Pantry Challenge- New Year! - Page 4

[artemis33]

Well, being housebound due to the snow the past few days has definitely kept me creative!  I usually get my weekly raw milk/cream/eggs from a drop point on Thursdays but they are delayed until at least tomorrow, so I was rationing a bit.  I did send DH to the store today finally since we were out of fresh greens and he picked up a dozen eggs and a half gallon of regular milk to get us through.  I've been doing a lot of extra cooking and baking since we've all been home so much so I've been really going through it!

I tried a new recipe yesterday for lunch to use up some leftover pork roast and some spring roll papers I had in the pantry.  I had the wrappers you have to soak and the recipe didn't discuss that but I made it work (they might have just left that out or maybe they were using some other wrapper....).  I subbed fish sauce for the oyster sauce, leeks for the green onions, used extra carrot since I didn't have quite enough cabbage, and made a dipping sauce with some mustard and a little orange marmalade I had in the fridge.  I also lightly cooked all of the filling.   They were good!  They stuck to my pan a little and a few came open (holes) so I might have to work on fixing that next time, but I thought they were a nice way to stretch a little bit of leftover meat.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-pork-spring-rolls/detail.aspx

Yesterday I made some beef stew meat in the slow cooker and roasted some veggies for dinner (I don't like them cooked in with the stew).  Today I turned the leftover meat into a brothy beef vegetable soup and made some GF cornbread to go with it.  For dinner we are having pork chops (freezer), mashed potatoes (lots of potatoes in storage from garden), home canned applesauce and a salad of greens hubby got today.

Working on my plan for the week, but I know I am going to try making these yummy things with some homemade ricotta I made earlier in the week.  I'll use some crumbs from the grain free coconut bread I made yesterday instead of regular bread crumbs.  I have a little leftover red sauce from the pizzas I made last week to use up for a dip.  I've been making ricotta on Fridays once I have my new milk if I have any that I need to use up before it sours if I have time.  I like it better than my homemade yogurt.  Sometimes I save some for baking, too, but I've been trying to not eat too much grain.   

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Ricotta-Fritters-1000063227

Wow, this was a long post!  Guess I'm feeling chatty after being cooped up for days    I'm going to post a menu later tonight or tomorrow in the menu planning thread...

[Ruthiegirl]

Things to use:

3 pounds farro

5 pounds steel cut oats -- Had some for breakfast this morning.  Delicious and the kids loved it.  

2 chicken carcasses for soup  --  Dinner tonight.  

frozen basil -- Used a bunch on Friday's pizza.  

risotto rice

kale and chard in the garden

1 pound bag of white beans 

frozen lentil stew --  Ate this for lunch yesterday with the last bit of basmati rice

3 butternut squashes

lots and lots of peas (dried and frozen)

Working my way through our pantry list.  I did some shopping today for produce and dairy, so we are all set for the week.  These are the meals I have on hand. I have lots of salad fixings and fruit to supplement our meals.  

Butternut squash soup

Chicken pot pie, brussel sprouts

Farro and caulifower salad, red lentil stew

Frittata and salad

brown rice, kale and fried eggs

baked penne

risotto and peas

pea soup

Edited by Ruthiegirl - 1/24/12 at 7:31am

[Amys1st]

MAde mannicotti this past weekend because dd was begging for it. Served it with some frozen meatballs in sauce found in the freezer. DH made a sandwich with the meatballs the next day. DD has been eating her mannicottis. dd2 wanted pancakes and it didnt work out to have them this past weekend so for Monday evening we had pancakes (alton brown recipe) with sausage and bacon. Today is beef stew.

Went to the grocery and stocked up for the first time this year. When there is nothing left and and done being creative, its time! We also eat tons of fresh things. Whole chickens on sale and chicken theighs. DH will cut up chickens and I will have 2 carcusses to use for stock. I will make chicken and dumplings with the theighs.

