What's in Your Freezer?

We have a chest style deep freeze. After a while of picking up deals when I saw them and not really remembering what I had on hand, the freezer got a little full. My friend Jenn is trying to help me save more money on groceries and her first step is always to see what you have on hand. That was hard for me because the deep freeze is in a little nook under the stairs with very little light. I always thought if I knew what was in the freezer then I could plan my meals easier. Then when I needed an item I would know it was there because I had a list. Now I just needed time to take the inventory...

Enter one Friday evening with the girls in bed, Joshua in Wichita, and me in the basement. I watched a movie but was still not tired. After looking over a pile of coupons waiting to be cut out I remembered Jenn saying that it was better to meal plan at first. So that is what I shall do.

• 5 small bags chicken
• whole chicken
• split chicken breast
• leg quarters
• breakfast sausage
• 3 packages hot dogs
• 1/2 bag scallops
• 4 1/2 bags chicken broth cubes
• 4 bags shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 bags shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 bag shredded Mexican cheese
• 1/2 bag pierogies
• 2 small containers tortilla soup
• 1 large container chicken soup
• 4 bananas
• almond flour
• sugar
• 2 loaves bread
• 2 loaves sourdough bread
• French loaf bread
• pita pockets
• whip cream
• heavy cream
• 2 small containers strawberry jam
• okra
• California vegetables
• 4 bags broccoli
• cauliflower broccoli
• 2 bags spinach
• 2 bags corn
• carrots
• 4 bags peas
• green peppers
• 3 bags stir fry vegetables
• green beans
• 2 containers juice
• 2 mystery containers

It looks like we are having a lot of chicken. Share your favorite chicken recipe with me, would you?

Need to start my meal plan, really

The pantry is slowly clearing out. I still have a number of cans of tuna and tomatoes along with quite a bit of brown rice. Joshua leaves next week for several months so I will have one less mouth to feed. That means I can cook more items that he does not like but also that we will probably be eating more leftovers. I may just need to plan to freeze a portion from every meal and stock it away for all of those times I am about at breakdown while Joshua is gone. The freezer has a lot more room for meals now. I am also planning a freezer meal prep with my mommy friends. Things should go fine while Joshua is away. We will be gone ourselves for a few weeks. Still I need to plan meals for this week and next. I am ope to ideas for what to do with the tomatoes, tuna, and rice.

April 26- May 2

My menu this week has been so hard to put together. For some reason my heart was not in it this week. Regardless, here it is:
Monday

• Breakfast - Tiny Grape Upside-Down Cakes
• Lunch - Play date - cheese, fruit, crackers
• Dinner - Frozen meal (mom has to work)
• Snack - Peanut Butter bread

Tuesday

• Breakfast - Oatmeal with raisins
• Lunch - Quesadillas
• Dinner - Dinner Out (Joshua's birthday)
• Snack - Fruit

Wednesday

• Breakfast - fruit parfait
• Lunch - PB&J
• Dinner - Hilltop Farms Chicken, spinach and strawberry salad
• Snack - carrots and peanut butter

Thursday

• Breakfast - Pink Pancakes
• Lunch - Left overs
• Dinner - Quesadilla Casserole (Everyday with Rachel Ray)
• Snack - yogurt and granola

Friday

• Breakfast - cereal
• Lunch - crudite with cream cheese/yogurt, dill dip
• Dinner - Chicken Baked Samm (never made it last week), Brussels sprouts!?!
• Snack - cinnamon tortilla chips

Saturday

• Breakfast - Muffins and bananas
• Lunch - PB&J
• Dinner - Tuna Hot Dish (we have a lot of tuna), peas
• Snack - Zucchini muffins

Sunday

• Breakfast - Mini quiche
• Lunch - Chicken wraps
• Dinner - Crock Pot Lasagna, salad
• Snack - fruit

I need:

1. Cheese
2. Zucchini
3. Assorted fresh fruit (on sale only, I have a lot of canned)
4. Cream of Mushroom soup
5. Egg noodles
6. Potato chips
7. Assorted fresh veggies for crudite (anything I think the family will eat!)
8. Bananas

I have already spent a little of my food budget this week on Joshua's birthday present so I am going to have to stretch what I have left. Think I can do this with $40? I thought so. I am going to wait until Tuesday to do my shopping at Checkers this week. They have a good deal on bananas that day and maybe I can find other produce sales as well. Making a big dent in the pantry. Not as much in the freezer. I did find another almost full flat of diced tomatoes in the garage. We may need to have goulash again before Joshua leaves. I may even need to learn how to cook it. That is if I am allowed to stay in the kitchen this time.

