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

Cherryfudge

Finished the yogurt and a bag of baking potatoes, sadly threw out some eggs that had been lurking and were too out of date even to attempt the float test. Also donated some gluten free bits and pieces to the g/f person I was catering for, and a carton of flavoured hot chocolate that I wasn't keen on to my niece, who likes it. Finished a bag of ground coffee but it was immediately replaced by the gift of another.

Bought and used corned beef (1 tin more than we had), strawberries and sorbet (still have one punnet of strawbs and 2xhalf tub of sorbet. I've also been given a tub of flavouring spices for tea.

I've decided not to buy eggs again till I actually need them. It's so wrong to have to throw them out.  

joedenise

I use quite a few eggs but count up on my menu plan how many I need before I go shopping so never have the problem of them going out of date!  I can need anything from less than a dozen to 2 dozen over a week.

Cherryfudge

I confess to going a bit mad over discounted items in L!dl last night. I discovered they bin what's left at the end of the day including bakery goods and flowers, and possibly meat and fish too. I bought two packs of sea bass and heaps of bakery items of which most still remain so three brownies and two pizza slices are in the freezer, one brownie and a pastry are in me, four croissants are waiting for breakfast and three pastries are set aside for lunches.

I'm going to see if I can find a contact address and suggest Olio or similar. Apparently staff have asked about it as the waste upsets some of them, but the manager hasn't changed anything.

carinjo

milasavesmoney said:

Used kielbasa, carrots, manky potato, celery, bell pepper, dried on the edges herbed creamy cheese, regular leftover cream cheese, leftover Pepper flakes from take out pizza, leftover chicken stock and big handful grated  Parmesan cheese all slow cooked on high 4 hrs. So good!

That sounds so tasty! Love myself a throw everything together and see what happens!
That's a good idea @Cherryfudge! I will say this though, my area i feel that all there is to collect is bread and more bread. Maybe see if you can collect for a foodbank or similar too if they will allow it. And be prepared thatbyou might have to bin stuff sometimes. 
L1dl doing an Iberian week, got a few packs of whole sardines and octopus tentacles for the freezer at ridiculous prices and tiny pork paté packs (normally served at restaurants with bread rolls and cheese in portugal when you arrive). Ms C is from Portugal so she is over the moon. 
In: allotment french beans pickled using mum's recipe. It gets curry powder for flavour, the kitchen smelled like my childhood! Sardines, octopus, paté, single origin coffee. Got some foil trays and done layered potato and courgette (from allotment) and done baked in oven for side dishes for freezer. Even used fresh herbs from garden! 
Need to finish working the most recent allotment harvest, so later: blackberry coulis, blanched cabbage.
Out: lamb neck fillets, dried runnerbeans from last year's harvest for slow cooker sunday lunch. 
Starting on red gooseberry jam today. Have to top&tail over 1.5kg worth of berries. Don't have enough jars, so will get some tomorrow and do the jam then. My sister got me a jam jar labelling kit for birthday, so i am sure it will look lovely afterwards. 

carinjo

Quick question: what is a good size jar for jam? On the big river site/h0bbycraft it is 380ml or 190ml

carinjo

In: gooseberry jam, gooseberries into freezer. 
Out: ice cream

Cherryfudge

Out: butterbeans, red onion, 2 peppers.
In: two portions of casserole for tomorrow's main meal.

Cherryfudge

carinjo said:

Quick question: what is a good size jar for jam? On the big river site/h0bbycraft it is 380ml or 190ml

I just reuse the shop-bought ones, just over 400g capacity, but I keep pretty jars and small ones such as pesto jars for gifts and oddments.

Cherryfudge

carinjo said:

That's a good idea @Cherryfudge! I will say this though, my area i feel that all there is to collect is bread and more bread. Maybe see if you can collect for a foodbank or similar too if they will allow it. And be prepared thatbyou might have to bin stuff sometimes. 

They do collect for a foodbank, but last thing in the evening the foodbank collection is often still awaiting collection (I think it depends on availability of volunteers) so I don't think fresh items can be donated.

I've been looking for a contact number but so far haven't found anything at all for the local L!dl. I might have to resort to a central contact number.

I tried signing up for Olio a while ago but at the point there was very little happening in my area. I'm keeping an eye open though in case more is available.

carinjo

carinjo said:

In: gooseberry jam, gooseberries into freezer. 
Out: ice cream

My gooseberry jam completely overcooked! Will try and salvage it tomorrow. Think i didn't wait long enough during the saucer crinckling test and thought it needed further hard boiling. At least it not burnt, so there is that.