The elimination of all the things that I have accumulated over the years certainly didn't end in the kitchen. I have already purged a large accumulation of appliances and kitchen gadgets. But it doesn't end there. After cooking for children and groups of people I have also accumulated a large pantry of spices and and food items.
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| Here is my pantry in all it's glory |
Some of the items are no-brainers. When I applied the "have you used it in the last year, they didn't make the cut. Then of course there are the items that are clearly outdated!! They won't be making the transition to the trailer either. I certainly can't take them all with me so I have been using an interesting method to use up the remaining items that I have on hand.
I have found a number of online recipe sites where you list the ingredients you have on hand and a list pops up with recipes with the ingredients in them.... See good things come to those who spend time on computers!
So here are a couple of my favorite sites. These will come in handy in the RV when food storage is limited.
Ingredients on Handhttp://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,ingredients_on_hand,FF.html Type in some items you have on hand and the web-site will give you a number of options using some of the items.
The Leftover Wizardhttp://www.bigoven.com/recipes/leftovers Search 160,000+ recipes at once. This one is kind of fun, because it seems more interactive than most. As you input each ingredient, the # of recipes available to you automatically changes — as do the photos of the ingredients you just entered.
Play with these planners and enter some unusual combinations of ingredients and see what creative recipes you come up with. So whether you are starting with raw ingredients or using up leftovers... these websites will help you make the most of the ingredients you have on hand.
They are helping me to use.... reduce....eliminate!!
Are you ready for the pantry challenge?
So what unusual ingredients can you come up with for dinner?
Are you ready for the pantry challenge?
So what unusual ingredients can you come up with for dinner?
This is great! What a terrific idea. Thanks for the links. The worst part of cooking for me is coming up with what to fix so I'll just open up the pantry and the refrig and start putting in the ingredients and see what I get. What fun!! You are very ingenious me thinks!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! Thanks for the links. The thing I hate most about cook is deciding what to fix. So now, thanks to you, all I have to do is open the pantry, find what's oldest, do the same with the refrig, and voila, a recipe. I love it. You are very ingenious me thinks!
ReplyDeletethat's "hate about cookING'
ReplyDeleteI left pretty much everything food and spice behind when I left Washington and then again when I left Honduras. It isan odd feeling to start over as I still had spices that were older than some of the soldiers I worked with prior to that. I have ben burning up Walmart getting set up for the next chapter the past few days and had to remember I don't automatically have on hand what I need to cook my usual things like soups and I don't have a microwave now.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea. Are you liking the meals you end up making?
ReplyDelete