New Posts  All Forums:
 

Pantry Challenge - Page 8

post #141 of 292
7/13/10 at 2:00pm
Made some really yummy blueberry muffins using all pantry items (we have a lot of frozen berries!) There's only 1/4 cup of sugar (actually, maple syrup) in the whole recipe, but they are reallly good and DS1 just ate two! They also use alterna-flours, so my DH can eat them, too (oat, spelt and chickpea).

DS1 is home sick-ish from preschool, so I'm thinking of making minestrone soup for lunch. Lunch for us is usually leftovers, but DH said he might stop by for lunch, so I was thinking hot lunch sounded kind of nice. Off to prep! Uses lots of pantry and some of our CSA.

You may also like:

What NOT to Say to Newly Pregnant Mom
There Is Not Always a "Fix" For the Difficult Child
10 Things You Don't Need For a New Baby
post #142 of 292
7/13/10 at 2:14pm
Yeah, we're totally out of maple syrup, which is depressing. We've been using DH's white sugar for baking because it's all that is in the house. Unlike my stepmom, who shops daily, I avoid the store like the plague. Who wants to go to the store in 90 degrees with high humidity, and 2 kids in tow?

I did manage to reduce by 1/3 the amount of sugar in my blueberry muffin recipe, I added extra milk, but they were still a bit dry - more milk next time I expect.

Lunch was chinese veggie soup and fried rice. Dinner is leftover read beans and rice, as it's all we've got.

Liz
post #143 of 292
7/13/10 at 7:47pm
Tonights throw together meal was better then expected!

The rice blend had red and brown lentils YUM!
I sauteed onion, garlic, swiss chard, basil, the stalks from the brocoli in white wine and broth from the freezer. Then I found a can of olives and a jar of capers in the cupboard that I added when I added the white beans and basil from the garden.
The frozen corn I added cilantro and thai basil from the garden and lime zest I stole from my MIL's lime LOL.
Salad, was three types of lettuce from the garden, with tomatoes, cukes, pumpkin seeds from the cupboard and I chopped up hot peppers from the garden for dh and I


Im pretty excited I got a call from a job I was hoping to get and I got it! YAY! I go tom. to find out all the details about start time ect. So now the real challenge is on. I dont want my grocery bill to grow and I dont want to depend on take out when I start working.
post #144 of 292
7/13/10 at 8:05pm
I am going to do some WIC shopping tonight, but we are still out of food money for a couple more days.

I'm thinking I'll make this Garbonzo Goulash when I get home.

Our fridge is looking really bare these days.
post #145 of 292
7/13/10 at 8:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LizzyQ View Post

Our fridge is looking really bare these days.
Yours and mine too. Even my freezer is more than half empty when it is usually jammed to the hilt!

I need to revamp my menu this week.

Tomorrow is going to be pasta with red sauce and ground beef.
Thursday will be honey lentils on rice.
Friday will be black bean and sweet potato enchiladas, barring the MIL taking us out to dinner for my birthday, but she doesn't get out of work till super late and eating dinner with whiny hungry kids at 8pm isn't my idea of a good time.
I'm still going out to dinner with the ladies Saturday night, so DH will probably feed the kids grilled cheese and fruit, or tater tots. Heaven only knows.
Sunday we have a party to go to.

Next week is entirely up in the air, but I need to start planning the menu now, as it generally takes me a while to figure out new and interesting recipes to use up what is on hand and reduce the amount of items that need to be purchased.

I'll be honest, I'm getting tired of beans and rice variants.....

Liz
post #146 of 292
7/13/10 at 8:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by caiesmommy View Post
Im pretty excited I got a call from a job I was hoping to get and I got it! YAY!
Congrats!
post #147 of 292
7/13/10 at 9:03pm
How long can unsweetened flaked coconut be stored in the fridge? Does it go bad?

I have two large bags I purchased in July 2008 in a Tierra Farms co-op but never used. It’s been in the fridge and seems fine, just a little dry; but it seemed dry when I rec’d it.
post #148 of 292
7/14/10 at 12:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dbsam View Post
How long can unsweetened flaked coconut be stored in the fridge? Does it go bad?

I have two large bags I purchased in July 2008 in a Tierra Farms co-op but never used. It’s been in the fridge and seems fine, just a little dry; but it seemed dry when I rec’d it.
I have some from before that . and I have still used it, but its in the pantry- should I toss it?


Other than that, with all the crazy sales I have been stocking up so my pantry is full. Yesterday a local produce place that uses my house as a drop off, left an order that was supposed to be on vacation hold. So they said to keep it. I am dividing it out between my vegan friend, pantry at church etc since I also have my order.
post #149 of 292
7/14/10 at 3:29pm
Dinner tonight is more of the beef sausages that I've got tons of in the freezer, using bread in place of buns as we've got tons of bread, and having mac & cheese that needs used to go with. Veggies too - thinking broccoli Normandy. I'm going to try to bake a batch of the ready-to-bake sugar cookies into a crust and fill it with the ready-to-eat cheesecake filling, as I've got tons of both of those.


