Spring Pantry Challenge

[lisam427]

i have more stuff from relatives. yesterday mom called. my dad made homemade italian sausage. she didnt want it as they still had it from a while ago. they ended up giving me about 30 pounds of it. my sister also gave me about 4 jars of unopened, not expired peanut butter. my game plan until march is to just buy things only if i run totally out of it (bread, milk, egg, fruit, vegis). other than that, everything will be from the freezer and pantry.

sunday i am making Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken from the crockpot section of this board. also going to make a big pot of soup for monday and lunches for the week. with the soup ill use up the whole wheat rolls that came with our angel food package and some vegis in the fridge/freezer. i will post the rest of the week later.

 

[50sjayne]

I ended up spending $123 at the grocery store this past Sunday night. But I stuck with just buying fresh produce, bread, eggs, milk, juice, and seltzer (an essential for me!). I didn't buy any meat or grocery items.

Right now I have a large whole chicken, a pork roast, a pork tenderloin, a pack of plain steak tips, and a large tupperware of chicken soup stock defrosting in the fridge. None of it is defrosted enough to use tonight, so tonight's supper is still up in the air. Hopefully SOMETHING will be defrosted enough by the morning to put it in the crockpot. DD has a swim meet tomorrow out of town, so I would love to have a meal ready in the crockpot when we return home. Same story for Sunday.

If I could get my breadmaker going, I could make dough to make hamburger rolls for tonight and we could have Boca burgers and homemade oven fries (since I bought potatoes on Sunday!). Sounds like a plan!

Thanks to everyone for sharing their ideas this month!..............P

Great crockpot pork roast recipe:
http://www.ideamarketers.com/?crockpot_pork&articleid=710036

 

[momx2]

I haven't posted in a long time.....I have been following this thread since the original thread in December. I have been doing a modified version of the Pantry Challenge. My challenge has been more a Freezer Challenge. I have a small chest freezer that I almost couldn't close at the beginning of December. I also have the freezer over my old refrigerator in the garage. Then, finally, I have the side-by-side freezer on the refrigerator in my kitchen. They were all full at the beginning of December.

I went to take inventory last night of my chest freezer and I have really almost emptied it since December. I haven't been buying any meats, chicken or pork. All I have left now is the following:

1 3lb. beef brisket
4lbs. ground turkey
2lbs ground beef
1 pork tenderloin
1 small whole chicken
4 pkgs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5lbs each)
1 20lb turkey
1 9lb turkey breast
1 bag, 2.5lbs of chicken tenders

Now, I realize that this is still alot, but it's nothing compared to what was there 2 months ago. I was barely able to close the lid. I only have a bunch of homemade frozen pesto, chicken stock and frozen, fresh green beans left in my garage refrigerator freezer. My inside freezer just has the normal stuff we eat like icecream, french fries, frozen veggies, etc. I am so happy.

My goal is to try to empty out the rest of the chest freezer, save the turkeys since we just cooked a whole turkey last weekend. I can't figure out what to do with that brisket....any ideas!

This weekend we are having Baked Potato Soup, Chili, Turkey Tetrazini and Homemade Turkey and Rice soup with the leftover turkey carcass from last weekend. We have about 5-6 inches of snow and we need soups!!!

 

[lisam427]

I went to take inventory last night of my chest freezer and I have really almost emptied it since December. I haven't been buying any meats, chicken or pork. All I have left now is the following:

1 3lb. beef brisket
4lbs. ground turkey
2lbs ground beef
1 pork tenderloin
1 small whole chicken
4 pkgs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5lbs each)
1 20lb turkey
1 9lb turkey breast
1 bag, 2.5lbs of chicken tenders

Now, I realize that this is still alot, but it's nothing compared to what was there 2 months ago. I was barely able to close the lid. I only have a bunch of homemade frozen pesto, chicken stock and frozen, fresh green beans left in my garage refrigerator freezer. My inside freezer just has the normal stuff we eat like icecream, french fries, frozen veggies, etc. I am so happy.

My goal is to try to empty out the rest of the chest freezer, save the turkeys since we just cooked a whole turkey last weekend. I can't figure out what to do with that brisket....any ideas!

This weekend we are having Baked Potato Soup, Chili, Turkey Tetrazini and Homemade Turkey and Rice soup with the leftover turkey carcass from last weekend. We have about 5-6 inches of snow and we need soups!!!

hi momx2,
congratulations on the progress you have made on the freezer/pantry challenge. you are doing great!!!! i found an easy recipe for the beef brisket. you could probably do this in a crock pot too.