April 12-18

Again, it was one of those weeks. Here is the menu. I am going to spend the evening looking everything over to see what I still need. I will post a grocery list later. Joshua and I are trying to eat healthier and closer to home so I may make a trip to the local Coop first to see what is fresh.
Monday

• Breakfast - cereal
• Lunch - Turkey Wraps
• Dinner - Citrus Chicken, rice, salad
• Snack - granola bars

Tuesday

• Breakfast - oatmeal/yogurt
• Lunch - PB&J
• Dinner - (Not so) Spicy Black Beans and Rice (Thanks Jenn!)
• Snack - fruit & cheese

Wednesday

• Breakfast - Eggs in a Basket
• Lunch - Won ton cup surprise
• Dinner - Tilapia, rice, salad
• Snack - Carrots & peanut butter

Thursday

• Breakfast - Oven Baked Pancake
• Lunch - Egg salad sandwiches
• Dinner - Meatloaf, peas, potatoes
• Snack - cottage cheese and fruit

Friday

• Breakfast - cereal
• Lunch - left overs
• Dinner - Lasagna, broccoli w/cheese, fruit
• Snack - Acini Di Pepe salad

Saturday (Earth Day!)

• Breakfast - muffins
• Lunch - Downtown for the parade
• Dinner - left overs / sandwiches
• Snack - bananas

Sunday

• Breakfast - cereal
• Lunch - PB&J
• Dinner - Mushroom soup chicken, seasonal veggies (from Farmers Market)
• Snack - Black Bean Brownies

Did I mention rice?

The week is quickly coming to a close and I noticed I have not begun to plan for our meals next week. While cleaning the kitchen I took a minute to look through the pantry and saw these items:

• peanut butter
• tomato sauce
• kidney beans
• dried lentils
• diced tomatoes
• rice
• more rice
• tuna

I could go on. Help? I will try to spend some time on Allrecipes.com tonight but I am running out of time. No ideas are bad at this point.
I am adding a linky here so that I can see what is on other menus. Be warned, I may steal your ideas!

Save us!

Dinner last night was fine. It was not great. Audrey ate some of it so that is always a good thing. Still, I do not think we will put Orange Teriyaki Chicken on regular rotation. There are sadly few items my family will eat on a regular basis and I am trying to widen that selection. Do you have any ideas for me? I do not eat beef and I am not a huge fan of pork (although I am open to tasty, easy recipes.) Please, save us from our boring chicken dinners. If I get time this evening I will put a linky up so sharing is easy.

Over the mid-week hump

Several good dinners in a row. This week has been much easier to follow as there are no holidays or dinners with relatives to contend with. Cooking with Audrey has gone better this week as well.

I was trying to find photos of dinners and came up short. On looking over my menu I realized why: Monday, leftovers; Tuesday, thunderstorm; Wednesday, Nachos (see above); Thursday, in progress. The other picture is of lunch. Audrey and I had a great time making turkey wraps. Check out her blog for the recipe and photos of her helping make them. Tomorrow night's meal is one we have had recently, Tuna Hot Dish, but since we are going for the Pantry Challenge I need to clear out a few cans of tuna. 

As soon as we get a little more space in the pantry I am going to work on just keeping staples for our favorite 28 meals. As this will include perishable items I don't see this being a large quantity of stuff. If you scroll down the right-hand side of my blog you will see I have already begun this list. Items will be added after both adults in the household deem them worthy of repeating. After 28 main courses are picked out I will work to combine these with side dishes to make complete, nutritious (read: vegetables and fruit) meals. I have a feeling that most of these meals are going to be casserole, crock pot, or one dish skillet meals as I am not all that fond of cooking. I welcome feedback and recipes to help me along this journey. Hope your dinner is tasty!

Gobble, gobble

So we had a major Kansas storm tonight which took out the power and my dinner plans along with it. Audrey begged for a peanut butter sandwich all evening and when the power went out she got one. I did go ahead and cook the Chicken Parm and noodles and pack them for a lunch for Joshua. On the bright side, I am making homemade turkey broth and freezing it in ice cube trays. I had a turkey I cooked last week and my in-laws cooked another one for Easter so I have a lot of bones. That means Turkey Barley Soup will have to be on the menu for next week. Maybe we will make it a nice starter instead of a full meal in hopes that Audrey will still eat something. She used to love soup but lately she will not even try it. Any other recipe ideas for left over turkey meat and broth?

