I keep the makings for a very simple chili on hand that's vegetarian and mostly canned stuff. It's not gourmet, but it's decent, quick and always available. Can be served with a salad and crusty bread. Done.

Not really. I don't get much company here but when I do, I often serve shrimp. I can sauté them in butter with some Tony Chachere seasoning and lemon, and it is very quick and people like it.

I would love it Marilyn!

I usually have the makings for a Gumbo in the freezer. Or some soup. I have a well stocked pantry and freezer so I can throw stuff together pretty easily. But we rarely ever get unexpected guests for meals these days.

I keep on hand all the makings for Salsa Chicken with Black Beans. I always have skinless boneless frozen chicken breast in the freezer. A can of black beans, a jar of salsa and shredded cheddar cheese completes the ingredient list. Add a salad (I am never without the makings for a decent tossed salad) and as a bonus add some corn chips and I have a great well liked meal for most anyone.

And if all else fails, there is always a selection of 2 or more kinds of soup in the freezer.

Yes -- I've been making this one since I was in 7th grade. A box of pasta, half a jar of pasta sauce, and 2 cups of shredded cheddar. I still make it almost every Friday night!

I would throw together, chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes, home canned green beans, biscuits and who knows what all. I always pretty much have supplies on hand for meals. I do a lot of cooking.

Sue

Good ideas and so creative. I always have frozen shrimp for stir fry. What would I serve with it done in butter? Why I never thought of pesto. I like it topped with chopped tomatoes.

A frequent last minute meal for unexpected guests is three-cheese tortellini with some meat (if there are no vegetarians) some vegetables if I have any that would work, some mushrooms if any are on hand, and some whipped up sauce, usually a white wine parmesan cream sauce, perhaps with pesto.

Or if gluten is verboten, sort sort of stir fry, over rice, again with whatever is on hand

Bob that really beats my pasta dishes. Thanks for the idea.

Last minute means going out to dinner, our treat.

Or, bringing in take out food, guest's choice.

That works too but not in my strict budget.

I usually buy Buitoni-brand tortellini, which needs to be refrigerated, but which seems to keep for many months in the fridge. That's part of why I get the three-cheese tortellini as opposed to one of the others with meat in them, as I don't think I'd trust many-month-old-meat (ewww) plus the three-cheese one works for vegetarians as well.

diced chicken or italian sausage or shrimp

broccoli or asparagus or fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes or marinated artichokes

you can almost use the time-honored eenie-meenie-miney-mo method and have a great result.

Nope. We're going out to eat unless I already have a meal planned. Last resort I usually have breakfast food and we could have sausage or bacon, eggs, toast, pancakes and juice.

Tacos - I always have the ingredients on hand for that including frozen taco meat.

I also make a dish similar to bob-cville. Browned ground beef or turkey with finely chopped garlic cloves, sauteed onions and mushrooms (if I have mushrooms) and cooked noodles. Mix together with whatever sauce you have available (tomato based, cream of mushroom soup, homemade white sauce, etc.) and bake in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with salad.

Like many have posted above, we rarely have company but if we do, I'm ready!

Coralee, I serve it with salad and French bread. If I didn't have French bread, I always have bread sticks or Sister Schubert dinner rolls in the freezer. I also have a well stocked freezer and pantry but usually serve shrimp because most people like them and I can dish out a lot of shrimp since that is what my husband does for a living....comm.shrimper.

I would turn to pasta. I always have the ingredients for linguine with clam sauce on hand (really just the pasta and a can of chopped clams - I prefer fresh but that takes preplanning!). All the rest are kitchen staples - olive oil, white wine, garlic, red pepper flakes, fresh parsley from the pot outside my door. It is my go-to meal for unexpected company or when I just can't think of what to fix for myself.

Bob you sound like a good cook. Marilyn that explains the shrimp as a main. I would have to serve it more as a side or break the bank. Glenda thank you for going to the trouble to include the recipe. That sounds perfect. Dawn those are ideas I can use.
I enjoy an open door policy for my friends. If they need me I am here. Budget friendly meals are a must.

If I had unexpected guests, I'm not ashamed we'd go out or order in! But then I have lots of great restaurants even within walking distance...and I rarely have much in the house.

I always have canned black beans, rice, canned tomatoes, some bits of frozen chicken wings/legs, and usually an avocado in my refrigerator. I can quickly make a delicious, colorful (tumeric in the rice) meal. SO easy!

Bob, I buy the same tortellini, but I put it immediately in the freezer. Even from frozen it cooks u very quickly. I also only get the cheese version.

I do the same - also usually keep dome locally made spinach ravioli in the freezer as well. So quick, easy and delicious!

We don't have unexpected company and if we did they better bring a pizza or Chinese takeout when they arrive. Lifestyles around here are not that casual. It's difficult for us to get together with family much less entertain unexpected drop-ins. Long commutes are a fact of life for people in our area and lots of tech 24/7 work hours.

I just finished texting with DS. He only lives 30 minutes away and he pops in and out so quickly (we sometimes act as a mail drop) that I often miss him even when I am home. LOL Busy, busy guy. We texted back and forth for a whole 5 minutes. Half business/half pleasure. I think that is a record. ;-)

It took days, almost a week, of discussion to settle on a time for us to all get together for a family dinner out next week.

I whip up a lot of quick meals around here.....for us! I'm beat after working physically hard all day. I make a potato dish with onion/bacon/cheese. Or noodles with egg and bacon. I keep rib eye steaks in the freezer, defrost it in the microwave and just throw it on the grill for 10 minutes. Breakfast is quick....like others mentioned. We eat a LOT of baby carrots, yogurt and almonds. Pop in your mouth and go food. Chips & salsa.

Hardly ever any guests at my house but SO waits until he's about to pass out from hunger to ask me to make something, so I have lots of quick recipes. I'll make tacos or chicken quesadillas, schnitzel with mashed potatoes, green beans and rolls, cheeseburger and fries, cheesburger casserole with fried potatoes. Also,when I make certain things,Ill make huge batches of them and freeze them in individual portions. For example,I'll make a big pot of purple hull peas,creamed corn, collard greens (ick),mac and cheese,etc. Then,when he gets hungry,I go to the freezer,get one of each side to microwave,fry up a porkchop,make a pan of cornbread, and serve a home cooked meal really fast. I do the same when I make things like spaghetti,ziti,lasagne, soups and chili. Since it's just the 2 of us, a batch of either is enough to feed us 4 meals a piece,so I divide it up and freeze it. Same for brisket and pot roast. Ill divide it into portions, and then when we want to eat,I'll make some mashed potatoes and a veggie, sometimes rolls. I usually have things to make a salad and some garlic bread for the pastas or cheese toast for the chili. I always have the stuff I need to make "chest pain chicken breasts", one of his favorites,brocolli cheese casserole and loaded cauliflower casserole. They dont take very long and are easy to throw together last minute.

Pasta is always quick, Pasta Puttanesca for one.

I always make meatballs and freeze them, and it's easy to plop some in a sweet and sour sauce with rice, etc.

Jasdip I agree. I am off to google that pasta dish. Sounds fancy lol

LOL amylou, are you married to my SO? He does the same thing. I also have portion sizes frozen for him, since I normally eat salads and he's not into vegetables, ha! I make and freeze individual servings of meatballs, spaghetti sauce, chicken fingers, etc. Naan pizza is also a quick meal, I freeze the naan bread and I always have toppings on hand. I also make chicken pesto sandwiches, yum! Throw together a quick salad with any of the above and you've got lots of meal options for guests.