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/barbecued-beef-brisket-50285.aspx

lisa

 

[momx2]

Thanks lisam427! That is all the recipes I can find for brisket too, barbeque. I didn't want to barbeque it, but now I think I'm going to in the next few weekends. It will be good for quiet a few meals I think. Thanks for the recipe, it looks fairly easy. I think I'll substitute the Kraft barbeque sauce for Sweet Baby Rays....Man! Is that stuff good!

 

[50sjayne]

Well you'd all be very proud of me. I just made cookies for the first time in probably 10 years. Turned out good. Using baking stuff lol.

 

[Priorityonecb]

I did great today! We had a crazy snow storm in NC so we spent the day at home!

I put together a Mexican soup using a ton of canned goods from the pantry, and some frozen vegetables from the freezer! It was delicious, healthy, and fed us both lunch and dinner with enough left for one more lunch for one.

I had some apples and some caramel that was either "eat or throw out soon". I made an apple cake with caramel icing, and felt really good that I used it instead of wasting. It was delicious!

 

[50sjayne]

I did great today! We had a crazy snow storm in NC so we spent the day at home!

I put together a Mexican soup using a ton of canned goods from the pantry, and some frozen vegetables from the freezer! It was delicious, healthy, and fed us both lunch and dinner with enough left for one more lunch for one.

I had some apples and some caramel that was either "eat or throw out soon". I made an apple cake with caramel icing, and felt really good that I used it instead of wasting. It was delicious!

I love the apple cake idea-- I have some that are going too. For dinner I used up 2 pks of beef ramen, added some peas that had been in an opened bag in the freezer for ages, and leftover steak sliced thin. Drained the water, only used one spice packet for both and aded a little worcester. Was very good.

 

[lisam427]

I love the apple cake idea-- I have some that are going too. For dinner I used up 2 pks of beef ramen, added some peas that had been in an opened bag in the freezer for ages, and leftover steak sliced thin. Drained the water, only used one spice packet for both and aded a little worcester. Was very good.

this sounds really good. i think i will try this.

 

[charming23]

Yesterday was my grandma's birthday party and it was a huge success. We had pork BBQ (her favorite) using a pork roast we had in the freezer that we had gotten for $.99lb back in November.

Today will be something with ground turkey that I just got out of the freezer.

Tomorrow is my first day back at school so we will be eating leftovers from the party.

Next month I really need to focus on using up everything in the freezer. January has been rough with so much going on and all the grocery stores seemed to have great deals on meats and pantry items so I need to use those up. My goal is only to spend $50 a week on grocery and household items.

 

[Priorityonecb]

Today is expensive, but we were all craving lasagna. We have two that like just cheese, two that like it with hamburger. So, the once a year or so that we want it...I break down and buy Stouffer's. $6 for one cheese, one regular! I'll throw together a salad with that. We have enough apple cake leftover for dessert.

We are doing well for breakfast and lunch! I used up the last of a loaf of bread for french toast. Lunch is using up the last of the potatoes and mushrooms for Giada's twice baked potatoes and mushrooms. Yum!!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Finished my shopping, and was over budget as usual. Around $75.00 BUT I got pop and snacks for the SuperBowl, so I don't feel too bad..

Sunday Night: Goulash w/fresh Italian bread
Monday Night: Goulash w/fresh Italian bread (not crazy DD if going out to dinner with her DBF and DS is sick and sleeping, so I will not let it waste!)
Tuesday Night: Crockpot Chicken and Red potato stew with bisquits.
Wednesday: Grilled Cheese sandwiches and Soup (I have a lot of canned soup and we really need to put a dent in it)
Thursday: Ham w/scalloped potatoes, green beans and applesauce
Friday: Meatloaf, sweet potatoes, and peaches...

Saturday: No clue, as always the kids lives will dictate the meal.

Hope everyone is staying warm and having a great weekend!

 

[momx2]

OMG, I have been cooking all day. So far I have made homemade turkey and rice soup with the leftover turkey carcas from the whole turkey we made last weekend.

