Out of the many goals I set for myself this year in Mali, one of my personal ones is learning how to cook from scratch. This goal is more of a matter of survival, but goal sounds much more pro-active and driven, and as an American rings better to my ears. I’ve been pleased with my progress so far, but am stymied by the lack of diversity in the meals I have prepared. With the limited ingredients readily available on the market, I’ve only figured out how to prepare Spaghetti Bolognese, Polish ‘Kotlety’ (meatloaf burgers), omelettes, and salads.

What's a girl to do?

I was wondering if any of you had any meal suggestions I could make with the list of ingredients listed below? Generally speaking, the following are the only staple food items found in my town. However, I am currently in the capital, Bamako, through the end of the week, so if you know of a good dinner I can prepare with the following and something else, please let me know what that is, so I can try to find it before I head home. Merci beaucoup!

  • Potatoes
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Onions and garlic
  • Milk
  • Sour cream
  • Flour
  • Laughing Cow Cheese wedges
  • Tomato Paste
  • Cans of tomato halves
  • Pasta noodles
  • Rice
  • Beef (Ground beef)
  • Cabbage
  • Eggplant
  • Tuna in a can
  • Cucumbers
  • Tomatoes
  • Lettuce
  • Canned veggies (peas, corn, greenbeans)
  • Lentils
  • Black eyed peas
  • Rice
  • Fonio
  • Cous Cous
  • Parsley
  • Boxed red and white wine
  • Bananas
  • Eggs
  • EVOO
  • Vegetable Oil

Please note that although I do have an oven and stove-top, both come in only one setting, that mostly burns the outside of your meal crisp and keeps the inside raw. Any suggestions on how to overcome this would be greatly appreciated as well!