Creative Cooks---COVID-19 model (aka pantry challenge)

[Ottakee]

Thought I would start a new thread for people that need to cook creatively/do a pantry clean out during these times when your typical food might not be available or limited.

We have plenty of food here and do have easy access to a grocery store if needed.  That said, I am trying to use up everything, esp perishable items before they can go bad.

Lunch today was avocado toast...I have chips but the bag wasn't open and there was bread to use.

Anyone want to join in and share....or present a challenging set of ingredients to use?

 

[Arcadia]

Yesterday for dinner DS15 requested for a potato dish. So I stir fried cubed red baby potatoes, thin asparagus cut into strips, in Trader Joe’s turkey gravy. 

[KatieJ]

I have a large bag of fresh broccoli. We ate it steamed, brocoli salad in the fridge for dinner tonight, and I will be making broccoli soup with the remainder tomorrow. Fresh tomatoes and cucumbers are in salads, I will just have lettuce left to use after thst. Potatoes , I am planning on moving them to cooler storage ina crawl space, and I will cook a large amount of mashed and freeze them for later use. 

Carrots ad onions I plan to make turkey soup with next weekend.

Edited March 23, 2020 by KatieinMich

[klmama]

I love wacky cake!  No eggs, no milk, but it's delicious.  I wonder if it would work with gluten-free flour?  In case anyone wants to start googling recipes, it's also called "crazy cake."  

My goal is to use or freeze leftovers right away, so they aren't wasted.  The other night dc made pasta with a jar of marinara sauce, but didn't use all the sauce.  Dc also ate one hot dog.  The next day we finished the hot dogs, along with some cole slaw.  Later, I used the leftover sauce and hot dog buns to make garlic bread with dipping sauce as a side for soup, which I made with broth I'd frozen from the last time I cooked a roast in the Instant Pot.  I added onion, frozen veggies, and the shredded cabbage I hadn't used in the slaw.  

One of our loaves of bread was squashed at the bottom of the grocery bag, so I cubed it and used it to make Cinnamon French Toast Muffins, which were a hit.  Thanks to Sherry in OH for suggesting this list of leftover bread recipes.  

[Soror]

Last night was cajun chicken pasta, I had part of a package of cream cheese and some chicken breast left, cooked 2 partial bags of pasta, and made stock from some turkey bones in the freezer. The rest of my stock will go to soup this week.

Tonight is homemade pizza, homemade dough, leftover sauce from the other day, pepperoni from pantry and cheese from frig w/ a combo of veggies

DD2 made cake today, using up some leftover cream cheese frosting and cherries from last week. 

And perhaps a weird combo to some-- the kids were in a kick of eating sandwiches for lunch but then of course now don't want to so I have ham in the frig going uneaten, today they made ham rollups- ham, peanut butter, and pickles.

[mathnerd]

My kale in my garden bed bolted this week because the spring is getting warmer here. So, I cut off all the kale leaves yesterday. So, today we had Kale with pasta and cheese for lunch (the bag of pasta was bought 1 year ago and was made in Italy, which I think will be difficult to find considering most of Italy is devastated now).

[Sherry in OH]

Last night was Cincinnati-style chili and birthday cake with ice cream.

Tonight's dinner will be our version of General Tso's Tofu, brown rice, broccoli, and leftover birthday cake.  

Tomorrow I plan to make bean and cheese enchiladas with a side of salad.  What can I do with the extra corn tortillas?  I bought an 80-count bag because that was the only size available.

[mmasc]

7 minutes ago, Sherry in OH said:

Last night was Cincinnati-style chili and birthday cake with ice cream.

Tonight's dinner will be our version of General Tso's Tofu, brown rice, broccoli, and leftover birthday cake.  

Tomorrow I plan to make bean and cheese enchiladas with a side of salad.  What can I do with the extra corn tortillas?  I bought an 80-count bag because that was the only size available.

I really like corn tortillas toasted in the toaster! Then I eat them with a slice of cheese

[klmama]

26 minutes ago, Sherry in OH said:

What can I do with the extra corn tortillas?   

Do you have extra cheese?  We like to sprinkle with grated cheese and microwave for 30 sec. for quick quesadillas. The corn tortillas stay good for quite a long time, so there's no rush to use them all up.  If you think they may go bad, though, you could freeze them.  My mom used to do that.

 

[Pippen]

Any non-dairy ideas for using up cans of Rotel tomatoes? 

[cjzimmer1]

2 hours ago, Sherry in OH said:

 I plan to make bean and cheese enchiladas with a side of salad.  What can I do with the extra corn tortillas?  I bought an 80-count bag because that was the only size available.

I store mine in the fridge and they last for months so I would just save them till the next time you want something Mexicanish.  I fry mine for a semi crunchy shell.  I've also made mexican type soup and thrown them in for thickening/flavor instead of masa harina.  

[cjzimmer1]

1 hour ago, Pippen said:

Any non-dairy ideas for using up cans of Rotel tomatoes? 

chili, stuffed peppers, chicken cacciatore, any kind of mexican type casserole (something with meat, rice, and tomatoes and mexican seasonings).

[Ottakee]

1 hour ago, Pippen said:

Any non-dairy ideas for using up cans of Rotel tomatoes? 

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn drained

1 can Rotel (or regular diced tomatoes), drain slightly

1 packet taco seasoning mix

Mix together and serve on flour or corn tortillas.  Top with favorite taco toppings.  Add beef, chicken, and/or rice for a bigger meal.

[Matryoshka]

4 hours ago, klmama said:

I love wacky cake!  No eggs, no milk, but it's delicious.  I wonder if it would work with gluten-free flour?  In case anyone wants to start googling recipes, it's also called "crazy cake."  

I'm guessing that's about the same recipe I have called lazy man's cake? 3 c. flour, 2 c. sugar, 1 c. cocoa, water, vinegar, baking soda, salt (I think that's it - didn't look)?  I tried to make that darn recipe 'healthier' for years, decreasing the sugar, subbing all and then progessively less of the flour with ww -and it never worked. It was edible, but always a bit flat, and not in a gooey brownie type of way. Even tried adding eggs to see if that would help.  Nope. I've managed to tweak a zillion other recipes, but this one seems to be some perfect chemistry balance that cannot be changed.  Went back to white flour and all the sugar - perfection.  Just made one for dh's birthday.  I do actually use carob instead of cocoa - my original recipe said to use either, and I actually prefer the carob in this one, even though I'm a total chocaholic.  But anyway,  I'm guessing if even a bit of ww flour flattened it, gluten-free would be right out...

Edited March 23, 2020 by Matryoshka

[Pippen]

I'm in the process of pantry and refrigerator and discovered I had a ton of eggs in the back of the fridge I'd forgot about when I bought home more this weekend. I froze a bunch up in snack size Ziploc, some 2 eggs per bag and some 1 per bag. Beat first if you are using whole eggs and not separating them. 

https://www.thejc.com/lifestyle/food/eggs-in-the-time-of-coronavirus-the-facts-and-hacks-1.498369