Store cupboard challenge

Hapless_2

Tonight is leftovers pie, I had some sliced cooked meat in the freezer, so I got that out last night. Will put in a pastry case and add 2 beaten eggs, some softened leek and onion, stick a pastry lid on top and bake until golden.
Will serve with spud and probably baked beans.

rumblytum

Hi everyone,

I have been 'trying' to run down my larder as I hope to moving house this year.

I have been doing really well at using stuff up, but am running out of inspiration a bit, and wondered if you could think of some ideas with what's left.

Items with an asterisk are staples, so will be purchased once they are getting low, but are there to give an idea of what's in stock.

Thanks so much in advance for your help - I'm getting fed up of trying to make up meals now.

Larder:

Risotto rice - a new recipe idea would be good
pearl barley - I already put it in soup - anything else?
quinoa - I tend to treat it like cous cous - any other ideas?
penne pasta
lasagne x 2
*spaghetti
*pasta spirals
pasta shells
wheatgerm - I mix it in with the muesli - any other possibilities?
oatmeal - ditto
polenta flour - I usually make this as a base, and serve tomatoey chicken on the top - any other ideas?
HM papaya/mustard seed chutney x 4 - it's quite vinegary, and the chunks are too big for s/wiches - I've been using it up slowly in casseroles/cottage pies/bologneses etc
dired blackeyed beans
dried cannellini beans
dried green lentils
dried puy lentils
dried adzuki beans - I already make red dragon pie with these - any other ideas?
dried butter beans
tin peach slices in syrup - will prob. make crumble out of this
tin lychees - will puree these and serve with pannacotta
pear halves - crumble again?
tin flageolet beans - was planning to make bean & spinach cottage pie
tin chickpeas - was planning to make houmous
tin coconut milk
2 x korma paste - I know what to do, but don't have roast chicken very often, so only make leftover curry every so often - is is possilbe to do something with the dried beans/lentils?
white/plain choc chips
light muscovado sugar
wafer paper
leaf gelatine
fruit sugar
cream of tartar
ground arrowroot
*choc/strawb nesquik
2 x squeezy BBQ sauce
soya chunks - I tried this in lasgne, and soaked it, but it was a VERY yeasty flavour, and didn't really absorb the flavours I cooked it with - any tips?
fish sauce
custard powder
walnut oil
toasted sesame oil
rapeseed oil
rye flour - am making rye bread with it - any other uses?
wholemeal SR flour
wholemeal plain flour
dates - using with muesli
flaked almondds - ditto
pine nuts - ditto
hazelnuts - ditto
sesame seeds - ditto
sesame seeds - ditto
chopped mixed nuts - ditto
poppy seeds
whole almonds
unsalted peanuts
dried porcini
pistachio
mixed nuts
walnut pieces
ground almonds
linseeds - muesli
flaxseed - ditto
dessicated coconut
prunes



Freezer:

1/2 carton UHT milk - I'll prob. make custard with it
wholemeal pittas - will use for lunches
oyster sauce - will use in a stir fry
summer fruits - will make a cobbler
2 x blueberries - only ever make muffins with these, and it doesn't use them up fast enough - any other ideas?
shortcrust pastry - earmarked for cheese/pot/onion pie
sour cream - earmarked for mince stuffed tortillas
strawbs - smoothies?
rasps - ditto
wraps - for use with sour cream/lunches
cream
peas
broccoli
spinach
mixed veg
oriental chicken mixture - for use with pastry remainder?
minced beef

I'm sorry this is such a long list - I've been working on reducing it for the last 8 weeks or so, so you can imagine what it was like then. :eek:

I'm feeling uninspired now, so any help using this stuff up would be fab.

I always have milk/yogurt/cheeses in fridge, plus fresh fruit and potatoes that will be constantly replaced.

Thankyou

rumbly x

boo81

Ive heard black eyed beans cooked in coconut milk are meant to be wonderful and you can have this with the rice/quinoa.

You can also use tortilla wraps in cooking, wrpa the chosen filling completely into a parcel (like a spring roll) and then fry in a few cm of oil, with a salad this is to die for. I normally have chicken in a sauce but you could add anything. I imagine some veggies in the korma sauce would be lovely!

boo81

EmmaJ - theres a wicked casserole in there! Use the chicken, soup, pulses, barley and add the garlic and onion too. Anything goes but it will work a treat!

rumblytum

Ooooh thanks for those ideas boo - I'll experiment with both and report back!

I've googled and come up with a Kenyan recipe called Mbaazi which is black eyed beans simmered in coconut milk - sounds divine.
However, am prob. going to go for black eyed peas with spinach and coconut curry, as it uses up some of my spices as well. Thanks for the ideas.

rumbly x

boo81 wrote: »

Ive heard black eyed beans cooked in coconut milk are meant to be wonderful and you can have this with the rice/quinoa.

