Spring Pantry Challenge

[tinkmom2]

... I read the subject line as "Spring Panty Challenge." Geesh.

Yep the challenge is fitting into smaller ones lol!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

May is so stuff for me to get meals ready and have the kids where they need to be each night.... But I am ealing going to try to stay on track:

Sunday: Baked potato bar (mostly leftovers and requested)
Monday: Left over chinese food (big take-out mistake from Saturday night)
Tuesday: Mock stroganoff, garlic mashed potatoes, and green beans
Wednesday: Chicken (not sure how or with what, but it will be chicken), fruit salad
Thursday: Veggie pizza's
Friday: Open (most likely cooking out, but the weather is iffy still)

Hope everyone has a great week.

 

[lisam427]

ihello everyone. last night i thawed ground beef and ground venison that was given to me for free. i made two batches of meatballs. today i threw half in the crockpot with cooked italian sausage and spaghetti sauce. the other half will be thrown in the crockpot for tomorrow nights dinner (cranberry meatballs).

i did horrible last week on eating out. we ordered out twice. thank god this is a new month.

heres the plan for the coming week. my goal is no ordering out this week.

cranberry meatballs rice green beans
another meal of spagetti and meatballs
sloppy joes salad
chicken and rice casserole with frozen vegis
steak baked potatoe vegis from freezer
leftovers

went to aldis yesterday and i spent $38 this month so far. if i can get under my $200.00 grocery budget the difference will go towards paying off my disney trip.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I cleaned out my pantry again yesterday, and though I had less then usual to donate, I was glad, because that means I'm using more of what I buy.

 

[charming23]

last week did not go well. We ate takeout more than I am willing to admit.

I am determined to stay on track this week.

Tonight: Ground turkey sloppy joes with fruit salad
Monday: Grilled Hamburgers with cucumber salad
Tuesday: London Broil with parmesean garlic oven fries and corn
Wednesday: Chicken encilladas with spanish rice
Thursday: Buttermilk waffles with Canadian Bacon and fruit salad
Friday: Chicken Meatballs with Florentine Pasta
Saturday: Bratwursts with German Potato Salad

 

[momto1]

I have got to get back on board. I am spending, spending, spending and on I don't know what. I am getting control of my freezers but still not my pantry or cabinets.

Tonight - Steak, Broccoli, some box potato from my pantry.
Tuesday - Fish, Rice and Carrots
Wednesday - Frozen Pizza

The rest of the week coming later!

Lori

 

[Priorityonecb]

Tonight is a good one for this challenge. I am using up the last of the frozen fish fillets we have in the freezer, the last of the leftover corn casserole and a bag of frozen lima beans from the freezer as well. We'll finish up the last of the chocolate pudding pie for dessert!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

last week did not go well. We ate takeout more than I am willing to admit.

I am determined to stay on track this week.

Tonight: Ground turkey sloppy joes with fruit salad
Monday: Grilled Hamburgers with cucumber salad
Tuesday: London Broil with parmesean garlic oven fries and corn
Wednesday: Chicken encilladas with spanish rice
Thursday: Buttermilk waffles with Canadian Bacon and fruit salad
Friday: Chicken Meatballs with Florentine PastaSaturday: Bratwursts with German Potato Salad

Are the meatballs homemade and if so, how? Could you provide the recipe? Thanks.

 

[lorac4disney]

Count me in!

My pantry is overflowing into every nook and cranny I have been able to find. I can't stuff another single thing into my freezers and I have to rearrange things in my refrigerator just to shut the door. Now that I'm no longer working, grocery shopping was one of the few times I would even leave the house. I let it get completely out of hand.

We leave for WDW on June 5th so maybe I can get things eaten down before then. Plus, I planted a huge garden (almost 2 acres) and hopefully it will start producing not long after I get back so I'll need the space for that.

Wish me luck!

 

[lorac4disney]

This week's menu:

Tonight: Tamales with salsa, spanish rice, and sliced avocado
Tuesday: 4 cheese manicotti with marinara sauce, garlic bread, and salad
Wednesday: Bratwurst with saurkraut, turnip greens, and fried potatoes
Thursday: Ham, pinto beans, cornbread, and zucchini
Friday: Burritos, refried beans, and salad
Saturday: Pulled pork BBQ, baked beans, and baked sweet potato
Sunday: Vietnamese style chicken fried rice

Now, just to figure out what to do with all of the rest of it.