Does anyone have any other ideas to use up these sausages? They are mostly Ball Park Grillmasters or those oval ring type sausages. I also need ideas for using up breakfast sausage links and patties - I have around 50 packages of the Jimmy Dean ones that I got free after a coupon a while back.
post #150 of 292
7/14/10 at 3:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by frugalmama View Post
Does anyone have any other ideas to use up these sausages? They are mostly Ball Park Grillmasters or those oval ring type sausages. I also need ideas for using up breakfast sausage links and patties - I have around 50 packages of the Jimmy Dean ones that I got free after a coupon a while back.
Pork Tourtiere
White bean sausage gravy (there's a recipe for that on my blog)
Chickpea and sausage soup
Mix sausage in with beef for hamburgers/meatloaf/meatballs

Liz
post #151 of 292
7/14/10 at 6:02pm
Today I had a meeting about my job so it's been a sketchy day already lol

Breakfast-banana muffins, raspberries from the garden, almonds
Snack-popcorn w nutrtional yeast
Lunch-french fries and fruit and apple w peanut butter w nana at the mall while I had my meeting
Snack-skipped
Dinner-Tofu(needs to be used from earlier this week),rice noodles(1/2 bag in the cupboard), frozen corn, tomatoes, cukes and mushrooms on the side.
post #152 of 292
7/14/10 at 11:57pm
Breakfast: muffins from yesterday, smoothie with greek yogurt and frozen berries

Lunch: leftovers (soup for DS and DH, sherry pasta for me)

Dinner: tofu pups, sauteed broccoli raab and mustard (from CSA) with pinenuts and olive tapenade, popcorn fries (using storage potatoes we've had for months)

Snacks: muffins, extra hot dogs, pretzels, sandwich, homemade iced mocha, cheese and crackers (we're grazers )
post #153 of 292
7/15/10 at 8:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amys1st View Post
I have some from before that . and I have still used it, but its in the pantry- should I toss it?
I searched online and found nothing about coconut going 'bad' so I decided to use it since it seemed fine. I made a banana coconut bread - it was great and between my family and another, it's gone. My son asked if I would make more today.
post #154 of 292
7/15/10 at 9:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dbsam View Post
I searched online and found nothing about coconut going 'bad' so I decided to use it since it seemed fine. I made a banana coconut bread - it was great and between my family and another, it's gone. My son asked if I would make more today.

Could you post said recipe PLEASE I love the kids getting any type of coconut, dh HATES dried coconut but since he doesnt eat my baking I can hide it in that for the kids!!

Today
Breakfast-muffins/berries
Snack-apples
Lunch-leftovers from dinner/fresh veggies w extra tofu thrown in
Snack-prob at Nana's while Im at drs. apt
Dinner-something w black beans.

Sadly I have to go to the grocery store today I have a charity thing on Sat out of town w dh so the kids are going to stay w my aunt and I need to get them some food to take. Hoping to get out of the grocery store well under $30.00. Helping that Im going w/out the kids, and walking so I wont want to carry a ton
post #155 of 292
7/15/10 at 10:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by caiesmommy View Post
Could you post said recipe PLEASE I love the kids getting any type of coconut, dh HATES dried coconut but since he doesnt eat my baking I can hide it in that for the kids!!
coconut banana bread
I used unsweetened coconut instead of sweetened and vanilla yogurt instead of plain. Also, I lessened the sugar a little; used 3/4c raw cane sugar instead of 1c. They title it 'Healthy' but I'm not so sure about that!
post #156 of 292
7/15/10 at 11:04am
I would love the banana coconut bread recipe, too!

ETA: Thanks!
post #157 of 292
7/16/10 at 12:34pm
I went grocery shopping yest. And sadly have to go back today

Ds had been asking for tacos so I decided to pick up the fixings and made black bean soft tacos w lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and black olives that were in the fridge. I mad a salad w lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cukes, capers, mixed olives and sliced mushrooms that was all in the fridge w some slivered almonds that were in the cupboard. And a side of frozen corn, DS at FIVE tacos, salad and 2 servings of corn

I made coconut banana muffins last night, so now I have coconut milk in the freezer for next week and dried coconut in the cupboard.

The kids are leaving soon for the weekend, so Im THINKING dh and I MIGHT go out to eat tonight since we rarely get the chance to go out just the two of us And then tom Im hitting the beach w a friend so well bring snacks, then dh and I are going out of town for charity so who knows what this weekend will be like
post #158 of 292
7/16/10 at 12:44pm
Found frozen swedish meatballs I made up, so tonight we will have that with noodles.

Our produce box delivery included a huge watermelon the kids are eating up, but I might make up some watermelon lemonade for them.

Also, the kids had strep this past weekend, so they basically ate up all the extra popsicles we had in the freezer making space. They are feeling much better. Next week, time for the probiotics that is in the fridge and needs to be used up by Sept. They can both have them.

Any ideas for a few sweet potatoes? I have 3 so I am thinking of sweet potato french fries unless a better idea comes up.

I found a gallon can thing of tomato juice, so its time for gazpacho in a few days. Maybe our neighborhood block party will get it!
post #159 of 292
7/16/10 at 1:59pm
Tonight is sausages we were supposed to eat several days ago, but I keep putting off, with mac & cheese and veggies.


I'm going to try to resist the fried fish deal at my grocery when I go today to pick up prescriptions. They only run it maybe 3 times a year - $5 for a pound and a half of fried catfish nuggets and a pound of potato wedges, hot from the deli. Sometimes they let you substitute another side like mashed potatoes or veggies in place of the wedges, making it a really nice quick meal.
post #160 of 292
7/16/10 at 2:18pm
Payday was yesterday, but I had such a hectic day yesterday I was only able to get some basics that we've been out of for weeks (like bread).

I don't know if we will be able to grocery shop tonight either, because if we go play for the day on Sat, we have to go to the CSA and pick veggies tonight.

Yesterday DH made homemade tortilla chips with tortillas from WIC, and we had it with black beans and veggies.

Not sure about tonight because of the CSA.. maybe just a stirfry with last week's veggies to clean the fridge.

You may also like:

What NOT to Say to Newly Pregnant Mom
There Is Not Always a "Fix" For the Difficult Child
10 Things You Don't Need For a New Baby