Reverse Meal Planning

EssexHebridean

Oh my - we have just had the NICEST lunch! A proper use-it-up effort too. 4 shallots from an 8p bag, cooked off with a single small carrot which had been languishing in the fridge (from a £1.50 box) and the dregs of a bag of 8p sprouts, finely shredded. Threw in the bacon, finely sliced up, then a tin of spicy lentil soup I bought Y/S’sd in the c0-0p ages ago, and a tin of drained borlotti beans plus roughly a tins worth of water. Brought the lot to a simmer then threw in a single card of crushed noodles (been lurking in the cupboard for ages as we mostly use the straight to wok ones these days - for stir fries they are far nicer!) and continued to simmer until the noodles were softened. Made a good sized bowl each and frankly was completely delicious, plus I get the lovely smug feeling of having got several things out of the fridge and cupboards which have been lurking for ages! 

MissRikkiC

That really sounds like a use it up, but delicious meal EH! 

We’re having the pearl barley risotto from the Jamie Oliver programme the other night. I did eventually find the black bean stew thing SL, I’d given up searching at 40 mins into the episode hence I’d missed it, as it was right at the end. I was watching the pearl barley recipe thinking how many of the ingredients we had in already, planning it for next week until I decided instead we’d have it tonight. I found the last bit of pearl barley lurking in the back of the cupboard (similar to you RT) and there was just 200gs left. I had to sieve and wash it as there was a lot of brown powder sat in the bottom of the jar, I assume due to its age and deterioration maybe? Anyway, we’re having it anyway and I’ve made the rest up with actual risotto rice. Turkey stock from the freezer now all gone, head of broccoli finished, pearl barely done (maybe a good thing!), cider from Christmas beers I bought for other people who were visiting and dried thyme instead of fresh. I did purchase some blue cheese but only because the 3 types of cheeses we have in the freezer all were flavoured with tastes im not sure would have worked. 

Suffolk_lass

@MissRikkiC I'm terrible with recipes but what I took from that recipe was that next time I make a beef stew I will add some beans (of some sort for added protein and second, that I might sprinkle fresh herbs in my scones, and I could top the stew with them for the last 45 minutes.

Thanks to the carpenter having to wait for the mortar to go off before he can frame out the soon-to-be-closed-up side of the cartlodge, I can't get to the chest freezer in there. So I despatched DH when he got back from having fun with the beekeeping group breakfast. I said just bring in a roasting joint of some sort or some lamb shanks. He offered a choice of the giant pork shoulder that he conceded was too big for us on our own or a beef joint. We settled on the smaller of two brisket joints and it has been out defrosting ever since. I'm going to put it in a le-creuset style dish with a lid with just some water, and let it do its thing in the simmer oven for about 4 hours. I might not make a Yorkshire pudding to have with this as I have several potatoes to use, and we'll have cabbage, cauliflower and carrots, all from long-standing fridge stores. I have two bags of shallots too so I might roast some onions with the potatoes. Having shown my very full stores of home-grown, home bottled fruit, I am going to make a plum and apple crumble (the rubble is in a bag in the freezer), and I shall make Birds custard, having seen a picture of @soontobeoap's baking cupboard over on this month's grocery challenge. Definitely a see-some-want-some moment, and who doesn't love crumble and custard after a roast dinner!

Confession time; I glanced at the packaging of the dried skimmed milk I opened and combined with fresh milk when I made the white sauce for my lasagne this week and it was BBE mm/2019 - I bought it when we got our campervan. I can vouch for the fact that it has done us no harm. It's 2 days ago we finished it!

I wonder who among us, has the oldest dated thing they are still using in their stores! - the thing is, it probably isn't the oldest here

EssexHebridean

Well thanks for that SL, because it goes without saying that I now want a crumble with custard after my roast dinner later! 🤣 I’ll be going without it in favour of a mince pie though I think! 

A chunk of beef is in the oven here - this was a “better than half price” offering from T’s at Christmas - very well priced and British but not their “F1n3st” so I suspect not quite the provenance I would usually prefer, however we only really rarely have beef so it will be quite the treat. My plan for it at the moment is that it will do lunch today, then I will slice most of the remainder and freeze ideally with a little gravy in double portions for future Sunday lunches, with the rest being cut up to form a leftovers meal later in the week. If I can get 4 meals for the pair of us from it I will be content. 

Mrs_Cheshire

Been catching up on the chat. Hope everyone has managed to stay warm and well during this cold snap we've had. Prior to Christmas I got some of the cheap meat joints that were on offer at the supermarkets so we've been eating those up and other meats I have frozen. My freezer is bulging but I couldn't resist a deal on chicken breast I saw this week £4 per kg, so I got 6 packs. We've used 1 1/2 already. I'm going to cut a couple up into diced pieces before freezing them and will freeze the others in usable amounts. 