 

[lisam427]

lorac4disney-welcome!!! glad you joined us

last night we had spagetti and meatballs/sausage again. it came so good we had it two nights in a row. there is enough for one more meal-going to toss it in the freezer for next week. tonight we will be having chicken and rice casserole from leftover chicken in the freezer, and the 6 pounds of rice i have in the pantry. we havent eaten out so far since sunday. my goal is to make it until saturday with no eating out.

i have a bag of whiting filets in the freezer. any ideas on how to prepare them as i would like to add them to next weeks menu.

 

[momto1]

lorac4disney- Welcome! You are way more ambitious than I on planting such a big garden. Sounds like a summer of yummy fresh veggies!

Last night - I was going to use up some box potatoe in the pantry but found some beef Rice A Roni that had been hanging out longer than the potatoes. So, Rice A Roni is gone!

My biggest problem is condiments! My cabinets look like we collect condiments - we must! I have sauces, salad dressings, mixes and lotions and potions to last forever. I have got to get those planned into my menues to use up!

Tonight - fish from freezer, broccoli, and rice. All made in rice maker.

Lori

 

[charming23]

Are the meatballs homemade and if so, how? Could you provide the recipe? Thanks.

Here is the recipe. It is a Racheal Ray and I saw her make it on her 30 minute meals one saturday and have been dying to try it.

Florentine Mac and Cheese with Roast Chicken Sausage Meatballs

•Salt
•1 pound cavatappi corkscrew shaped hallow pasta
•1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
•Black pepper
•2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
•2 teaspoons fennel seeds
•3 cloves garlic, grated
•1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
•1 cup ricotta cheese
•1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
•1 egg
•3/4 cup bread crumbs, plus more, if needed*
•3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, (EVOO) divided
•2 boxes chopped frozen spinach (10 ounces each)
•3 tablespoons butter
•2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•1 cup chicken stock
•1 cup whole milk
•1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg, eyeball it
PreparationPreheat oven to 450°F.

Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. When it comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta to cook to al dente. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.

While the water is coming to a boil, in a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, salt and pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano - a rounded handful, egg and bread crumbs. *If the mixture seems too wet, add a handful of bread crumbs and mix together.

Form 8 large round balls, about 3 to 4-inches. Coat balls in a couple of tablespoons of EVOO and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon EVOO. Arrange balls on the baking sheet and roast 17-18 minutes until juices run clear.

Defrost spinach in microwave 8-10 minutes on "defrost" setting depending on the microwave. Place the boxes in a shallow dish to catch any run off.

While the meatballs roast, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and thicken 5-6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup grated Parmigiano and reduce heat on lowest setting.

Wring spinach completely dry in clean kitchen towel then separate as you add it to the sauce. Also add the reserved 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Toss pasta with the spinach-white sauce and adjust seasonings.

Serve Florentine Mac-n-Cheese with 2 meatballs per person along side.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Here is the recipe. It is a Racheal Ray and I saw her make it on her 30 minute meals one saturday and have been dying to try it.

Florentine Mac and Cheese with Roast Chicken Sausage Meatballs

•Salt
•1 pound cavatappi corkscrew shaped hallow pasta
•1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
•Black pepper
•2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
•2 teaspoons fennel seeds
•3 cloves garlic, grated
•1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
•1 cup ricotta cheese
•1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
•1 egg
•3/4 cup bread crumbs, plus more, if needed*
•3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, (EVOO) divided
•2 boxes chopped frozen spinach (10 ounces each)
•3 tablespoons butter
•2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•1 cup chicken stock
•1 cup whole milk
•1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg, eyeball it
PreparationPreheat oven to 450°F.

Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. When it comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta to cook to al dente. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.

While the water is coming to a boil, in a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, salt and pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano - a rounded handful, egg and bread crumbs. *If the mixture seems too wet, add a handful of bread crumbs and mix together.

Form 8 large round balls, about 3 to 4-inches. Coat balls in a couple of tablespoons of EVOO and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon EVOO. Arrange balls on the baking sheet and roast 17-18 minutes until juices run clear.

