No leftovers? Well almost none. We have three leftover slices of pizza and a small amount of pizza dough left from Saturday. I think I have half a can of Spam in the fridge and a little coleslaw (will have to check to see how that has held up). Half a can of sliced pineapple. That's it. Seriously proud of myself on that one because I seldom plan so very well that there are that few leftovers to consider in the new week.
My supplies of the expired items have dwindled to just these few things: I found another can of peaches. I won't say this is the last one...Honestly those things keep multiplying on me! A can of table cream, a jar of artichoke hearts that have been sitting in the cabinet/pantry for a long while. Packets of dry milk, a bottle of French dressing, a jar of Chicken Better Than Bouillon, a jar of Lemon Curd. A packet each of dried cranberries and dried cherries (tossed both those in the freezer). I typically use the cherries in a lovely roast dish that is excellent in winter and too heavy for warmer months. I'll use the cranberries in everything from bread to cereal to slaw or salads.
One thing I've not really done yet is a fresh pantry/freezer inventory even though I keep putting it on my to do lists. I am certain that everything expired or expiring since last inventory has been pulled off the shelves. The last dates on items that were coming up were 4/22/21 and those have all been used. So there is that. I'll get the inventory done, never fear, but I'll likely fit it into moments of time when I find myself ready to do any thing and nothing has presented itself.
So let me go ahead and make a menu plan for this week. I'll share what we ate yesterday and today and then the official plan will begin on Monday.
Breakfasts: Bagels with cream cheese, I'll make bagels this week. It's not a hard process and I think they are tastier than any store bought ones we might purchase. Besides, it's another week until we have grocery funds and I'd like to put off going to the store if at all possible.
Bacon, Eggs and Toast
Oatmeal, Toast for John I'm going to make myself open that can of table cream. No reason why I can't make oatmeal using some of that. And if it proves to be something I don't think I can use, I'll mix up some powdered milk to use in the oatmeal.
Sausage and Biscuits I will thaw some venison and make into sausage. I'll use a bit for patties and make up some sausage balls to pop in the freezer for future breakfasts or afternoon snacks when we need a little something extra to carry us through until supper.
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, Boiled Eggs I use Brandy's recipe at theprudenthomemaker.com
Fried Eggs, Grits
Cheese Toasts
Lunches: Pizza
Chicken Tenders with Mac n Cheese
Turkey Sandwiches As I was digging out meats to thaw I found a cooked turkey breast half from January...Guess I'd better use that. We'll get several meals from that I think.
Turkey Salad Sandwiches
Tuna Pasta Salad Never made that last week and this will likely be leftovers as I plan to have it one night this week
Leftover Pizza and Bread Sticks
John and I both out one day
Now here are my supper/dinner plans:
Saturday: Leftover Chicken and Dumplings. Caleb LOVED this dish and I confess it was even better to me than it was last week when I made it. The dumplings didn't hold up to reheating very well, so after we all ate, I gave the last of that soup to the dogs. No harm in giving what was essentially a scratched together batch of scraps. I knew John would never want to go for that a third time and it was far too much for just one.
Sunday: Lasagna, Three Bean Salad, Bread Sticks Lasagna leftovers from freezer and using the Pizza dough to make bread sticks
Monday: Catalina Chicken over Rice, Green Beans A jar of homemade cranberry sauce, part of the bottle of French dressing, onion soup packet cooked in crock pot over chicken.
Tuesday: Taco Salads, Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes I'll use French dressing on this which was the way my original recipe called for it to be served. I can make six cupcakes with the leftover pineapple slices.
Wednesday: Chicken and Rice Alfredo, Green Salad I'm thinking I may add some chopped artichoke hearts and julienned slices of dried tomato to this casserole. I had it in the freezer, took it out to offer Katie on Saturday in case they hadn't an easy supper. She had eaten and didn't need the meal so we'll eat it ourselves.
