Useless non-cook with some spare ingredients...!

KiKi

I know this sounds odd, but I have some ingredients in my cupboard I don't use on a day to day basis. I bought them all at some point for a specific purpose and now they're utterly redundant.

I am the world's most useless cook. Even with an expert next to me I can throw *their* pre-prepared ingredients for pancakes into a pan and end up with scrambled egg. Further evidence includes the fact that in compiling this list of spare ingredients, I looked at the three bags of flour I had - they had BBE dates of Dec 03 and 04. Upon opening they had TINY little creatures in them.

I have infested food in immaculately clean cupboards: this is the level of my uselessness.

Bearing that in mind, does anyone have any ideas of what I could do with:
Oatbran
Lasagne sheets
Red lentils
Butter beans
Millet grain
Quinoa
Roast pine nuts
Sunflower seeds
Bouillon powder (vegan)
...and icing sugar

I also found a sachet to add to hot water and make jelly. I knew how to do that, so jelly is setting as I speak.

Would be grateful for any ideas. You may need to be quite specific as I really don't do food.

Thanks for any help anyone can give.


KiKi

angelavdavis

Lasagne sheets - boil in salted water, slice lengthwise into strips, toss in a little butter or olive oil and serve with pasta sauce.
Red lentils - boil in water with bouillon powder and seasoning added, it will form a fairly quick and tasty soup.
Butter beans - add to lentils for more bulky soup or add to vegetables and stock for a stew
Millet grain - add to stews
Quinoa - add to stews
Roast pine nuts - sprinkle on top of salads or use as a topping for HM bread
Sunflower seeds - sprinkle on top of salads or use as a topping for HM bread
Bouillon powder (vegan) - as above
...and icing sugar - add a little water, make into a paste and top some HM or shop bought cookies/fairy cakes with some sprinkles on top

mrbadexample

KiKi wrote: »

I know this sounds odd, but I have some ingredients in my cupboard I don't use on a day to day basis. I bought them all at some point for a specific purpose and now they're utterly redundant.

I am the world's most useless cook. Even with an expert next to me I can throw *their* pre-prepared ingredients for pancakes into a pan and end up with scrambled egg. Further evidence includes the fact that in compiling this list of spare ingredients, I looked at the three bags of flour I had - they had BBE dates of Dec 03 and 04. Upon opening they had TINY little creatures in them.

I have infested food in immaculately clean cupboards: this is the level of my uselessness.


I also found a sachet to add to hot water and make jelly. I knew how to do that, so jelly is setting as I speak.

Would be grateful for any ideas. You may need to be quite specific as I really don't do food.

Are you my long-lost identical twin sister? :eek: I used almost the last of my plain flour (uninfested) BBE Nov 04 on Friday. I can make jelly. :j

KiKi

Angela - thank you ever so much, I will try lentil and butter bean soup tomorrow.

It wouldn't have occurred to me to cut the lasagne into strips. I was wondering how on earth I would eat whole sheets without making a lasagne...

Mrbadexample - I threw my flour out. Can you eat flour past its BBE date? I hope to goodness I'm not your twin sister...I would not want to wish that on you!

Thanks, both.
KiKi

mrbadexample

KiKi wrote: »

Mrbadexample - I threw my flour out. Can you eat flour past its BBE date?

Well you can....I used it to coat my beef before I made stew. It's been fried and slow-cookered, so I probably won't die.

Toonie

KiKi wrote: »

I have infested food in immaculately clean cupboards: this is the level of my uselessness.

This does happen on occasion...its not your fault (see thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=267932)

noonesperfect

It may not help you use up all the "bits n bobs" you've listed (we all get stuff in to make specific recipes and end up with so much left in the cupboard! Shame nearly all the weigh-shops have disappeared. They were good if you only wanted a little of a dried ingredient).
This site is excellent for giving you ideas on what you can make with what you've got in your cupboards/fridge. Simple recipes, not scary ones!

http://www.cookingbynumbers.com/

Give it a look

KiKi

Wow - that's fabulous! Thank you!

KiKi

noonesperfect

I only discovered it quite recently :j , but I thought you'd like it! :beer: .

Anyway don't worry about the weevils in your flour.You're not useless. Just buy smaller bags or cheap flour (it really is OK) if you don't use much, and chuck em out as soon as BBE arrives in future.

If you like hummus you can make something similar with butter beans (no cooking involved )

Try and use seeds and nuts quickly as they go rancid.

Lentil soup with lentils and bouillon cubes (need carrot and opnion too).

I think you could use icing sugar to make biscuits and then ice them of course (rather expensive, but if it needs using up.....)
There's some recipes here for using oat bran but they're american cup measurements

http://www.rogersfoods.com/recipelist.aspx?tp=3&id=42&id2=9999

kethry

boullion powder basically makes a veg stock. is it marigold? if so, you have the good stuff!! Turns just about any veg stewsorta dish into soup gold, or so i think! try sweating some onions in butter, then pop some chopped carrots in as well. give them a stir, then pour stock made up from your boullion (instructions on the side) over it. cook till the carrots are cooked (so you can push a fork through easily - about 20-30 minutes). once they're cooked, whizz with a blender (either a stick blender in the pan, or pour into a jug blender). add some fresh leaf coriander, whizz again. have a taste, and decide how much seasoning you want (boullion powders can be quite salty). you can add orange juice too, that gives a lovely kick. whizz after each thing you've added and taste. once you're happy with the results, reheat (if necessary, it rarely is in my case), spoon into a bowl, butter some bread and eat. carrot and coriander soup. yum.

keth
xx

Stephen_Leak

Add the quinoa* to the flour and weevil mixture in the wastebin. I know that it is supposed to be ever so good for you, but IMHO it has all the taste appeal of frog spawn! I hate wasting food, but for this stuff I am prepared to make an exception.

* PS. In case anyone doesn't know, its pronounced "keen wah".