Defrost spinach in microwave 8-10 minutes on "defrost" setting depending on the microwave. Place the boxes in a shallow dish to catch any run off.

While the meatballs roast, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and thicken 5-6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup grated Parmigiano and reduce heat on lowest setting.

Wring spinach completely dry in clean kitchen towel then separate as you add it to the sauce. Also add the reserved 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Toss pasta with the spinach-white sauce and adjust seasonings.

Serve Florentine Mac-n-Cheese with 2 meatballs per person along side.

Sounds wonderful. Let me know how it turns out and if you did any substitutions, I would like to put it on next weeks menu.

 

[lorac4disney]

Thanks for the welcome!

I love to garden and can't imagine trying to feed my family without one. I love fresh veggies, but hate the price that grocery stores charge. It's been so wet this year that we got ours in the ground kinda late, but I should still have time to plant a fall garden as well.

I couldn't find the manicotti shells for tonight's dinner, but I found a package of lasanga so that will just have to do. It's smelling really good.

Lori, I've never considered fixing it all together in my rice maker like that, but it sounds like a super good meal. I've got some mahi-mahi I think I'm going to try that with.

Lisa, I've have made it baked in the oven with a white wine reduction sauce (white wine, cream, butter, paprika, salt, and white pepper). After it's baked, I drizzle some of the sauce out of the baking dish over the fish and top it with toasted slivered almonds and a lemon wedge. It's comes out looking and tasting super fancy.

 

[charming23]

Sounds wonderful. Let me know how it turns out and if you did any substitutions, I would like to put it on next weeks menu.

Will do. I always love trying new recipes and also hearing what other think of new recipes they have tried.


So I needed to share with someone but tonight I made London Broil by myself for the first time ever and it turned out really yummy. I was just so happy I did not cook it too well done, it was about medium rare. I also marinated it in Parmesean Asiago Balsamic Dressing from kraft and it had such a good flavor.

 

[IMALOVNDISNEY]

Since I re-discovered this thread on 4/25 ( last Sunday) we have only eaten out once. That was breakfast this past Sunday. We go every week after church. Several times we have been tempted to eat out just because it's easier after softball. Can you say lazy!! But, we haven't.
Thank you Dis friends I knew you'd get me back on track.

 

[lisam427]

hi everyone,
i pretty much followed my menu that i posted last week, except there were no leftovers as we packed them 4 lunch. tonight we had chicken helper and frozen corn. tomorrow we will have the steak dinner i had planned for the week.

i have to do some grocery shopping. i have some really good coupons and our fridge is practically empty. the freezer is a different story. heres my plan for next week.

spagetti and sausage with salad
veal cutlets, mashed potatoes, veg from freezer
some sort of chicken casserole, veg from freezer
something using polish sausage (have to look on the kraft website)
fish, veg from freezer, rice
breakfast for dinner

im not sure of what we are doing for mother's day yet so im not planning anything for sunday. hope everyone had a great week. look forward to reading your posts.

 

[lisam427]

Thanks for the welcome!

I love to garden and can't imagine trying to feed my family without one. I love fresh veggies, but hate the price that grocery stores charge. It's been so wet this year that we got ours in the ground kinda late, but I should still have time to plant a fall garden as well.

I couldn't find the manicotti shells for tonight's dinner, but I found a package of lasanga so that will just have to do. It's smelling really good.

Lori, I've never considered fixing it all together in my rice maker like that, but it sounds like a super good meal. I've got some mahi-mahi I think I'm going to try that with.

Lisa, I've have made it baked in the oven with a white wine reduction sauce (white wine, cream, butter, paprika, salt, and white pepper). After it's baked, I drizzle some of the sauce out of the baking dish over the fish and top it with toasted slivered almonds and a lemon wedge. It's comes out looking and tasting super fancy.

lorac4disney-thanks for the suggestion, it sounds sooooooo good. im going to try it this coming week.

 

[Priorityonecb]

We did go out to dinner last night for dh's birthday. But, the night before we had an awful schedule, but chose to pack a picnic instead of eating out...trying to be good!

Tonight we did well! I finished up the last of the fish fillets in the freezer, leftover baked beans, fresh broccoli slaw and carrot sticks.

I did spend $70 at the grocery store this week, but I stocked up on a few pantry items. I am hoping to keep it under $50 next week.