Pantry/Freezer Challenge: April 10-17

[JumpyTheFrog]

Pick three things that need to be used up before they go bad or before you get tired of them taking up space and want throw them out.

[JumpyTheFrog]

My list:

 

Pineapple

 

I'll finish the list later.

[cjzimmer1]

Today I used up 4 partial containers of flavored peanut butter (our local Amish makes about 15 different flavors of peanut butter so I stock up when we go but then I end up with lots of open containers) for the kids snack.  I also gave them each a handful of gummy bears rocks (they had been there so long there were now hard candy instead of gummy but the kids didn't care) so I emptied out that bag too.

 

In the process of locating the open containers of peanut butter, I found 3 more cans of salmon hiding on a different shelf.  SIgh!  so now I still have 13 cans to use.  DS asked if he can have it for supper.  I guess I will oblige.  I'm seriously going to hate salmon before this is over.  I'd give it away but DS enjoys it so much it doesn't make sense to get rid of it even though I don't like cooking it.

 

Also DD had a Birthday last week but was traveling so we didn't get to celebrate.  I'm going to make her grasshopper pie and use up a box of Andes Candies that I found hidden on the top shelf.

[JumpyTheFrog]

Okay, I finally looked through the fridge.

 

Pineapple

Cauliflower

Spring mix

 

Extra credit this week for anyone who also uses a sauce, vinegar, or cooking wine they bought and used only once. I have rice wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar just waiting to be used.

[cjzimmer1]

Okay, I finally looked through the fridge.

 

Pineapple

Cauliflower

Spring mix

 

Extra credit this week for anyone who also uses a sauce, vinegar, or cooking wine they bought and used only once. I have rice wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar just waiting to be used.

 

balsamic vinegar mixed with honey could make a nice salad dressing for your spring mix.  I also use balsamic vinegar when cooking beef roasts. 

 

[Artichoke]

Okay, I finally looked through the fridge.

 

Pineapple

Cauliflower

Spring mix

 

Extra credit this week for anyone who also uses a sauce, vinegar, or cooking wine they bought and used only once. I have rice wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar just waiting to be used.

I'm in. I'll make Chicken Marsala which will use up:

 

Cream

Mushrooms

Marsala wine

[Jane in NC]

I used the last of the strawberries that I froze in '15 yesterday.  The plan is to use the last of the frozen pumpkin pulp from the fall in a granola recipe this week.

 

And that leaves what I thought was farro for my third item.  As noted last week, there is always a "but" for me in these threads. What I thought was a package of farro is actually kamut. Pfui. I wanted to make the Smitten Kitchen one-pan farro recipe that someone had linked but I don't have farro which cooks much more quickly.  Hmmm...time for creative thinking...

Edited April 12, 2016 by Jane in NC

[cjzimmer1]

And that leaves what I thought was farro for my third item.  As noted last week, there is always a "but" for me in these threads. What I thought was a package of farro is actually kamut. Pfui. I wanted to make the Smitten Kitchen one-pan farro recipe that someone had linked but I don't have farro which cooks much more quickly.  Hmmm...time for creative thinking...

 

Well if you come up with some great use for Kamut I'd love to hear it.  I have a bag of that in my cupboard too (although it's a different one than I'm currently trying to clean out).  You know I bought it for . . . . something but no clue what so here it sits.

[Cinder]

Okay, I finally looked through the fridge.

 

Pineapple

Cauliflower

Spring mix

 

Extra credit this week for anyone who also uses a sauce, vinegar, or cooking wine they bought and used only once. I have rice wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar just waiting to be used.

 

I use rice vinegar regularly in this sesame chicken recipe. I'm sure rice wine vinegar would do well also. The recipe has become a family favorite. I skip the breading part and just stir-fry the chicken and double the sauce. My family prefers less ginger and the sesame seeds could be optional. I also use less than half the cornstarch. The sauce is fairly sweet so I add in veggies--usually broccoli and onion, which I stir fry (and remove to another dish) before cooking the chicken--and that helps cut the sweetness. You could use cauliflower as your veg. (ETA: I add the veg back in after the sauce has thickened.)

