Meal Building from what is on hand (spinoff) [Archive] - AmityMama.com

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Sandi
08-22-2007, 10:55 AM
pepper jelly

bread crumbs
quinoa
dehydrated wild mushrooms X2
1 pack of organics vanilla pudding mix
1 box of sure-jel

mojo sauce and marinade
hoisin
bruschetta relish
green olive tapenade
roasted red peppers
2 jars of apple cranberry chutney
1 jar green olives
peperoncinis
sliced jalapenos
capers
sliced kalamatas (very small jar)
lowfat sesame ginger salad dressing


elbows
thin spaghetti
half a box of rotini
brown rice pasta - called penne, but more like tubes of macaroni
tinkyada mini shells
polenta (tube)

huge jar of apricot sauce
huge jar of mango sauce
2 jars of lemon curd
yuzu spread
agave syrup
assorted honeys and creamed honey
tapioca

large can petite diced tomatoes
2 cans coconut milk
2 cans evaporated milk

1 cans black beans
2 cans cannellini beans
3 cans black eyed peas
1 can navy beans
1 can garbanzo beans

1 can green beans
1 can of sweet corn

2 cans Dave's tuna

maybe three cups of navy beans
maybe four cups of black beans
a huge container of red lentils
um - I don't know what that is - maybe oatmeal
popping corn

12 gallon size ziplocks of whole peeled tomatoes, roasted cherry tomatoes, and crushed roma tomatoes

6 packs of pesto starter + 2 containers


huge bag of frozen blueberries
3 bags of corn
2 bags of organic broccoli

LatteLover
08-22-2007, 10:58 AM
my jaw is dropping... i am overwhelmed with that list lol

Sandi
08-22-2007, 10:59 AM
me, too - hence, eating out all the time!

3Gs4Me
08-22-2007, 11:16 AM
but what I do is to pick a meat or main item and then just work around that. It is nice to have a base for the meal and makes it easier to visualize other possibilities.

stephanielynn
08-22-2007, 11:20 AM
oh my goodness! that's a lot of food. good for you! i'm awful at this game and have to post of own ingredients every so often to get help. hope someone's able to see lots of meals for you!

Sandi
08-22-2007, 11:23 AM
I should explain myself a bit, too. When we were first married, we lived out of town and didn't have a car. So, we would grocery shop for a month at a time. I still tend to do that - find something on sale and load up. I also go to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods and buy tons at a time because it's far away. On top of that, I've been learning to "put up" what I come across in sales, in the garden, and at the CSA.

But, it gets overwhelming - and I don't want to cook and I don't want to dig through the pantry. So I shop again - from scratch (hence the doubles, triples, and even quadruples of items)

A lesson in organization right there!!! My pantry is now organized and I can see what I have (both there and in this list) which helps tremendously.

Mrs. Mommy
08-22-2007, 11:29 AM
Something that stands out, because it has been sounding good to me, is eggplant Parmesan.

Jayne
08-22-2007, 11:34 AM
I've made this soup several times this summer with my tomatoes. It is very rich so I serve it with a light salad. It will use up some of your tomatoes. I do use the heavy cream that is optional to the recipe.


Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence





2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (mix of fresh heirlooms, cherry, vine and plum tomatoes)
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 small yellow onions, sliced
Vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, optional
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart chicken stock
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, optional
3/4 cup heavy cream, optional

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray. If using vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, add them as well, leaving them whole and on the vine. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized.

Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot (set aside the roasted vine tomatoes for later). Add 3/4 of the chicken stock, bay leaves, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.

Wash and dry basil leaves, if using, and add to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat, add cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish in bowl with 3 or 4 roasted vine cherry tomatoes and a splash of heavy cream.



Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
User Rating:











Episode#: TU0201

Sandi
08-22-2007, 11:39 AM
FANTASTIC!!!

Our CSA has unlimited cherry tomato picking and we get gobs every week. I've roasted almost all of them (another two sheet pans last night - FULL) and have them frozen. This is an excellent use for them. :heart: Thank you!!!

I also love putting them on pasta - they taste sort of like sundried tomatoes (sweet and caramelized) without being leathery :)

Sandi
08-22-2007, 11:40 AM
Oh - oh - oh - I have two huge leeks, too. I should make potato leek soup.

