Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Pantry Challenge Update-Using stuff up


Well, another week has gone by in the Pantry Challenge, and I'm still trying to figure out what to do with the various random items I've found so far. We ate the Kasha (buckwheat groats) twice this week as a side with dinner, and I liked them; very similar to brown rice. I might even buy some more in the future!

I made cookies using a recipe on the side of the 5 grain cereal--I liked all the ingredients: dried cranberries, coconut, raisins, walnuts, but they were...soggy. Perhaps from the recipe instructions to add 1/2 cup of water, which I've never seen in a cookie recipe before. I think I am going to treat the cereal as rolled oats and try a different cookie recipe-- I already have one in mind! I'm using the barley in my Soup of the Week this week (serving for lunch rather than dinner, so not listed below), and I still haven't figured out what to do with the frozen mango. (We ate the chicken, but without the mango as I couldn't get my nerve up to try and do something with it!)

So here is where I am with the meal plan this week:

  • Tuesday: Creamy Enchilada Casserole, mixed vegetables (using beans, refried beans, and salsa from the pantry) I just want to point out that the picture in the link for the recipe looks nothing like the casserole! I'll post a picture of what it really looks like tonight. :)
  • Wednesday: Salmon with Lime Cilantro Soba Noodles and spinach (using frozen salmon, soba noodles in pantry, and various condiments in pantry... although I HIGHLY recommend the fresh lime...incredible!)

  • Thursday: Pasta w/Meatballs and sauce, broccoli

  • Friday: Bunny's Turkey Breast (from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook), sweet potatoes + green vegetable
  • Saturday: Leftovers

  • Sunday: Shrimp Pasta (w/frozen shrimp we need to use) still looking for a recipe
  • Monday: Turkey/Chicken Casserole with biscuit topping (this is a great recipe from a friend of mine, but I have to figure out where it came from...)

  • Tuesday: Bouchons au Thon (the tuna corks that I didn't make last weekend because the kids did Make Your Own Pizza)
That's as far as I've made it--I'll have to take a look around at everything again and see if I can put together 5 more meals to make it to the end of January without going to the grocery store again. I went again this weekend because we needed milk/bread/produce/meat--I'll compare how much I spent this month with how much I usually spend next week. I can make all the meals above with what I have in the house... it will take a little creativity to get to the end of the month!

Check out other Pantry Challenge Updates at LifeasMom.com!

No comments: