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

themsthebreaks

I've given it a go. Using what's in store, I substituted the 200g of Brazil nuts for 100g of pumpkin seeds, and 100g of sunflower seeds. I didn't quite have enough apricots, so I mixed in some raisins. I also added some cacao powder, and it's now in the freezer ☺️

Thank you @Watty1

Cherryfudge

Apologies for my rather long silence: I accidentally built myself into the emergency store cupboard and had to eat my way out through all the meringues, cappuccinos, packets of crackers, jars of pasta sauce and bags of tealights.

Not really, but I might as well have done, for all the inroads I've made into freezer stocks.

We have been eating piecemeal: when I'm working we eat separately which means DH buys something from the supermarket for himself and I eat too many lunch-type meals without ever really impacting the amount I need to use up. There must be a shopping fairy filling it up at least as fast as I eat it, and it ain't DH.

In short, I need to eat up more than I buy. The other day I suddenly wanted cottage pie, which is totally unlike me but led to me searching the freezer today. I didn't find the vegan mince that I know is in there somewhere, but there was a bag of green lentils, ready-cooked. I ended up throwing this together with spices, mushrooms, spinach, some tomatoes that needed to be used, onions... not sure what went in it now, but it made a filling dhal, and there's one portion for me to finish up tomorrow. Today I've finished one of two pots of hummus. The cheese remains frozen.

I'll try to come back here more often and report on any scraps of progress. I probably ought to confess to things I buy and don't immediately need, as well.

Cherryfudge

We are inundated with greengages at the moment: one batch of jam is made but has to be stored in the fridge (as it's fridge jam with less sugar) so storage may soon become a problem. There's no freezer space - as usual. I've given away quite a lot of greengages but can't keep up with the rate the tree is producing them!

Apples are already coming available locally: DH found the first roadside one the other day and I've seen quite a lot since but need to be careful not to get as many as last year when we had more than we could cope with and two bags went off in the shed. Then there are blackberries...

We've had a guest to stay a week ago so there is once again too much cheese in the fridge, and lots of melon as well as sundry veg. We finished the carrots this lunchtime - at last - I've been making coleslaw and there is still cabbage so what's left of it is sitting in a pot of water to keep crispy.

I also made a couple of bottles of lemonade which are getting used but also taking up space. There is fish to finish up tomorrow, probably with cous cous and whatever vegetables are to hand, and some ham which isn't all that tasty but is for me to finish as DH doesn't like it.

I think I need to keep away from the shops, but I'm not sure how long that will last.

Cherryfudge

More greengage jam made today, and I found some vanilla sugar to use in it as per a suggestion in the recipe book. We've also used up the fish we bought the other day.

I had a couple of freebie things from L1dl bakery via their app, and bought sugar, but I've used the sugar in the jam.

Cherryfudge

Once again I've collected about a pound of greengages - however, there was a knock at the door and it was a neighbour with a bag of cooking apples and tomatoes for us, and she's going to take a couple of pounds of greengages and some blackberries. Yay! This lady stopped and chatted a while and told me she will be 90 in a few weeks. She lived on a farm for many years and has always been very active (I was shocked when I found she was at least twenty years older than I'd guessed!) and it's nice to know she can make use of some of our harvest.

This morning I went to the Wednesday job but both my clients called off their appointments so after a bit of chat I went home via the supermarket. (£18.17 spent between me and DH). For some unknown reason, by the time I got home I felt under par. I get this from time to time - as if the right side of my head isn't 100% with it. Interestingly, that's the side that was affected when I had the episode that wasn't a stroke - but the 'not with it-ness' predates that by many years. Just odd, but after three hours of doing very little, I was back to normal and decided to do some cooking. I made a batch of banana muffins and experimentally added raisins, turmeric and cinnamon. They would have been okay had I not forgotten to take them out of the oven when I turned the timer off! They are still edible, but haven't risen very well. Then I made a big pan of chickpea tikka, some of which we had for dinner.