Jayne
08-22-2007, 11:40 AM
In the crockpot layer 4 cups of frozen corn
2 cans black beans
cubed raw chicken breast (about 6 or so)
sprinkle with cumin, garlic, ect
jar of salsa

Cook on high 2 - 3 hours. Stir in 8 oz cream cheese. Cook on high until it melts. Serve over rice. Top with cheddar.

Sandi
08-22-2007, 12:48 PM
yum yum yum :)

CityLove
08-22-2007, 01:07 PM
Forgive me if this is a dumb idea but it came to me as I read your inventory. I'll start by saying we have maybe an 1/8 of that list at any time. Your list is awesome though. What if you were to meal plan for the week WITHOUT really thinking of your inventory, then go and shop through your pantry. It would be so overwhelming to me to see that list of foods and try to make a meal plan. However I'm assuming that since you have this stuff that it is what you would use in the course of cooking your normal meals. Does that make any sense?

In fact I'd even clear out a spot in your pantry and put the foods that you'll be using for just that week there. Same for the freezer and fridge.

LatteLover
08-22-2007, 01:26 PM
Forgive me if this is a dumb idea but it came to me as I read your inventory. I'll start by saying we have maybe an 1/8 of that list at any time. Your list is awesome though. What if you were to meal plan for the week WITHOUT really thinking of your inventory, then go and shop through your pantry. It would be so overwhelming to me to see that list of foods and try to make a meal plan. However I'm assuming that since you have this stuff that it is what you would use in the course of cooking your normal meals. Does that make any sense?

In fact I'd even clear out a spot in your pantry and put the foods that you'll be using for just that week there. Same for the freezer and fridge.

I think this awesome advice!!! ITA with it. If you don't have something just substitute. Once you get some of this food pared down, then you can plan from what you have.

Marina
08-22-2007, 01:59 PM
I was overwhelmed looking at the list too.

Then it came to me. You need to plan a meal around the produce that is most likely to go bad first, and then the next, and then the next. If it's tomatoes, then make the easiest quickest meal on your normal rotation (so there's no stress involved, you know, those things you could make in your sleep) that uses tomatoes.

Sandi
08-22-2007, 02:07 PM
What if you were to meal plan for the week WITHOUT really thinking of your inventory, then go and shop through your pantry. It would be so overwhelming to me to see that list of foods and try to make a meal plan. However I'm assuming that since you have this stuff that it is what you would use in the course of cooking your normal meals. Does that make any sense?

In fact I'd even clear out a spot in your pantry and put the foods that you'll be using for just that week there. Same for the freezer and fridge.

Agreed.

Sandi
08-22-2007, 02:08 PM
I was overwhelmed looking at the list too.

Then it came to me. You need to plan a meal around the produce that is most likely to go bad first, and then the next, and then the next. If it's tomatoes, then make the easiest quickest meal on your normal rotation (so there's no stress involved, you know, those things you could make in your sleep) that uses tomatoes.

Exactly what I did! :) Good thinkin'

Sandi
08-22-2007, 02:11 PM
Okay - I updated the list and deleted everything I've used for the list of meals. :)

These are my sticklers (in the OP) - things I don't know what to do with - the things that always get pushed back and not used in the cabinet. ;) It can be a breakfast, lunch, dinner, side dish, or snack. Obviously we'll supplement here and there with fresh ingredients when possible (like, we get CSA stuff) but I'm hoping to stick to this.

Here is what I have so far.

Dinners:
roasted pepper, roasted eggplant, and caramelized onion pizza w goat cheese (DH's request - a la CPK)
potato leek soup with celery and carrots
chicken noodle soup with fresh celery and carrots
vegan shepherds pie
roasted tomato soup
jerk chicken legs on the grill and some kind of rice
spaghetti and veg meatballs
chicken parmesan from frozen/breaded breast
chicken masala in the crockpot with rice cooker rice
roasted whole chicken and potatoes w cranberry sauce
chicken and dumplings from leftover chicken
chicken chili with ground chicken and navy beans canned
Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
stuffed shells with marinara sauce
tilapia piccatta with sliced mushrooms
chicken pot pie topped with puff pastry
gnocchi with pesto and asparagus
baked mostaccioli
pappardelle alfredo
veg burgers and alexia fries
stir fried snow peas, sesame tofu with hoisin, sticky rice
tempura veggies, shrimp, and sticky rice
bbq chicken legs, grilled teriyaki sausages, baked beans, pineapple
veggie philly cheese steaks
veggie curry chicken and basmati rice
split pea soup with crackers
red beans and rice
minestrone with pasta shells and cannellini beans
roasted veg gratin with breadcrumbs
coconut curry red lentil stuff?
taco soup with tomatoes, maybe more of the salsa verde?