Thursday: Tuna Pasta Salad, Saltines, Cucumbers
Friday: Cubed Venison Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Turnip Greens
6 comments:
We pretty much never have leftovers unless I do something that I plan to eat for more than one meal. I just don't like them because I have eaten way too many of them. My Mom never served sandwiches. It was always leftovers and they got reheated more than once if they did not get finished. Then for all the years that I had terrible food allergies it was just best for me to eat the same thing for supper one day and lunch the next since I pretty much always had to cook a separate meal for me every day.
I was just on the phone with Mom and she is still in rehab. She said she was waiting for them to bring her supper and I told her how spoiled she has gotten! She doesn't always like what they serve but how nice to be cooked for and cleaned up after for every meal! I try every day to help her appreciate those people who are taking care of her.
I have my menu made for the week and hopefully the water will cooperate! Having had the entire well torn apart and relined has made us pull up some real debris. My poor Hubby keeps having to clear faucets and toilets and we are still drinking bottled water. This too shall pass!
Lana, I don't set out to make leftovers but they happen quite often. I've been practicing hard on making two portions instead of four but some recipes just seem to expand into too much.
I sure hope the water woes get worked out sooner rather than later!
Funny thing about rehab it is nice to be 'spoiled' with meals and clean up and all done for you but you miss your own cooking and your own foods...Still they do look after you pretty well in those places and it helps you get on your feet quicker, I think since you aren't pushed to do more than you're capable of by adding in housework and such.
Terri, I’ve been trying to cook “just enough” at meals but it doesn’t always work that way as sometimes a package of meat is more than 2 servings, I’m also planning can-heavy meals as I frankly have more canned stockpile than I think is reasonable, I guess time will tell how long it takes me to make a dent.
Your pineapple cakes sound good!
We definitely have leftovers and my husband sees to it that they are eaten! I love having an evening off supper duty if there is enough leftover for everyone. I am better than I was about being aware of what is in the fridge and how I could add it to that day’s meals.
I have everything to make bagels, but I have not gotten around to doing it yet, Terri! I have a lot to do with the flower/vegetable garden this week that I don’t think I will get to them yet, but they are on my list, especially since you say how good they are! I also have to repot my tomato and pepper seedlings. We don’t put those plants out until the end of May here. I think I will make tuna pasta salad this week too. Great for when I have come in from gardening and am way past starving. Have a wonderful week and hugs to you!
Rhonda, I tend to stock only cans of things we actually like from cans all of the time. For instance, collard or turnip greens, black eye peas, Green Beans and obviously any tomato product and a few dried beans just for convenience of having them and then fruits. I used to stock a little of every thing in a can just to say I had them but over time, they'd sit unused and I'd find once I made myself use them that we didn't care for them (like canned cream corn. John's a big fan, I'm not, ditto for lima beans). I am trying hard to think how much of any item I will use in a 12 month cycle and keep that amount on hand but I'm finding I never quite hit that mark. It's a very big learning curve.
I can imagine you, like myself having learned to cook for a hungry mostly male family learned to cook big quantities, which is why you did so well cooking for the Frat house after you'd raised your family. Now it's a hard thing to un-learn cooking larger quantities of food.
As you say, some packets of meat, if not divided right away will mean more cooking at once and some recipes, like the tuna pasta salad seem to grow and grow as you add ingredients even if you are reducing amounts, lol.
Karen, Tuna pasta salad for our lunch today and it was sooo good. Use You Tube's Nikki Vegan's Oil Free Bagel Recipe and you'll find it very easy and taking far less time than you think you'd need to get it done, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx6EyovYEUM
I break all meat down into really small amounts before I freeze it. Ground beef or turkey in 8 ounce pkg, pork chops go two in a pkg, chicken breasts of all kinds is one per pkg, thighs two in a pkg, tenders four per pkg, Italian sausage two per pkg, etc. I can always take out multiple packages of anything. It is a pain on shopping days but I always regret it if I just get lazy and toss the entire pack in the freezer.
Post a Comment