Lunch today will be a use it up one - leftover cheeses and crackers from christmas, any leftover snacks/crisps, got a piece of yule log and mince pies that need finishing too. 
Dinner tonight is Gammon with a honey glaze, some roast potatoes, leftover honey roast parsnips, carrots and broccoli with apple and blackberry crumble and custard (all from freezer, fridge and store cupboard. 

redofromstart

I also defrosted a chunk of half price beef  which I diced and is on the hob stewing with some base mix and chunky carrots.  It will be served with reheated jacket potatoes and some broccoli. The Bisto kid keeps coming through sniffing and asking if it is nearly ready yet. 

I used half the lamb in an oven baked rice pilaff type dish yesterday.  While I was fetching the peas from the outside freezer the pesty dog ate the other half of the shredded lamb.  Most annoying but at least it wasn't binned I suppose. 

I now want crumble and extra thick cream. 

zafiro1984

Suffolk Lass. Apologies for not posting sooner but life is getting in the way at the moment. The old phrase of 'I'm so busy I can't turn around' is ringing in my ears.
Your posting of bottling is much appreciated, and wow what an impressive collection you have. I think I may pluck up courage and have a go at the first method in a few months (May) as it sounds very similar to jam making and quite versatile. Apricots should be the first - they're in a polytunnel but I don't know what sort of crop I'll get as I forgot to prune them last year and they are a bit rampant to say the least. I froze them last year - not a good move. Anyway many thanks for taking the time and trouble to detail the three methods - thanks.

Today
Lunch. HM pork pate, fruit from the bowl, a couple of slices for a tea loaf (Mary Berry). I find it's much better if not eaten when fresh but more moist after a couple of days - I hide it from DH.
Tea:- venison casserole again, from the freezer. I think I'll add some dumplings and find some crusty bread for the gravy, real comfort food in this cold weather. Pudding - not sure, but I have 2 orange and sultana buns from a couple of days back, I'll probably just reheat them and add custard for DH. I'll have an apple.

MissRikkiC

I don’t think I’ll be anywhere near that date @SL nothing lasts that long for us. I might have some crushed chili flakes that are likely 10 years old?? 

Mushroom and Turkey, mash topped pie with carrots for us tonight. Lunch was ready to eat chicken from the freezer with cream cheese pasta and the children had cheese and tomato wraps. Their dinner was a portion of chilli from the freezer. 

The fridge is looking so bare! I’ve got to grab some essentials tomorrow. 

rtandon27

Last week's meal plan was mostly a success...

Sunday - Sticky date soy braised stew with mash and green beans DELICIOUS - I had the leftovers for lunch on Monday
Monday - Beetroot & tofu tart  I really loved this - OH was not a fan - the tofu cream could be used as a dip similar to houmous
Tuesday - Salmon & rice & steamed Chinese leaf - an old standby - a success every time
Wednesday - Chicken & pearl barley stew - a success & made 4 portions - I had the last of it as the base for a buddha bowl for lunch today - all the liquid had been absorbed so it was much like risotto in texture
Thursday - pomegranate glazed sausages with red cabbage slaw and wedges - carried over to Saturday for dinner - we ended up ordering burgers as were both very under the weather
Friday - Pizza - no clue what we ended up having the day was spent sleeping off the lurgy!
Saturday - gyoza & noodles or food truck - sausage & red cabbage slaw - we have enough slaw to feed an army!
Sunday - pork chops & champ with steamed carrots - another old standby - I think this is our favorite meal!

We've done well shifting out various ingredients and only put in about an ounce of grated cheese so have enough room for the frozen bits that will arrive with our Tuesday groceries - first big shop of the year & the first big shop in 4 weeks, so pounds have been saved!

This week's meal plan is very easy - all old favs, simple tastes that won't challenge us while we continue to shake off the lurgy...

Monday - perogies with cabbage/onions & sour cream - good winter stodge
Tuesday - Salmon & rice & pak choi
Wednesday - chicken & leek & mushroom pie
Thursday - pork mince & pepper& green bean stir fry
Friday - Pizza - pepperoni & green olives & red onions
Saturday - Food Truck - if we feel well enough to venture out - poutine is great cold weather food!
Sunday - Roast pork & root veg - leftover meat will be portioned out for other meals

Chia pudding went well last week, so I've prepped this for the week.  OH will stick to his 2 egg omelet which is his go-to high protein savoury breakfast.

JingsMyBucket

redofromstart said:

The rice turned out nicely following your instructions, thanks @JingsMyBucket.  I am just waiting to see if the One Who Doesn't Eat detects the foreign contaminant (coconut oil!).

The lamb worked well too. 

That’s great news @redofromstart! So happy it worked out for you ☺️