You can also use tortilla wraps in cooking, wrpa the chosen filling completely into a parcel (like a spring roll) and then fry in a few cm of oil, with a salad this is to die for. I normally have chicken in a sauce but you could add anything. I imagine some veggies in the korma sauce would be lovely!

muddled_midget

I'd use the soya chunks with some of the beans to make a chilli, as I find they absorb spicier flavours better than herby ones and the beans add a bit more texture that can sometimes be lacking. Have this either with rice or in wraps. Also curry paste is good added to a soup, or bean and veg curry is v tasty. All the frozen fruit I would use to make smoothies for breakfasts with a banana added, or I don't know if you could create some kind os summer fruit mousse using them and the gelatine.

nicki_2

Okay I'm at the bottom of my cupboards/freezer and also just about out of money for the month Soooo I need help with some ideas for these ingredients as I'm bored of pasta with parmesan (infact I used the end of the parmesan last night :rolleyes: ) and also sick of bolognese :eek: Problem is OH doesn't want soup in hot weather, or hot meals, nor does he like spicy things. He does (so I found out yesterday after 8 years!:rolleyes:) like Chinese food but I have no chinese recipes and no idea if I could make something out of what I have anyway

Freezer

• Diced Onions (3/4 of a bag)
• Sweetcorn (almost full bag)
• Peas (full bag)
• Baby carrots (1/4 of a bag)
• Turkey Mince
• 8 Smartprice sausage (fresh that I've frozen)
• Chickpeas
• Black eyes Beans
• Red Kidney beans
• Puff pastry
• Pureed Cherries
• Summer fruit sauce (juice left over from warm summer fruit pudding)

Fridge

• Salad (tomatoes, cucumber & lettuce - happy to buy more of these)
• Mint Sauce
• Mayo
• Olive spread (happy to buy more)
• Potatoes (stored under the stairs not the fridge!)

Cupboard

• Pasta (tubes)
• Brown Rice
• Oats
• Spaghetti
• Chopped Tomatoes x 4 tins
• Vegetable Suet
• Plain flour
• Golden Syrup
• Brown sugar
• Sauces
  • Gravy
  • Chicken stock
  • Worchestershire sauce
  • Light Soy Sauce
• Herbs & Spices
  • Mixed herbs
  • Garlic powder
  • Paprika
  • Ground ginger
  • garlic bulbs
  • English mustard
  • Aromat
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Dried Thyme
• Crisp n Dry

HELP :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

boo81

Hi

I need some help, i have some things that need using up and im stuck so need some inspiration, I have the following:

Fridge:
Cooked shredded chicken
Courgettes
Aubergine
Button mushrooms
Tomatoes
Bacon
Spinach
Kohl rabi
Onions
Potatoes
Cheese
Creme fraiche
Plain Yoghurt
Eggs


Store cupboard:
Tuna
Sardines
Pasta (lasagne sheets and spirals)
Butter beans
Black eye beans
Tinned tomatoes
Brown rice
Risotto rice
Quinoa
Noodles

Ive also got the normal herbs and spices and things like vinegar, stock cubes, garlic, oil etc etc

I particularly dont want the veg, chicken or eggs going to waste. Please advise, im fed up with dull pasta and tomato sauce with things chucked in!

Thanks!

Hapless_2

Chicken and bacon in a cheese sauce topped with mash potato as a pie or with lasange?
Courgettes, onions, tomatoes and aubergines, classic ratatouille all bar the peppers.
Scrambled eggs and bacon?
tuna rice salad with beans (add the spinach)?
chicken rice salad with beans?

mapcr77

Chicken swiss enchiladas with refried beans (very mexican!)::j

Fry about 1/3 of onion in little oil, add chopped fresh tomatoes and tin of tomatoes. Add a teaspoon of mustard and season with salt and pepper. Blend to a smooth sauce.

Lay a tortilla wrap in a deep baking dish, fill with shredded chicken and fold in half. Overlap another tortilla and carry on untill you fill the dish.

Cover the tortillas with sauce, pour some creme fraiche and shredded cheese on top, and a few onion rings.

Put in the oven (gas mark 5) for about 30 mins. or until cheese has melted and its warm througout.

Refried beans:
(ideally you should use pinto or black beans, but any beans would do, i quite like borlotti)

In little oil fry half a chopped onion and a bit of garlic -crushed-. Drain the tin of beans and add to onion. Mash the beans or blend them if you wand them really smooth. If they're too dry, add a little milk. Season with salt. Serve as a side dish for the enchiladas.

Hope you like those!


P.S. I've never known why they're called swiss enchiladas, maybe because they dont have chillies in them, but you can add some to the sauce if you want it spicy.