store.

This past weekend one of our cottage neighbours dropped by, He was up on his own so I asked him to stay for dinner.

I was planning leftovers but a jar of tomatoes, some jarred black olives, canned anchovies, bottled garlic, capers and oregano and we had a wonderful Puttanesca pasta in no time flat.

Also used some on my frozen roasted red peppers, chicken broth and an onion to make some great soup.

No fresh greens , so no salad, but I did have half a loaf of Italian bread to serve with the pasta.

No dessert so we had cheese and port. No one was complaining ! LOL

I always have cooked, sliced roast beef & pork in the freezer--- and a batch of meatballs-- and a couple different homemade soups--stocks & gravies-- chik breasts-- steaks-- so along with a well stocked pantry it's easy & fast to throw together a decent meal--- might not be gourmet but noone's ever turned their nose up @ hot roast beef sandwiches -- or a steaming bowl of homemade soup & homemade cheddar biscuits or cornbrad-- or chicken & dumplings-- & the salad may just be iceberg wedges but it fills everyone up.

My throw together meal for company is baked ziti. Everyone likes it and I can keep the ingredients on hand to make it in the pantry and freezer. Add sourdough bread rolls from the freezer, a bottle of wine, and whatever vegetable side I can manage from freezer or fridge, some pantry stuff like nuts, olives, caponata, pickles, hummus with pita, etc., for an anti-pasta, and parfaits made from homeade applesauce and canned vanilla pudding or yogurt for dessert, with gingersnaps crumbled on top.

What gracious hosts you all are! You show up uninvited at my house, you get some scrambled eggs and a beer :-P

Jessica, my husband would be thrilled with that "meal". LOL

Jessica:
I was going to say an Omelet. I'm always makling them for myself.
So why not treat Guests the same.

Really, you should at least give them a glass of wine.

Angel:
Another thing I always have frozen is my famous Spaghetti Sauce with meatballs and Sausage.
Lou

Chicken, chorizos, and yellow rice casserole. I always have the ingredients of this very easy and quick dish. Throw it in a paella dish and we are golden.

I'm with Lou - it'd be an omelet at my house. With whatever I have on hand to throw inside.

Y'all have such nice things for surprise guests. I keep the ingredients for 7-can soup in the pantry. It is not something I would feed guests unless it was absolutely the last minute. In fact, DH called from the football game last year to tell me he was bringing guests when our kitchen had been torn out. I thoroughly heated the ingredients in the microwaver (in batches because I did not have a bowl big enough), then dumped it all in the Crockpot to finish cooking.

In a separate plastic grocery sack so that I don't use an ingredient for another recipe, I keep:
1 can of Veg-all (small cut)
1 can of tomato soup
1 can of chicken and stars soup
1 can of corn
1 can of chili with beans
1 can of chili no beans
1 can of Ro-tel (I use mild; regular is too hot for me)

Combine all of the ingredients together. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

I also keep a box of cornbread mix in the sack.

If my husband called me from the football game to say he's bringing people over while my kitchen was torn out, well...

well...

well...

I'd let him live, but then we'd go out to dinner.

LOL..sushipup, it cost him, BIG!

LOL Sushi! My husband wouldn't even dare make that phone call.

Forgot....I also always....well mostly always, have some of my favorite hazelnut biscotti....and I am nearly out....best I get busy.
My late DH (God rest his soul!) once brought home the Ernst and Ernst accountants ( that tells you how long ago it was!) for dinner after taking them out for after work drinks. At that point it didn't matter what I fed them as long as there was lots of what they were drinking...and what they were drinking involved a blender much fruit and a trashed kitchen.
That earned me a nice dinner out and a good bottle of wine!!
Linda C

We would go out for dinner.

SharonCb

Chase, I somehow missed that recipe for Gina's Lemon Shrimp Pasta. Could you post it pretty please? :-)

Thanks!

Kathy

Kathy this is a great go to dish. Easy peasy but good enough for company. It's Gina's recipe but I swear I make it more than she does! LOL

Lemon Linguine With Scampi (Gina)

Vegetable oil (Note: I omit the oil in the water)
1 TBSP kosher salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
3/4 lb linguine (Note: I use any long thin pasta)
3 TBSP unsalted butter
2 1/2 TBSP good olive oil
1 1/2 TBSP minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 lb large shrimp (about 16 shrimp),peeled and deveined
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves (I omit if I don;t have any)
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 lemon,thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/8 tsp hot red pepper flakes

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

Reservations.

Failing that, Spaghetti.

Honestly, I can't remember the last time -- if ever -- it's happned. I'd feed them whatever I was going to have anyway. If someone shows up unannounced and univited right at dinnertime, they live dangerously enough anyway to take what they get. LOL!

Amen. And Lou, they could have a vodka/ soda if they wanted :-P

jessica - scrambled eggs & beer, LOL, I'm stiil peeing my pants!