The all new using what you have from your Freezer, Cupboard or Shed (Barn)

carinjo

Out yesterday: pasta, tin anchovies to go with allotment veg for dinner (and lunchbox today). Poached chicken breasts for dinner today. 
In: herbs and polenta from Olio. The polenta was an extra offer for free! Never used before, so going to have a go this weekend at a recipe.

joedenise

Got a couple of Magic Bags yesterday from Morrisons so loads of veg to get through, although the Spring Greens were way out of date and really manky so have been torn up and added to the compost heap!

I got 3 packs of 3 peppers 2 of which are both in date and hopefully I can use them before they aren't, if it gets close then they'll get chopped and frozen.  The other pack were on the date so have already been chopped and frozen.

I have a couple of fennel bulbs, one of which I'm going to add to the tray of veg for roasting tonight when I cook toad in the hole for dinner.  Not sure what I'm going to do with the other.

There were a couple of small boxes of beetroot so they have gone into sterilised jars and covered in red wine vinegar for light pickling.  Will get those eaten asap as doubt they'll keep long!

Also got some asparagus which will also need using today.  There's a bag of spinach which I'll probably need up freezing once washed to use in curries; I'll freeze them in a silicon muffin pan until solid and then add to a freezer bag.

Had already got a pack of sausages out of the freezer to make the toad tonight.

Happy_Sloth

Wraithlady said:

Happy_Sloth said:

While i was sorting out my cupboards yesterday i found 2 butternut squashes i had completely forgotten one was "Gone"  so it had to be binned but the other is ok.  I also found 2 little bags of chicken breast,  neither enough for a full meal.  

The plan is to roast the butternut in the air fryer with some onions and add to the chicken to make a "korma like" curry... with some cream i got in a To good to go bag yesterday and coconut cream.    

Just trying to figure out if i can stretch this to 2 portions (Each for 3 people)  when you go to the Indian we always have a lot of sauce and not much meat,  wondering if i can beef up the sauce in some way so people don't miss the meat and just enjoy the sauce with the rice.   

I have a bit of a philosophy when it comes to cooking... if i make the effort to cook you better believe I'm doubling the portion so i have another day i don't need to cook but there really isn't much chicken, the squash should add abit of bulk but still worried i won't get 2 meals from it.  

Well, personally I would add mushrooms and a can of chickpeas - I have a go-to recipe of Squash and chickpea curry which I have tweaked rather a lot from the original but to which I add a little bit of chicken. It makes industrial quantities (usually about 6-8 meals depending on how big the squash is).

More of a guideline than a recipe but - 1 butternut squash peeled & diced, 1 onion, curry paste (about a tbsp but I tend to use thai red or yellow curry paste which is quite fierce), garlic,  mushrooms, chopped chicken, tin chickpeas (or other beans) drained & rinsed, ground cardamom (optional), grated lemon zest (or juice) and creamed coconut (about 50-75 g), hot water.

Fry up onion, squash, garlic, chicken and mushrooms and add garlic and curry paste. Cook for a couple of minutes and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for about 10 minutes (until squash is tender), adjust seasoning - sometimes benefits from a pinch of sugar -and serve with rice. The leftovers freeze very well and the 2 of us can usually get another 2-3 meals out of it.

Thanks for this, i did end up adding chickpeas and some sweet potato and then made loads of sauce.  I also added a couple of the frozen paratha i had on the side and some leftover "Indian type" Christmas buffet leftovers.  (Some somosa and pakora) on the side.   Worked out quite well and used up about 5 things on the "need to eat list"  and i now have a portion in the freezer.  

Feeling quite productive, dug out 2 wipe clean wipe boards and stuck them to the freezer,  i've then done a full inventory of everything inside.  One on the  biggest issues i have is that my husband is not working atm and doing most of the cooking, he has a tendency to open the chest freezer and stare into the abyss and come out saying "there is nothing in there" ... 750lt freezer full of air apparently!   Anyway i'm hoping that now the contents are listed it will make meal planning for both of us little easier as we will know before lifting the lid if what we want is available. 

todays plan i'm not sure.. husbands turn to cook, i do have some yellow sticker beef burgers and yellow sticker buns, but burgers aren't one of my husbands usual "go to meals"  however i did make quiche a couple of days ago so we make have that with a salad.  

Frugalista

Made a really frugal Mushroom Roast using up reduced bargains.  Cost me around £1.50 for 4-6 portions.

Wraithlady

In: crumpets, d/f ice cream

Out: some of the cooked sausages for tonight, 2 chicken breasts ( 1 for chicken stir-fry yesterday and the other for satay tomorrow - they're rather large), fish fingers and tortillas for Monday.

CCW007

In - seven packs of YS prawns (was eight but I had one for dinner!), two packs of breaded chicken steaks and one pack of breaded fish fillets, coleslaw to have with salad and mushrooms. 

Out: the last of some rather ancient green lentils and some Olio mushrooms.

Got loads of spring onions left, some of which I will use but the rest I will chop and freeze.  There's also lots of bread and brioche buns but a serious lack of freezer space.

carinjo

@CCW007 you can always reduce the bread by doing breadcrumbs and croutons. 
Was too tired to do dinner last night, just a few (unhealthy) snacks. 
Out: pasta, handful frozen peas to add to chicken for lunch today. 
In:0

Tashja

Out - not a lot today - Doner Burgers and salad for tea - these were taken out last night. 

In - Whoops again Popped to the shops for bread and milk and got reduced eggs.  They are now in boiling to make a large jar of pickled eggs, which we love.  I won't buy them as they are expensive for what they are but if I get cheap eggs this is where any spare go.  Fruit and Veg box also been delivered so need to sort through that - there is loads though so guessing there will be carrots and swede being prepared for the freezer. 

Have a great day all 

T x 
 

joedenise

Using up a couple of peppers which I got in a Morrie's TGTG Magic Bag which I've stuffed with herby couscous and topped with cheese.  We're having it with some salad and coleslaw with added fennel.

CCW007

Thanks @carinjo I have a large tub of breadcrumbs and took some down to my sister when I visited.  Mind you, they are all wholemeal breadcumbs and I have some white bread here so that's a good call.  And definitely croutons, I have soup most days so croutons can always be used up.

Out: homemade canned carrot soup, half a pack of jumbo fish fingers and one brioche bun.

In: nothing! Yay!