Dh and I will had grilled portobellos with red pepper and goat cheese this week on a bun. Sweet potato french fries to go with it.

[FrugalGranolaMom]

I've been really trying to get creative with the pantry/freezer items we have left and see how long I can avoid a big grocery trip. I've made a couple trips to pick up things like eggs, bananas and cheese but that's pretty much it.

I'm also working through the convenience foods that made their way into our house and I really can't wait until I can start planting my garden.

Over the weekend I made chili and tortillas and had that for lunch and dinner a couple of times. Sunday was chicken, pasta and chickpeas. Last night was a mix of fish sticks and chicken tenders (just had a few remaining of each) mashed potatoes and green beans and corn from the freezer.

Off to make the meal plan for the rest of the week...

[justmama]

Well I had a bunch of baking supplies left over from The Great Christmas Cookie Panic of 2011 so I used some of the chocolate and confectioner's sugar and made peppermint patties.  They are AMAZING!

http://lavidavegana.blogspot.com/2011/10/vegan-peppermint-patties-vegan-mofo-7.html

And I finished the last veggie burger so I just made another batch for the freezer today:

http://ohsheglows.com/2011/07/13/our-perfect-veggie-burger/

Tonight for dinner is leftovers for me and tacos for the kids:

http://happyfoody.blogspot.com/2006/10/honey-baked-lentils.html

Breakfast for tomorrow is:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/promise-keeper-pumpkin-eater/

[Amys1st]

Bought Cashews on sale for DH this week and we are having cashew chicken for dinner with some canned asian stuff and sauces plus some frozen veggies. I made up rice today so he can also make fried rice. We made waffles for breakfast to use up some buttermilk. I an phasing out long grain rice to brown rice, I have served brown basmati rice a few times and no one complains.

Our produce box has brussel sprouts so I will make those up with some pork chops this week. We can serve it with the last bit of apple sauce in the fridge too.

How did everyone do this month?

[artemis33]

I've done a pretty good job of meal planning, focusing meals around what we have in the pantry/freezer, and using up odds and ends of things.  On the other hand, I was a little too permissive in the grocery store and did buy some things I could have made at home (for example, sandwich bread for DD's lunches, snack crackers for the girls in the car, plain yogurt....).  I am planning to continue this challenge through Feb and work toward making more of my own things like those.   Anyone else planning to continue?

Right now I have a lot of milk to use up.  I am making ricotta right now and will make some yogurt later.  I'll make a creamy soup on Wed - need to make chicken stock tomorrow.  Maybe pudding?  We don't like milk that has been frozen, so that isn't an option. 

Also, what to use this ricotta for?  I don't want to make dessert (cheesecake is awesome but it is a LOT for us to eat....) and I am gluten free right now so a pasta dish isn't ideal.  I might do zucchini or eggplant roll ups, but I doubt the girls would eat them.  The fritters I made last week were good.....maybe I could freeze some to cook later.  Hmn...

Sitting down to meal plan for the week.  Roasted chicken tonight, crock pot pulled pork for tacos tomorrow (long day).

[Ruthiegirl]

I did okay, not bad for a mom with a newborn.  I was able to use up some odd bits of rice and beans and I made soup from the many chicken backs I had in the freezer.   I did make a good dent in the garden greens.  They have been wonderfully nourishing during these grey winter days.  And we will be planting peas, more greens, beets and lettuce very soon.   

The only thing I would like to eat up is all this arborio rice.   I am just too impatient to stand at the stove and make risotto.  Not sure what else to do with it...off to Google recipes.  

[rebirth]

Thought I'd bump this!

I have plenty in the pantry and little in my grocery budget this week, so planning from there. Need to make beef and vegetable stocks,

a French onion soup (from beef stock and aging onions-but I may need a few more)

chicken curry soup (from chicken stock and coconut milk... I will need some chicken and produce for this)

Black bean soup (made w tomatoes, beans and rice from the pantry

Chili-from frozen ground beef, frozen beans, shredded veggies from freezer and fridge and canned tomatoes.

