Even if you’re able to get out and about in this icy weather we're sure you're not exactly gagging to struggle out to the shops. So how can you feed yourself from the odds and ends you may have in your cupboard, fridge and freezer?

• Spaghetti Napoli - aka spaghetti (or any other pasta shape) with a simple tomato sauce. Just heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, add a crushed clove of garlic, tip in a tin of tomatoes, break them down and leave to simmer for 10 minutes

• Spaghetti carbonara - aka bacon and egg sauce. Start frying some chopped bacon add onion and cook over a low heat until soft. Beat eggs with parmesan - or cheddar at a pinch - and stir into hot, drained spaghetti. (For a full recipe see here)
  

• Spaghetti con olio, aglio e peperoncino - or spaghetti with oil, garlic and chilli. Infuse some olive oil over a very low heat with 3-4 finely sliced cloves of garlic and a teaspoon of chilli flakes or 1/4 tsp chilli powder. Cook the spaghetti the normal way and toss in the flavoured oil.

• Frittata - fry up an onion, a cooked potato or two, some ham or bacon, peas . . .  anything you’ve got around really. Pour in some beaten eggs, lift up the liquid egg like an omelette until it sets. Flash under the grill until the top is set and puffy

• Egg-fried rice - boil some basmati or ordinary long grain rice, rinse with cold water and leave to drain (or, better still, use leftover, refrigerated rice). Stir fry some chopped spring onions or onions and peas, add a couple of beaten eggs and stir then tip in the rice, add a good shake of soy sauce and stir fry until cooked through. You could add a bit of chopped ham if you have some. Full recipe here.
  

• Chickpeas (or beans) and chorizo - quick way to jazz up a tin of chickpeas (or beans). Fry up a sliced onion and some sliced pepper with some chopped chorizo - or bacon, at a pinch - add a crushed clove of garlic (and some pimenton or paprika if you’ve used bacon), stir in half a can of chopped tomatoes, cook for a few minutes then add the chickpeas and heat through. Recipe here.
  

• Tuna and bean salad - a tin of tuna, a tin of cannelini or borlotti beans (drained and rinsed), some finely chopped or sliced onion and a spoonful or two of vinaigrette or other salad dressing. Add some chopped parsley if you have some.
  

And of course there’s always baked beans on toast. Always a winner. Add some crispy bacon to make it a more substantial meal.

Got any other ideas? Post them on our Beyond Baked Beans page on Facebook or write to me at fionaATbeyondbakedbeansDOTcom

 

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