Are we up for the March Pantry Challenge? - Page 3

[isosmom]

Originally Posted by PajamaMama

I have a recipe for blueberry gingerbread that uses molasses but it's too late now to go looking for it. I will try to post it tomorrow if anyone is interested. It also uses buttermilk. I used to find that I can never use up all of a container of buttermilk, but now I just use whatever is left to make pancakes. They are delicious.

Good night...

I would love that recipe

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

We don't go to Aldi's because virtually everything they sell is over-processed and has tons of "bad stuff" like preservatives, MSG, and high fructose corn syrup

okay- enough said. We also do not do high fructose corn syrup, hydrogented oils, dyes, or any other gross words you can think of. So maybe thats why I have not been in there.

We are doing meatballs from the freezer tonight w tortilenni from the pantry.
We have some extra sauce I found as well. Real easy and DH is in charge of getting it on the table.
Also tomorrow or the next day I'm setting up the crock pot to make ham n lentil soup.

[Thia]

Okay, I am jumping in here! This is something I need to get better at!

Molasses...I love it! I eat it two ways...one, I mix in with oatmeal. The other is on a slice of bread that has been buttered (that is kind of indulgent when I want desert, but don't want to be too bad).

I am not suer what we're having tonight. I planned chicken soup (from the freezer), but dh said he doesn't want that. I told him to come up with something then and he said eggs and ham (ham leftover from dinner last night). I can't think of a starch to go with it though. I really won't have time to do potatoes and we are too low on bread for toast. The weather is crummy and I don't want to go to the store. Any ideas?

[g&a]

Thia- Instead of thinking starch, think vegtable. eggs and ham and.... green beens or salad or cooked carrots, or asperagus or whatever you have. If dh says that will never fill him up then make 2 vegtables.

When I was in Acadian Quebec we used to dip begals into molasses and eat it for breakfast. Yum Yum. Unfortunatly I don't eat wheat and haven't been able to find any decent non-wheat bagels. We used to eat lots of yummy stuff there - fried bananas, kefir, fresh pressed apple juice, rabbit pie.

gisele

[annettemarie]

Question About Making Soup from Leftovers

OK, we have noodles and elbow macaroni, some carrots that were baked with maple syrup and butter, some peas, and some leftover shepherd's pie. How would I make soup out of this???

[leomom]

Amy,

I am almost completely out of cream soups. I am going to try to not buy anymore. I'm wondering what you use instead in most recipes? Like chicken and rice for instance. Thanks!

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by leomom

Amy,

I am almost completely out of cream soups. I am going to try to not buy anymore. I'm wondering what you use instead in most recipes? Like chicken and rice for instance. Thanks!

Don't not buy to please me- if they work for your family do it! But I try to do without them to be a scratch cook and the salt content is high for me. But I have used them before once here and there.

I would use a sauce that I made up. Melt butter, add flour and stock and cook it to thicken. It works well as well as using organic soup bases that can be stretched.

[leomom]

Originally Posted by Amys1st

Don't not buy to please me- if they work for your family do it! But I try to do without them to be a scratch cook and the salt content is high for me. But I have used them before once here and there.

I would use a sauce that I made up. Melt butter, add flour and stock and cook it to thicken. It works well as well as using organic soup bases that can be stretched.

I'm not doing it to please you. :LOL I'm doing it to be healthy. And thirfty. :LOL

Thanks! I'll try that!

[Amys1st]

Stacy- how is the non canned cooking going?

Today, I went thru the pantry and took inventory. I pulled a few things out to cook with this week. I plan on making a chili pot this week so I took a can of beans, crushed tomatoes, and paste. I'll add an onion, frozen peppers and some spices and some stock- all from kitchen or freezer.
Also there was some lentil dahl mix in there. Perfect for next friday.

In another few weeks I will have turned over the pantry since we started this in Jan. Since then not only is it a habit but we have cut down on take out/dining, and we always have something to eat as well as most of this week's menu planned. Two of the days only from going into the pantry.

After auditing the grocery spending- its gone down but not as much as I would like. DH says its still saving money since we are not spending in other places plus we are eating real well. The dining out $$ has gone down a lot.

[isosmom]

Went shopping Sunday. Think it'll last us till we go on vacation.
On Monday I made granola, 2 poundcakes (1 for the freezer) and used up the leftover cranberry juice concentrate I had in the freezer for one of them, and for dinner had a Thai curry, used up some veggies that were hanging out and red curry paste I've had forever.
On Tuesday I made the crockpot limas somebody had posted. They were so good, my first cp success methinks Dd and ds ate them with veggie burgers that needed to go from the freezer. Also made taratour sauce made with tahini. Really good dip for veggies or pita. Ds was eating it by the spoonful tonight :LOL
What else? Oh, I was going to do polenta (because I've got a ton) with tomato sauce tonight, but my mom took dd, so it was just ds and I and I wasn't hungry, so he got scrambled eggs and the aforementioned taratour sauce.

Allright, I need some ideas for using up goat cheese. Also some cream cheese. Could I somehow combine these for mac and cheese?
Also would like ideas for pumpkin butter besides toast.
I've also got some molasses to use. Thinking it sounds good in oatmeal, used it in the limas I made and looking forward to a few of those other recipes, thanks!

[Rainbowbird]

Originally Posted by isosmom

On Tuesday I made the crockpot limas somebody had posted. They were so good, my first cp success methinks Dd and ds ate them with veggie burgers that needed to go from the freezer.Allright, I need some ideas for using up goat cheese. Also some cream cheese. Could I somehow combine these for mac and cheese?

