JANUARY PANTRY CHALLENGE

Brie

@purpleivy
would any of these work for you?  or maybe you can see your way to improvise based on this??

Top Tropical Syrup Recipes for Summer Drinks

purpleivy

Home again, home again jiggetty jog!   We did Greggs for tea on the way home instead of coffees at wherever.  We had sandwiches which we made out of stuff left in the holiday apartment, hub only had one.   

Instead of egg and beans we had the rest of the sandwiches, did mine in the airfryer, cheese all melty. Hub had some beans as well.   I still have one left for lunch tomorrow. 

Went to do a fruit and veg run at Aldi, disappointed that the  advertised stuff on website for Super 6 wasn't  the same in store.  Never mind.  I'm allowed fruit and veg on the challenge. I have an order coming from Ocado, but it's mostly fruit, veg, dairy and stuff for after February. 

While I was away I got what I think was a really good use up plan made. Just need to see if I can find that pot of chilli in the freezer for tomorrow and the next day. 

Brie

using up one of the various potato things with dinner tonight - we have so many in the freezer - various types of chips, mash, duchesse and these that are mini tartiflette - so grated potato cakes with reblochon and bacon from the L shop.  I thought I'd bought the version that had broccolli in them so will see what rummaging might reveal in the way of peas or similar to have with a mid week pork roast.  

constantly amazed at the variety we have in the freezers.  yes 2 freezers.  well fridge freezers but one is in the kitchen and the other in the garage.  noticed that we still have the frozen red cabbage and apple that was purchased for, I think, Christmas 2023.  There's also french sausages in there from nearly that long ago as well.  I keep trying to have something out of it every week or few days but if we didn't make it to the shops for a month I doubt we would starve.  And the reason is because we shop every day or so.  So we're always buying more.  No planning whatsoever really.

Oh - just thought - we have what I believe is a pheasant in the kitchen freezer.  Maybe we can match that up with the red cabbage from the garage freezer.  A match made in heaven?? 

purpleivy

Pheasant with red cabbage sounds an excellent choice, with one of your spud options.  We have massive variety too, but I never want to HAVE to go food shopping if I choose not to. It's nice having the choice of things to make, isn't it?  I also have a great selection of meals I have made in there, so when the need arises ( like this week, back from holiday, parents arriving next week, other stuff to do like the marmalade) I can spend less time on dinner.  

We are made from the same stuff Brie I suspect!  In spite of the challenge I got £40 of dairy, fruit and veg yesterday (some things for daughter in my defence and we came back to empty fridge). Just taken delivery of£100+ Ocado order though also in my defence there is 8g sugar and 6kg of marmalade oranges to make for my parents.  Chocolate gift tor 80 yo neighbour.  So those take it down quite a bit.  Again stuff for my daughter, more dairy fruit and veg.  

Making work for myself and putting more in the freezer though!  There were big free range chickens at 40% off. Over 6lb in weight 2.8 &2.9kg (was expecting 2.25) so now I can't decide whether to portion them up or save for a roast.  We have friends over within the next 6w so might portion them up, then can get stock made.  Planning Delia Smith's Chicken basque. 

Onwards and upwards, gotta take the guinea pig to the vet.  But not till I have had my second cup of tea!

Have a lovely day people and make some space in those freezers!

purpleivy

I just had a read through the whole thread. I missed some comments from the time we went away, so was nice catching up.  It's almost the end of January and I'm pleased with what I have achieved, but bc of being away I really really need to stop shopping now we have fresh fruit, veg and dairy again and get back to the challenge in earnest!  

I've really enjoyed seeing what you are all doing with your stocks. I expect I will be back next January, if not before, reporting on the rest of my challenge.   

purpleivy

I have just been and 'shopped the freezer'.  I love that, so much easier than leaving the house!  

We have some marinaded 'ras el hanout' chicken thighs out for tonight, that will either be a chicken curry, or will just AF and serve with a dal or something.  For tomorrow MIL is coming, got Porchetta left from Xmas day and some stuffing, red cabbage out too, looking like a nice meal. I expect MIL will make a pud. She's marvellous, 95 and still regularly makes us a roast dinner. A bit wobbly on her feet but as sharp as a tack.   

Got soup  out for lunch and some stock to make another soup.  Some pate I made for Xmas which hub will have for lunches alternating with some left over anchovies (the brined sort) that I got for Xmas and didn't use. I'm on soup and salads.  

Need to start getting some things made for my parents to take home with them. Dad is 90 and cooking from scratch every day for Mum who is 91.  He only started cooking after he retired, but now has the job full time.  I will make some cake and some soups to start with.  He is very organised for dinners, Sunday with my bro', there's a sausage day with different options, pasta on Wed, chicken day, salmon on Friday and lasagne on Saturday!  

cheerfulness4

DH is about to inventory the remaining third of our freezer as we are doing it in layers as there was so much in there. In honesty its been great 'shopping from the freezer' and cupboards as we had so much stuff it just felt overwhelming and I could never keep track of the inventories that I'd make each month. I just kept adding more stuff on top and could never find anything or reach anything in our big chest freezer.

I'm looking forward to having freshly cleaned cupboards and a defrosted freezer. Love the feeling of control I'm feeling.

purpleivy

@cheerfulness4 it's a fab feeling, isn't it? Although I have bought groceries, it's almost all been fruit/veg/dairy.  I'm loving the easy life with my home made 'ready meals' and 'shopping the freezer' for things to make is great. Trying to remember to check stuff off the list though

purpleivy

And another one!  I have had a small amount of frozen parsnips in the freezer for aaaaaages waiting for something. Now in the 'Autumn Vegetable Soup' in the Instant Pot. I shall have great pleasure crossing that off my list!

I must add. We are blessed (or is it planning too?) with good food and enough of it.  I wouldn't feel so pleased at getting supplies down if sufficiency was a problem. 

purpleivy

I really wish I had kept a diary/list  of everything I did towards this goal this year. Next year!