I used two packets of the chicken I had in the freezer and made the chicken corn/bean crockpot recipe I read on here, but I didn't put in the cream cheese. I don't have any and it's not something I normally buy. I used 3 of the breast to shedded with 1/2 the corn and beans (drained the juice with a slotted spoon) and made a chicken enchilada casserole. I used a can of cheese soup I've had forever, 1 cup of sour cream and my last can of diced green chilis. I mixed those 3 together and poured over layers of corn tortillas and the chicken bean and corn mixture. I covered it and I'm cooking it for 30 minutes.

I have ready to put in the oven a turkey tetrazini. I'll put it in the oven when the chicken enchilada are finished.

I took the last 3 chicken breast with 1/2 the corn and beans and all the crockpot juice and chunked it. I was going to add sour cream since I didn't have cream cheese, but I'm out. I'll make rice to mix with it. Boy, I'm tired!

 

[tinkarooni]

I just came from the February no buy thread which for me goes hand in hand with this one. My grocery budget for the whole month is $400. which is crazy low for us, I usually spend $900. I am planning on using this thread to inspire and encourage me and pocket the big savings.

So I also did some cooking today for the week. Big pot of sauce with meatballs and sausage. That will be at least two meals and probably a couple of lunches. A refried bean pizza for snacks which has a scratch cornmeal crust and is topped with refried beans, black olives, cheese and salsa. The kids heat this up for a hearty snack. I soaked a pot of black beans and tomorrow will make some Chicken Tortilla soup to have in the fridge. My DS11 has reached this age where he is always eating. I would rather rather he ate healthy things that filled him up rather than a handful of crackers and a frozen gogurt.

Dinner today was Marinated Flank Steak. I had marinated a couple of Flank Steaks and popped them in the freezer, just thawed and threw on the George Forman grill. Added sweet potatoes, broccoli and some home made applesauce.

Lunch was Turkey Tortilla roll ups. I had some veggie cream cheese, added turkey, cheese, shredded carrots to a tortilla and sliced them like appetizers. Kids always like silly little things like that.

 

[Priorityonecb]

Oh!! Thank you TINKEROONI!!!! That refried bean pizza is a *great idea!!! I do a quesadilla that would translate to your pizza idea perfectly!! A "sauce" of refried beans, topped with black beans, corn, salsa and topped iwth cheese! Fabulous idea!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I love the refried bean pizza idea too. I have some salsa tortillas I bought the other day for quesadillas, but I've got to try that.

Monday - Shrimp "Stuff"
Tuesday - Lasagna

 

[charming23]

Finally got my menu all figured out for the week.

My mom and I were both tired tonight so we had leftovers from the party and will use the ground turkey tomorrow night.

The weekly menu is:
Monday: Baked Potatoes topped with homemade turkey chili, cheese, and sour cream with salad
Tuesday: Homemade tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwhiches
Wednesday: Pork Roast in the Crockpot with buttered noodles and a veggie
Thursday: Baked Ham with scalloped potatoes
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Chicken and dumplings
Sunday: Finger food for the superbowl

 

[tinkarooni]

Oh!! Thank you TINKEROONI!!!! That refried bean pizza is a *great idea!!! I do a quesadilla that would translate to your pizza idea perfectly!! A "sauce" of refried beans, topped with black beans, corn, salsa and topped iwth cheese! Fabulous idea!

I hope you like it. I make a scratch cornbread as if I were making muffins and I add an extra egg to make it a slightly denser crust. I spread it into a 13x9 pan and bake the crust. Than I add the toppings and heat through to melt. It's great hot out of the oven. I cut it into squares and the kids pop pieces into the toaster over whenever they want one.

 

[charming23]

Today is a super busy day around here as I started my classes today and I have 3 of them on Mondays.

Breakfast was coffee (that I brewed at home instead of buying at school) and a breakfast bar.

Lunch is chicken sandwiches and dinner is going to be baked potatoes topped with turkey chili and salad.

 

[Priorityonecb]

Tonight is going to be a little bit of everything we have in the fridge. I have several things that aren't enough for a full meal, but I'll throw them all together and hopefully it will satisfy everyone. It's just me, dh and the littlest daughter tonight.

Mexican soup (enough for each of us to have a small serving)
Salad (also enough for each of us to have a small serving)
Pigs in a blanket (I have two hot dogs left, will make 8 little "pigs")
Tuna melts (2 servings left. I'll make two sandwiches and cut into 8 cute triangles each).

We'll finish up the apple cake for dessert.