I posted the limas recipe. I'm glad it worked for you!

I started out the month with a huge Peapod order and couple of small trips to the store for odds and ends, plus some ingredients to cook for a friend who just got out of the hospital. So far we have spent $170. That's a lot but we stocked up.

My goal is to stay around or under $250. I don't know if we can do it or not. It only leaves me $80 to get through the month. That means I may not be able to do another Peapod order b/c to get the lowest shipping, you have to order $100 worth. I guess I'll have to see how it goes and what we need. I find tracking my spending to be easy through Peapod, because it is consistent and I do get some great deals. But I can't get EVERYTHING through them.

My success story this week is homemade pizza. I have been using my bread machine alot, and finally tried making homemade dough with it. It came out awesome. We made a big sheet pizza that lasted two nights. I had found cheese on sale for $2 and used a can of tomato paste mixed with leftoever salsa for the sauce. Threw on some chopped green pepper, too. I don't know the cost of the pizza but for sure it was a lot cheaper than buying one! Maybe 4 or $5?

I'm using my bread machine like crazy. Now I just have to find a good source for bulk flour b/c I am going through the 5 lb. bags way too fast!

[Amys1st]

Rainbow- we figure its about $2-3 a pizza to make it. Since it went for two days- really only a buck or so. WTG!

For goat cheese- we have this tapas style appetizer we do when we have a bit of goat cheese to use up.

In a small oven friendly bowl- put about a cup of tomato sauce. Slice the goat cheese into 1/2inch slices and put one in the middle. I put 3 kalamatas in the sauce and bake this about 10 minutes. Then we use toasted bread or garlic bread for dipping. Its very yummy and a perfect snack also.

We also make a pizza that we bake the dough a few minutes then take it out of the oven. Spread goat cheese over the dough like icing. Then add pizza sauce, some basil leaves, any leftover veggies sliced up, and other cheese if needed. Return to oven and bake. Very tasty!

Last night was chicken and dumplings to use up some leftover cream. Double batched so thats also in the freezer incl the dumplings too!

Tonight is ham and lentil soup in the crockpot (just started) and grilled cheese sandwiches. We have some brick cheese to use up and I figure we can do either grilled cheese on wheat or use some corn tortillas we also have to use up.

Missed you guys when the boards were down!

[leomom]

Hi everyone! I missed this thread this week!

Anyone have a relatively easy recipe for homemade chicken noodle soup?

[annettemarie]

I also need to know how to make a soup from a turkey carcass

[Thia]

My chicken soup:
Chicken parts (bone in). I usually buy legs and thighs. Place in pot cover with water and boil an hour or two (until cooked). Remove chicken. I cover the broth and place it in the fridge overnight (chicken goes in fridge too). The next day I skim off most of the fat that has come to the top. I put back on the stove and cut the chicken up and add it. I cut up fresh carrots, celery, and onions and add. I use as much as I think the soup will need based on my pot. (I always parboil the chicken in a pot twice as big as the water I need to boil the chicken). Once the veggies are added, I cover with water, then add another cup or two on top of that. I add my seasonings (pepper, salt, chicken broth cubes, garlic, oregano, cayanne) and let it cook. Once the carrots start getting soft, I add some frozen corn and green beans and rice. Instead of the rice, you can add your noodles. Bring the whole thing up to a boil, then reduce heat to a simer. Once the noodles are cooked, it's done.

[Rainbowbird]

I totally missed this board, too! (Oops, I guess that identifies me as another child of the '80s, right?)

Isosmom--I forgot to say that you might be able to do a cheesecake like thing with your cheese? I don't have a recipe but if you have instant pudding lying around I know you can use that. Or you can probably find a recipe from scratch using eggs and the usual ingredients. OK now I have to admit I buy pudding mixes sometimes! But the last one was organic...

Amy, thanks for the pat on the back regarding the pizza. I was SO proud of myself and can't believe how cheap it was to make.

I am so psyched about trying to get through the rest of the month without going overboard. Ironically we have the money to do so but I don't WANT to anymore..I want to find frugal ways to eat healthfully and put more money in the bank!

[Mama Rana]

anyone have any ideas for some crushed pineapple?

also, I need a recipe for either baked apples or an apple crumble of some sort.

thanks!

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by Rainbowbird

I totally missed this board, too! (Oops, I guess that identifies me as another child of the '80s, right?)
!

Fer Shure!!

We are both awesome 80s chicks.

[nitareality]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

We don't go to Aldi's because virtually everything they sell is over-processed and has tons of "bad stuff" like preservatives, MSG, and high fructose corn syrup

I'm curious...if you have canned food in your pantry that has the "bad stuff", can you rinse it? Like canned fruit that has the "light" syrup (yeah right, ), the 8 cans of diced tomatoes I still have, etc...

[Amys1st]

The bad stuff will say high fructose corn syrup on it. Does canned fruit actually come in that?? Rinse it off and know better next time. Or give to a food pantry or a friend who uses it if you don't want it.

We did a phase out for Hydro oils in 2003. After 1/03 we never bought them again. The same for HF cornsyrup in 04. But actually it was pretty easy to do since most of our stuff is natural.

To avoid any of this 'bad stuff', shop the perimeter at your standard grocery store- produce, dairy, meat, and then you avoid the aisles where this stuff is rampant. Or go to more natural stores for the middle aisles (whole foods, trader joe etc)