Still trying

Some of my efforts to clean out the food stockpile have been thwarted by the fact that my in-laws have moved out of their Lawrence home and left me with food. They will take a few items with them when they move to the summer cabin but that will not be for another week. On the plus side I did get the cottage cheese I needed and some fresh fruit for Audrey's snacks. I may have to have another leftover night this week to make room. C'est la vie.

Saturday, Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Saturday we did end up having spaghetti with meat sauce. I was able to use up a can of tomato sauce from the garage, turkey meat from the freezer and some pasta we have had around for a while. Joshua does not like whole wheat pasta so instead of tossing it I decided to mix a little whole wheat in with the regular for a few meals until I use it up.

April 5-11

I am sitting at my table finishing my meal plan for the week and a beautiful spring breeze is blowing through the open window. That is a good sign. With spring comes the Downtown Farmer's Market and this year a half share of a local farm. Even though those local goods are not here yet I am excited just thinking about them. So I must make room in the freezer and pantry so I have a place to store all of the good food yet to come.
Here is the menu for this week:
Monday

• Breakfast - oatmeal/yogurt
• Lunch - play date at the park
• Dinner - Easter dinner leftovers
• Snack - Carrot Cake Cookies from Sesame Street Yummy Cookies Baking With Kids

Tuesday

• Breakfast - cereal
• Lunch - quesadillas
• Dinner - Chicken Parmesan, broccoli
• Snack - fruit & cheese

Wednesday

• Breakfast - Cranberry Muffins from The Healthy Heart Cookbook
• Lunch - PB&J (Audrey's favorite)
• Dinner - Nachos from The Kid's Cookbook, salad
• Snack - Oatmeal Bars from Starting Cooking

Thursday

• Breakfast - cereal
• Lunch - Turkey Wraps from The Better Homes and Garden's New Junior Cookbook
• Dinner - Orange Teriyaki Chicken from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two, glazed carrots
• Snack - 1-2-3 Cheese Tart from Kitchen Playdates

Friday

• Breakfast - pink pancakes (left overs from last batch)
• Lunch - mini cheese pizzas
• Dinner - Tuna Hot Dish, peas
• Snack - Smoothie

Saturday

• Breakfast - cranberry muffins (left overs)
• Lunch - PB&J
• Dinner - Chicken in Citrus Sauce from The Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes, asparagus
• Snack - trail mix

Sunday

• Breakfast - oatmeal/yogurt
• Lunch - left overs
• Dinner - Pizza Pie from Whole Foods for the Whole Family, salad
• Snack - cottage cheese & fruit

As an addition I volunteered to deliver meals to two families with new babies this week so I will make a turkey cheese quiche for each. I have turkey from Easter dinner and a lot of eggs. These are also easy meals to transport. My shopping list looks like this:

• cinnamon
• carrots
• cheese
• chicken thighs
• orange
• English muffins
• egg noodles
• cottage cheese
• ranch dressing
• pie crusts
• tortilla chips
• avocados
• lime
• puff pastry
• feta cheese
• salad mix
• milk 

Even with so many items to purchase I am still using up stuff from the pantry and freezer. Most of our side dish veggies come from the freezer at this point. Can't wait for fresh, local veggies. 

Better Luck Next Time

This week was packed with holiday meals and relatives visiting. Try as I might I was only able to cook Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and (hopefully) Saturday. The meal I had scheduled for Thursday (Tomato Lentil Soup) I added to the meal Friday night as we ended up having both sets of grandparents over for dinner. I did not add to the pantry but very little was used up this week. Next week should be calmer and possibly we will be able to double up on pantry staple usage to make up for slacking this week.

Recipes: Asparagus, Chicken Bake Samm

Recipe for Chicken Bake Samm:

• chicken
• chicken broth
• mushrooms
• onion

Place chicken in oven safe dish. Pour enough broth over to have half inch in the bottom of dish. Broil chicken on each side for 3-5 minutes, or until golden. Remove chicken and add mushrooms, onions and enough broth to maintain the half  inch in the bottom of the dish. Cook until done.

This is a basic recipe and easy to adapt to quantity of chicken and type (breast, thighs, boneless, etc.) We like boneless thighs in this house and they are quick to cook. I also use canned mushrooms and dried onions. That means all I have to purchase is the chicken and then I can raid the pantry for the rest of the ingredients. I recommend keeping this recipe in mind for quick, delicious meals.

Recipe for Roast Asparagus:

• Asparagus
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 2 tbsp Italian Dressing
• 1 clove Minced Garlic

Line a baking sheet with foil, place asparagus on top. In a bowl mix honey, garlic and italian dressing, pour over asparagus. Bake for 15 minutes or until tender. I cook mine a little less because I like it crisp.

