Recipes courtesy of Kylee Scales of Kylee’s Kitchen
In honor of our Pack the Pantries fundraising event, I’m sharing easy recipes using food pantry staples. I spoke with representatives from Midwest Food Bank Indiana and Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana to determine what ingredients are readily available and which ingredients for which clients need a little recipe inspiration.

Vegetarian burger macaroni and cheese
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, diced
- 12 to 16 ounces vegetable burger patties
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 2 (8 ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Optional: Parsley
Directions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Sauté the onion for several minutes until it starts to soften.
- Add the vegetable burger patties and break them up with spatula so they resemble ground beef crumbles.
- Add mustard, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne powder, salt and pepper and stir to incorporate.
- Stir in the milk, macaroni, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
- Bring pot to boil then cover and reduce to simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir occasionally.
- After it’s done cooking, remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese until it’s melted.
- You can sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Potato tacos with spicy cabbage slaw
Ingredients
For the spicy cabbage slaw
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Sriracha
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound red or green cabbage, shredded
For the potato tacos
- 3 pounds potatoes, cleaned and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions
For the spicy cabbage slaw
- Combine the mayonnaise with apple cider vinegar, Sriracha, salt, and pepper.
- Mix with shredded cabbage and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the potato tacos
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
- Rinse the potatoes under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Dry the potatoes as best as you can.
- In a large bowl, mix the potatoes with the olive oil and seasoning.
- Pour onto a baking sheet and spread in a single layer
- Roast potatoes until fork tender, about 20 minutes
- Remove from oven
- Prepare tacos by putting potatoes in tortilla and topping with spicy cabbage slaw. Add cheese and cilantro if desired.