Eating out of the freezer and cupboards challenge - part two

caronc

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

I haven't used gooseberries in alcohol before but will certainly try this - I do a much simpler recipe with damsons and sloes- bottle of cheap white spirit (gin or vodka) with a pound of fruit and a pound of sugar. Slit the fruit and bung it all in a large (kilner) jar or bottle and shake it every time you pass it for several weeks until all the colour has leached and the flavour is how you want it, as you say, a couple of months. It works really well with strawberries over 2-3 weeks and a dash in a flute with prosecco is very popular here (!)





SL

I had a couple of fails with all in together method - it was ok but lost lots filtering it (was with brambles though rather than other fruit). Just love sloe gin- my friend makes it every year and we swap homemade booze so everyone's happy. I'm not a fizz fan but love it just to sip or topped up with soda water or tonic

Out of the freezer yesterday was a pork chop and some chopped chives. 2 slices of roast lamb were added- seems to be the way of it something in/something out so no headway as yet.
Will use up some of the soup made yesterday, the chop and what's left of the root veg mash today along with various fidge veg. Have an on-line shop coming tomorrow but only to cover fresh bits and catering for folk coming over the next two Fridays.

MallyGirl

out
2 packs HM pulled pork
some petit pois and sweetcorn later for savoury rice

in
nothing - I will eat the cauli soup I made for lunches this week rather than put it in the freezer

PasturesNew

This year I've only bought one packet of crumpets. No other food. All food I have eaten since 24 December is what I had in the house on that date.

I need to clear my freezer of veggie overload. It's small and one drawer is stuffed full with:

1Kg of brussels sprouts, minus about 10 I ate.
1Kg of white chopped onions
1Kg of peas, opened, but only 1 tablespoon used.
6 bags, each containing one red onion, that I chopped/froze
1/6 bag of mixed cauli/brocolli
0.5 Kg bag of Basics range mixed/chopped veg
1/4 bag of mixed peas/carrots/beans/sweetcorn

In the other drawer I've got:
1Kg of roast spuds, used 6 pieces.
1Kg of roast parsnips, not opened
1.2Kg of oven chips.

I made some stupid choices for Xmas veg.... when, the reality is, I can only use tiny portions. e.g. I bought 2.5Kg of potatoes, but only 1 tablespoon of mash went onto my dinner plate.

I think the first to go has to be that 1/2Kg of basics mixed/chopped veg. But to make what... if I make something I have to eat it all, otherwise all I'll have done is changed its form and put it back in the freezer

That's the thing.... to really use it up, you have to eat it - you can't just change its format and say "used that"

Primrose

[QUOTE=PasturesNew;719396......
I think the first to go has to be that 1/2Kg of basics mixed/chopped veg. But to make what... if I make something I have to eat it all, otherwise all I'll have done is changed its form and put it back in the freezer

That's the thing.... to really use it up, you have to eat it - you can't just change its format and say "used that" [/QUOTE]


I think that's the problem facing a lot of us. In trying to make space free, we just reconstitute stuff that's already lurking in the freezer. But I try to remind myself that in doing this I'm saving myself cooking time and hassle in the future, so there is another practice purpose being served here as well. We just have to be disciplined about menu planning on a regular basis so that we slowly reduce the pile, otherwise the frustrating thing is that we can see food bargains we can't make use of because we have no free freezer space.

117pauline

From reading all the posts, it seems that we all get a bit overwhelmed with our stashes and so we might sometimes just go for the simple life and buy something new.

I have been thinking that if I am struggling to use things up then I shouldn't fill my freezers and cupboards in the first place.

Out
Tin soup
Noodles
Rice
Chicken breast
Eggs
Bacon
Beans

So I am going to be more mindful about my purchases. Well, I say I intend to but who knows!!

zafiro1984

[QUOTE=Suffolk_lass;71939214 I haven't used gooseberries in alcohol before but will certainly try this - I do a much simpler recipe with damsons and sloes- bottle of cheap white spirit (gin or vodka) with a pound of fruit and a pound of sugar. Slit the fruit and bung it all in a large (kilner) jar or bottle and shake it every time you pass it for several weeks until all the colour has leached and the flavour is how you want it, as you say, a couple of months. It works really well with strawberries over 2-3 weeks and a dash in a flute with prosecco is very popular here (!)SL[/QUOTE]

What a good idea and it sounds quite simple, I've over 20 blackcurrant bushes, far too many. I usually make icecream, sorbet, jam, and even curd but that's a bit too sharp for us. Has anyone ever made wine from blackcurrents, if so have you a simple recipe you could share?

Out of freezer:- 8 pieces of Mary Berry tea bread. 6 rolls for soup.

Into freezer:- 2 pks of cooked turkey from the carcass yesterday.
The rest of the stuff for today is all from the fridge, either leftovers from yesterday or fruit and veg.

dannie

Yesterday 16/1/2017:-

Food products used up = 2 (both were given to me; one in the last few days and the other several years ago).

On the topic of fruit, my blackcurrant bush doesn't produce many berries and a few cane plants only provide a few ounces of fruit. However, locally there are abundant blackberries to pick (888gr collected in 2016). Also, I have a file regarding other sources of food for free found locally! Need another fridge freezer really......

phizzimum

Pastures New - that's amazing! Very inspiring!

phizzimum

Primrose and Suffolk Lass - I thought my freezer was full of soft fruit till I read your posts :rotfl:

I can't remember who suggested gooseberry fool but I've made it twice recently so that's nearly all the goosegogs gone

Going to focus on redcurrants next.

There's a few bags of horribly sour plums but think I might just leave those. The trouble is, when DH sees me using things up he just plants more at the allotment and says "I know how much you like gooseberries, French beans, pumpkins (insert name of relevant produce)

caronc

zafiro1984 wrote: »

What a good idea and it sounds quite simple, I've over 20 blackcurrant bushes, far too many. I usually make icecream, sorbet, jam, and even curd but that's a bit too sharp for us. Has anyone ever made wine from blackcurrents, if so have you a simple recipe you could share?

Out of freezer:- 8 pieces of Mary Berry tea bread. 6 rolls for soup.

Into freezer:- 2 pks of cooked turkey from the carcass yesterday.
The rest of the stuff for today is all from the fridge, either leftovers from yesterday or fruit and veg.

Not homemade wine as such but my friend made this 2 years ago and it was lovely http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-creme-de-cassis-liqueur-183432