We have lots of eggs, beef bacon, bread, grits, pancake mix and oats. I may make granola for a snack...

I need to buy turkey, tomatoes and avocado for lunches. And plenty of fresh fruit.

Doula mama to my nursing toddler Noah

[rebirth]

And on a whim I made blueberry muffins for breakfast... I have about 6 bags of frozen blueberries in my freezer. and all the other essentials I had or could sub:) they were fab!

What can I do with 12 lbs frozen strawberries and at least 6 bags of frozen corn? Lol!

I may add corn to the chicken curry soup and the potato leek, just to use it up. I'll toss some in the chili too I think. Any other ideas?




Doula mama to my nursing toddler Noah and June baby otw

[Wolfcat]

Just got back from shopping for (hopefully) the last time for February (not counting our monthly CSA-ish purchase). My goal is to get the cupboards and freezer to the bare-bones so we can defrost and start with fresh, good food for spring.

We just cooked up a turkey a few days ago. We've been eating on that instead of our usual weekend lunches of mac-n-cheese *sighs* (the kids love it). We also just finished up some leftover ham. We have soups and purees and stocks in the freezer, and tons of beans. Tomorrow, we are getting rid of half of our potatoes with potato soup (we aren't fans of potatoes, for the most part), and since we just picked up some bacon ends/pieces, we'll prolly make supreme mashed potatoes sometime the week after this.

We meal-plan, which helps a bunch, and lunches are usually leftovers, so we are gonna just ramp up our usual, and see how it goes.

[justmama]

Originally Posted by rebirth 

And on a whim I made blueberry muffins for breakfast... I have about 6 bags of frozen blueberries in my freezer. and all the other essentials I had or could sub:) they were fab!
What can I do with 12 lbs frozen strawberries and at least 6 bags of frozen corn? Lol!
I may add corn to the chicken curry soup and the potato leek, just to use it up. I'll toss some in the chili too I think. Any other ideas?
Doula mama to my nursing toddler Noah and June baby otw

smoothies.  We use frozen strawberries in our spinach smoothies(i have one for breakfast every day) and my kids love them.  

[FrugalGranolaMom]

Originally Posted by justmama 

Originally Posted by rebirth 

And on a whim I made blueberry muffins for breakfast... I have about 6 bags of frozen blueberries in my freezer. and all the other essentials I had or could sub:) they were fab!
What can I do with 12 lbs frozen strawberries and at least 6 bags of frozen corn? Lol!
I may add corn to the chicken curry soup and the potato leek, just to use it up. I'll toss some in the chili too I think. Any other ideas?
Doula mama to my nursing toddler Noah and June baby otw

smoothies.  We use frozen strawberries in our spinach smoothies(i have one for breakfast every day) and my kids love them.  

I second the smoothies for the strawberries. For the corn, how about corn chowder?

Last month I did pretty well and used up a large chunk of the pantry and freezer and only needed to supplement with a few things from the store.  This weekend I will need to hit the grocery store for produce, dairy, grains and a few more baking goods.  I am working very hard to stay committed to cooking more from scratch.

[artemis33]

For the strawberries...I just saw an interesting recipe for pulled pork with strawberries....the idea was to use the strawberries for a little 'sweetness' instead of the sugar in traditional BBQ sauces.  Haven't tried it yet, but I was intrigued.  I bet you could use it for chicken, too if you don't eat pork.

http://stuffimakemyhusband.blogspot.com/2011/06/strawberry-pulled-pork-blue-cheese-and.html

For corn, I like to add it to cornbread or make corn cakes (like little pancakes with some cornmeal and fresh corn) that I use as a side starch dish with sour cream or add it to creamed chicken (with other veggies) and serve over biscuits or cornbread.

I could use some ideas for ricotta cheese or blue cheese that don't involve dessert or pasta!  I could use the blue cheese on salad and I might....just trying to explore the possibilities  :)