Jan 2010 Pantry/Freezer Challange

**EmilyD** · 01-02-2010, 12:39 AM

Like misstina, I had a subway sub for dinner, delicious but not from my pantry.

For lunch, I used part of the spring mix and a cup of the grapes from the fridge (produce and fruit are my biggest spoilage problems) Also used my lo-cal dressing (I have most of one and a full one). Today, I did buy some high fiber Wheat Thins to eat with my salads.

Tonight, we finished the Christmas Cherry cheesecake. So no waste there. dh also snacked on potato chips left in the pantry

Tonight, I will also eat from my almond stash in pantry

**McD** · 01-02-2010, 10:09 AM

Taking easy fiesta chicken out of the freezer for dinner tonight. Will make HM spanish rice using bits nad pieces from the pantry.

**missyali** · 01-02-2010, 10:24 AM

So far, so good.

**qsaver704** · 01-02-2010, 10:39 AM

today's plan: chicken quesadillias, Spanish rice, black beans
frozen: shreaded chicken, queso cheese
pantry: rice, beans, spices, tortilla shells

**monkeywrangler71** · 01-02-2010, 11:01 AM

I'm really struggling to come up with a menu this week. I feel lost without the oven. I have 5 days figured out.

There is some sliced roasted beef wrapped up in my freezer, does anyone have any ideas of something I can do with it? Everything I've ever attempted to do with leftover roastbeef has been terrible.

**McD** · 01-02-2010, 01:13 PM

I just made my next week's menu. I designed it to maximize my participation in this challenge as well as try new recipes. So here it is!

1/4 tacos (using frozen taco meat from freezer)
1/5 chili (using frozen chili from freezer)
1/6 shredded beef au jus with scalloped potatoes (New recipe-using roast from freezer, box of potatoes from pantry)
1/7 teriyaki beef stir-fry over rice (new recipe-using round steak from freezer, rice from pantry)
1/8 lasagna (preassembled in freezer)
1/9 creamy chicken enchiladas (new recipe-using chicken from freezer and leftover items from taco night)

**vickilynn** · 01-02-2010, 04:46 PM

Mrs Mc what a great idea..... There's just the two of us so I plan 3 meals and we have leftovers the other nights. So planning from the freezer we'll have:
Ham, leftover veggies
okra soup and cornbread
beef stew with french bread

**qsaver704** · 01-02-2010, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by monkeywrangler71

I'm really struggling to come up with a menu this week. I feel lost without the oven. I have 5 days figured out.

There is some sliced roasted beef wrapped up in my freezer, does anyone have any ideas of something I can do with it? Everything I've ever attempted to do with leftover roastbeef has been terrible.

I took sliced roast beef and heated it with a little gravy. I served it with potatoes and a veggie. You can add some bread and a dessert.

**ri*smom** · 01-02-2010, 05:14 PM

More planning from the deep freezer:

Jan 7th Chicken Fajita Pitas w/ beans and rice
Jan. 8th Eggplant Parmesan, french bread and salad
Jan 9th Butternut Squash soup, salad & homemade bread
Jan 10th Cabbage Rolls, corn on the cob & zucchini bread (at least I *think* it is zucchini bread! Bwhahahaha!)
Jan 11th Chili, salad and skillet cornbread
Jan 12th Salmon wellington, couscous, and steamed broccoli
Jan 13th Buffalo chicken pizza and salad

Desserts: Brownies and ice cream & more Cheerio-marshmallow treats

**tripleb** · 01-02-2010, 05:18 PM

Count me in! I have a freezer full of food and the pantry is also pretty full.

**ri*smom** · 01-02-2010, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by qsaver704

I took sliced roast beef and heated it with a little gravy. I served it with potatoes and a veggie. You can add some bread and a dessert.

That's what I would do to . . . they gravy helps it not dry out so badly. Maybe even open face on a piece of hm bread. Sometimes we do towers, too: large dollup of mashed taters over a biscuit and then covered with the meat, gravy and peas & carrots.

**peanut** · 01-02-2010, 06:19 PM

Well that was good planning! Tonight we have vegetarians coming to stay with us, and they phoned to say they'd be here by dinner time. Dinner tonight is Vegetarian Chili! Maybe I'll make cornbread to go with it...

**NikoSan999** · 01-02-2010, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by monkeywrangler71

I'm really struggling to come up with a menu this week. I feel lost without the oven. I have 5 days figured out.

There is some sliced roasted beef wrapped up in my freezer, does anyone have any ideas of something I can do with it? Everything I've ever attempted to do with leftover roastbeef has been terrible.

Could shred it and make BBQ beef sandwiches

Everyone just kind of picked today. Nothing really to report or brag on. Everyone under the weather.

**warramra** · 01-02-2010, 06:49 PM

After a very lazy day, we decided to go with the leftover ham from last night before I repackage it into meal packages to put back into the freezer for later this month. The kids wanted mac n' cheese with the ham, while DH and I are just having sandwiches. Had canned pineapple on the side.

Found a jar of mango chutney someone gave to my mom, who passed it on to me...any ideas how to use this?

**emily_hope** · 01-02-2010, 07:03 PM

I'm trying to use stuff from my freezer and pantry stock, too. Tonight for supper, I am using 2 cans of carrots, 2 cans of peas, a can of pineapple chunks, part of a box of mashed potatoes, some Crescent rolls and 2 packages of boneless, skinless chicken thighs that had almost been in the freezer for 6 months! The only new item is the Caesar salad we are having and it was on sale at the grocery store.