Work was three hours tonight. I've given myself a bit of chili burn but I think I've about fixed it with yogurt, Silly of me not to have worn gloves.

ETA: Oops, meant to post this on my diary and it won't let me copy and paste it there. How odd.

Watty1

Love the 90 year old neighbour @Cherryfudge  Gives me hope I will make it to 90 with all in tact too!

Asked the VNM (boyfriend) to make a prawn curry for dinner.   I've been exhausted lately and was busy so handed him a jar of sauce and said there was frozen prawns, onions and spinach in the freezer.       Sat down to what looked like a veritable feast, and the comment  "I hope you like it".   

He added two left over cooked beetroots and some cucumber and the sugar snap peas all from the bottom of the fridge.  The curry sauce had taken the vinegar taste away from the beetroot. I was really surprised.  The prawns were unnecessary.  I'm so proud of him, not only learning to cook but also using up random "bits" to make a great meal. 

Cherryfudge

Watty1 said:

Love the 90 year old neighbour @Cherryfudge  Gives me hope I will make it to 90 with all in tact too!

She is quite an inspiration, @Watty1! A little slower this past year but out and about. That meant using a mobility aid for some surfaces/distances but good on her for going out regardless. She is evidence that keeping active is the best way to continue to be active, IYSWIM.  

I was also interested because, in her days on the farm, their vet was Alf Wight - better known as the original Yorkshire vet.

Today I'll take her some greengages, rejig the fridge and try to work out storage and things to use up (having just added chilis and ginger into spare corners of the freezer).

Cherryfudge

No progress made on sorting out the fridge, but I threw out some ham that didn't smell quite right. I feel rather guilty, but better that than sick.

There were fewer greengages today and I combined them with yesterday's to take to the neighbour, so we are slightly less swamped! No blackberries picked yet, and they are falling on the ground but perhaps I will do some tomorrow and make blackberry and apple jam - I have some given-away apples that DH says can't be eaten as they are! I know the lady who gave them was using them for chutney so I think it's worth trying something with them.

We still have at least 2 portions of tikka left and insufficient freezer space...

Cherryfudge

Watty1 said:

Asked the VNM (boyfriend) to make a prawn curry for dinner.   I've been exhausted lately and was busy so handed him a jar of sauce and said there was frozen prawns, onions and spinach in the freezer.       Sat down to what looked like a veritable feast, and the comment  "I hope you like it".   

He added two left over cooked beetroots and some cucumber and the sugar snap peas all from the bottom of the fridge.  The curry sauce had taken the vinegar taste away from the beetroot. I was really surprised.  The prawns were unnecessary.  I'm so proud of him, not only learning to cook but also using up random "bits" to make a great meal. 

I hadn't realised he's not cooked before - the inventive magic is pervading your household! I know you've made all sorts of interesting things over the last few months in the name of using things up, so perhaps that's inspired him.

I hope you get a solution to the tiredness soon.

oceandreamer

I haven't posted on here for a long time, but have been reading along. The food situation is dire atm, particularly the freezer in fact it's ridiculous.  The root of the problem seems to be that I buy far too many yellow stickered items (mostly meat and fish) which, although it is definitely money saving, I can't eat as quickly as I buy.  Coupled with hating to throw anything away so that I freeze leftovers to use at a later date, my freezer is absolutely stuffed.  Today, I am going to make the dreaded freezer inventory and I am going to have to be very strict with myself and use something every day until I get on top of it.  One thing I have noticed is that I take something out eg a leg of lamb (bought at Easter when they were on offer) cook it and then have leftovers which then have to go back in the freezer.  The tub of diced lamb in gravy and an old milk bottle full of soup take up more room than the leg of lamb did.  Then I saw a lovely loaf of bread reduced which would go with it ...
I'm going to try to post on here in the hopes that it will keep me accountable.