Chicken Bake Samm

I am a day behind on my blogging and when I mentioned this to my boyfriend he had no sympathy for me. Am I addicted? According to my girlfriends the answer is yes. Regardless, it is fun. So here is dinner from yesterday:

Check back for the recipes for the chicken and asparagus...

March 29 - April 4

So I am late getting my menu out. I have most of it put together but I have still yet to make my to-do or groceries lists. Best not to procrastinate for these reasons and just get it published.

Monday

• Breakfast - Cereal
• Lunch - Quiche
• Dinner - Seder meal with relatives
• Snack - PB&J (Audrey asked for it)

Tuesday

• Breakfast - Pink Pancakes
• Lunch -PB&J
• Dinner - Chicken Baked Samm
• Snack - Bunny Graham crackers and fruit

Wednesday

• Breakfast - Oatmeal/Yogurt
• Lunch - Cheese Sandwiches & fruit
• Dinner - Meatballs, pasta, peas, coleslaw
• Snack - granola bars

Thursday

• Breakfast - Toast Sandwiches
• Lunch - Chicken fingers
• Dinner - Tomato Lentil Soup, fruit salad
• Snack - cheese & fruit

Friday

• Breakfast - Eggs
• Lunch - Quesadillas
• Dinner - Turkey, broccoli, potatoes
• Snack - Carrots & peanut butter

Saturday

• Breakfast - Oatmeal/Yogurt
• Lunch - crudite, fruit, cheese
• Dinner - Spaghetti with meat sauce
• Snack - Applesauce

Sunday

• Breakfast - Smoothie
• Lunch - Turkey Sandwiches
• Dinner - Easter Meal (I am not cooking!)
• Snack - Eggs, of course

Check back as I update this to reflect changes in this holiday week menu. My in-laws or parents may take over cooking duties or take us out to dinner one or more nights not already marked. Changes will be reflected in the daily posts. 

Lasagna was a hit

The lasagna turned out well. No complaints. No rave reviews either. Joshua was very helpful in saying what he liked and some things that might make it taste better next time. I was happy to have used 3 jars of tomato sauce that had been in my garage on a shelf for several months. All of the other items were purchased for this meal. Except for a can of pears that took the place of our usual strawberries in the family salad. I liked the salad. Audrey liked the pears. And the birthday cake (thanks Leah and Rhonda!) Here is a picture of Audrey's plate:

Change of Plan

I forgot to post last night that lasagna was moved to dinner tonight. Joshua had to be in Wichita tonight so we moved our birthday meal out to last night. After much contemplation I selected Ten as my birthday dinner and was not disappointed. If you go on a night when they have something with sweet potatoes, order it.

Another day, two more items down

Another not so great day at Chez Audrey. I really should call it something else but we did buy the house because I was pregnant with her and we needed more room. It has been her house ever since. poor Maurene. Back to the point; Audrey did not nap today. When I asked for help making the salad at dinner she refused and decided instead to move all of the Tupperware to the bottom of her sister's excersaucer. I was able to make dinner but it was not great. I am, however, feeling pretty good about slowly emptying out the stockpile of items taking up space in the pantry and freezer.
When we get low enough Joshua and I have decided to start making better choices about how we spend our food budget. First, we are going to purchase a half share at Mellowfields Urban Farm here in beautiful Lawrence, Kansas. Second, we will buy what we can from The Farmer's Market and The Merc (our local Co-Op.) And last, we will purchase from companies we know to have ethical business practices. We are prepared to spend a little more and know that our dollars are speaking for us.

The wagon left us at the station

There are days when everyone naps, we have no meltdowns, and the kitchen is clean. Then there are days like today. When we have those days I make pancakes. Today we used the recipe from Deceptively Delicious for Pink Pancakes. Audrey loved them. She had seconds. Daddy knew what was in them and elected to have leftover lasagna. I thought they tasted fine. We had them with butter and powdered sugar.

No leftovers

Tonight I made a family favorite: Tuna Noodle Casserole (called Tuna Hotdish in Joshua's family) and there are no leftovers. Usually a recipe makes four to six servings so we always have extra. I guess the family liked it.

Audrey enjoyed her eggs for breakfast and even tried a pea at dinner. We had to substitute granola bars for cheese at snack time because daddy ate all the cheese last night. Another good day. On a  more somber note: Joshua sent me an article on middle age women and obesity. I think he is trying to be funny about my birthday. I have been going to the gym a little recently but I do not get in an hour every day. Might have to add to that so I do not become one of those overweight middle aged women.
P.S. After all my planning and two trips to the store I still forgot to pick up cream of mushroom soup for tonight's dinner.