breakfasts
cereal bars with fruit
oatmeal
bob's red mill 5 grain
cereal with berries
melon
zucchini bread or muffins
granola
french toast with blueberry compote
waffles with blueberries
bran muffins from freezer
smoothies with frozen fruit
eggs and veggie sausage
biscuits, honey, and jelly with fruit
fruit pancakes and chicken sausage
bars
cherry pancakes
waffles with a side of apricot sauce
waffles with a side of mango sauce

lunches
grilled cheese with tomato slices
tomato cucumber salad
baba ganoush and garlic naan with veggies
mac and cheese
nachos with queso quesadilla, salsa verde, black beans etc.
peanut butter sandwiches X a million
asian noodles
sesame noodles
pasta salad w hearts
"chick" nuggets with fruit
veg corndogs with fruit
hummus and pita
mahi mahi X2
cold tuna pasta salad
veg sandwiches on ciabatta

snacks:
cherry tomatoes
pear tomatoes
flat earth crisps
terra chips
fig newman's
natural cheetos

side dishes
stir fried snow peas
stir fried sugar snap peas
sesame asparagus
mango
roasted beets
stir fried zucchini
salad greens
sweet and sour red cabbage (FNW)
couscous
quinoa/mushroom pilaf

desserts
berries and pound cake
berries and angel food
champagne grape tart
crepes with choc pudding and valrhona chocolate
peanut butter cookies
s'mores
nondairy ice cream cones
brownies
no bake custard pie
no bake pumpkin pies
cereal crispy treats

Sandi
08-22-2007, 02:12 PM
(wow! That's 28 dinners!!!!!!!!!) :drop:

Marina
08-22-2007, 02:33 PM
I'm going to see if I can come up with anything for the poor unloved leftover list. :lol:

bread crumbs - one of the meals my children request as their special birthday meal is oven roasted crispy vegetables. This last batch for my son's birthday I put a ton of stuff in there. Broc, cauliflower, potatoes, fresh green beans, onions, zucs, yellow squash, cabbage in chunks and green tomatoes from the garden. I just chunk everything, wash and toss in a bit of olive oil and then in crumbs (with some type of seasoning) and put in large roasting pans that have been sprayed w/oil. Hot for this time of year to cook, but it doesn't take long. Like 20 minutes if you keep to a single layer and bake at 450. Sometimes I'll turn the broiler on the last few minutes to make them really crispy.

could you combine the quinoa and the mushroom into a type of pilaf?

That chutney sounds like it would be yummy as a marinade/sauce for chicken breasts, over rice maybe.

add some of the broccolli to your potato leek soup.

the roasted red peppers, peppercinis, jalepenos, etc. Those would make yummy veggies sandwiches. Small crusty loaves w/the pepper-y items, slices of tomato, roasted under the broiler w/some really yummy cheese. One of my favorites!

The coconut milk neeeeeds to be a curry. leftover chicken maybe? Oh, one for curry and one for that yummy hawaiian cake! I'm so hungry right now!

lentils, beans, peas can be tossed in to make a taco soup, or just any type of tomato based bean soup. Put that petite diced can of tomatoes in here too.

the tuna and the small shells. cook shells, chill a little, toss with tuna, mayo, a little ranch, relish and some very finely chopped onion. A nice cold salad for lunch.

Sandi
08-22-2007, 02:39 PM
Hey! We hit THIRTY!!! :D Good job :cuc:

Okay - you'll have to elaborate on that hawaiian cake ;)

Marina
08-22-2007, 02:56 PM
I'm looking for the cake recipe. Here's a yummy coconut chicken stew recipe though that sounds YUMMY! and a coconut curry. There's a cake recipe here too, but it's not the one. The one I'm looking for is one of those you find in the cook books churches sell. Cake mix, sub coconut milk for water, but then you poke holes in the cake when it's warm and pour something like condensed milk/coconut milk over the top or something like that. Maybe it's called something like pina colada poke cake or something? It's often given different names.

http://www.earthschoice.ca/recipes.htm

Marina
08-22-2007, 03:00 PM
Oh! Read all these ideas! I think I need to find some coconut milk.

at the bottom is the cake similar to what I'm talking about, but I think i'd use condensed milk.

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/424359