 

That's all I have right now. I'm sure I have my own list of must-use but I'll have to figure that out later. Tomorrow is clean-out-the-fridge day.

Edited April 12, 2016 by Cinder

[Cinder]

Well if you come up with some great use for Kamut I'd love to hear it.  I have a bag of that in my cupboard too (although it's a different one than I'm currently trying to clean out).  You know I bought it for . . . . something but no clue what so here it sits.

 

Could you add it to a veg chili? Dh has a recipe that uses bulgur wheat and beans and crimini.

[mamiof5]

Well if you come up with some great use for Kamut I'd love to hear it. I have a bag of that in my cupboard too (although it's a different one than I'm currently trying to clean out). You know I bought it for . . . . something but no clue what so here it sits.

Oh!!! I got an email today with a recipe using farrot or kamut...crockpot recipe...it was some sort of soup. From Betty crocker? Ugh!! Can't remember :( but it was a soup, in the crockpot. I didn't print it since I had NO idea what those are

[JumpyTheFrog]

Okay, we just ate the pineapple. I think I'll roast the cauliflower tonight.

[Lady Florida.]

1. Peach tea bags. I found them in the top of the pantry and am going to make peach iced tea. I haven't decided yet whether to mix them in with regular tea bags or use all peach.

2. Apple slices I froze from when we went apple picking in NC a year and a half ago! I think they'll be okay for apple crisp

3. Frozen potato skins. I made twice-baked potatoes and used the tops to make potato skin appetizers. They're already seasoned with bacon, cheese, and chives.

 

Here are a few things I managed to clear out so far. Items in bold needed to get used.

 

-Sunday we had a snack style dinner: cheese, crackers, rolled up lunch meat, veggies and hummus. I found a block of pepper jack cheese in the freezer and used that. We used a lot of the crackers, though there are still some left. And I forgot to put out the olive tapenade.  :banghead:

 

-Yesterday we had hamburgers and while I bought the meat and buns, I was able to use up a few other items. A friend gave us lettuce from her garden and though we had nice, big, dinner salads Saturday there was still some left. We used up a good bit of that on our burgers. I also made a mango strawberry fruit salad as a side, which allowed me to use up 2 mangos before they became overripe.

 

[kiana]

Sauerkraut that's been sitting in the fridge forever.

Pork roast that's been sitting in the freezer forever (already cooked and chopped). 

 

Milk that's really close to turning. 

[dzingirl]

My list is super boring:

 

2 boxes of Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper

2 boxes of Lasagna Hamburger Helper

Working on leftovers

Still working on box of Frosted Mini Wheats

 

Still not buying much and still trying to cook from what we have.

[nd293]

I did the fruit and veg shop while hungry last Sunday so getting the 4 of us to eat our way through 4 bags of fresh stuff has taken most of my attention this week.

 

Today I used leftover coconut milk, the last of the frozen veg, the last of the peanuts and some cauliflower and cabbage leftover from a stirfry earlier this week to make coconut fried rice. Usually we use a nasi goreng spice for our fried rice so this made a change. Very tasty!

 

I have a zucchini and some tomatoes in the fridge, and a sweet potato in the cupboard so I'm thinking about some sort of frittata tomorrow.

 

I also used a soon to expire pizza discount voucher for dinner last night - that should count, right?

[nd293]

1. Peach tea bags. I found them in the top of the -Sunday we had a snack style dinner: cheese, crackers, rolled up lunch meat, veggies and hummus. I found a block of pepper jack cheese in the freezer and used that. We used a lot of the crackers, though there are still some left. And I forgot to put out the olive tapenade. :banghead:

 

That sounds great - I love snack dinners.