Eat From the Pantry Challange

Money Saving Mom is doing a Eat From the Pantry Challenge for the month of January. So I have deiced to join in.

Fist of all I have been wanting to take a look at what I have in my pantry and see what meals I can come up with from what I have so this will be a great time.

Second I usually eat from what I have on hand because I do not do a regular shopping trip due to the fact that we get leftovers from what we buy to feed groups and the catering business. Also when my husbands mom goes shopping for these events she will buy me whatever she thinks I will use so often I have lots of ends and odds and lots of fresh produce.

So my goals for this month is to try to take what I have and PLAN menus and to try to look for some new recipes while I do it because we are getting tired of being in a rut. I usually don´t plan out week by week and just make what comes to mind.

Also I want to use up what is about to expire and get ready for the new year with clean cabinet.

Right now I don´t have a lot of meat so we will have to make a trip for that and a few other basic staples.

Here is some of what is in my fridge and pantry now:

2 eggplants
3 zucchini
12 carrots
potatoes
2 broccoli
lemons
2 bags of apples
2 bags of grapes
ripe bananas
green bananas
plantains
1 papaya
2 heads of lettuce
tomatoes
bell peppers
onion
garlic
green beans
1 chicken breast with bone
various red meat which is for Randall´s family and we don´t usually eat
1 half eaten roasted chicken
some ham and cheese

12 packs of spaghetti
2 packs of sofrito salsa
2 packs of tomato sauce with mushrooms
1 bag of brown rice
1 bag of lentils
1 bag of garbanzos
1 can of garbanzos
1 can of olives
white rice
red beans
eggs
1 can of tuna
2 bags of tomato sauce
3 packs of various pasta
lasagna noodles
3 jello



It is amazing that there is so much because I have a very small fridge and freezer (the size of a square notebook page!). The food cabinet is also very small. I don´t think that this will last a month. But I am going to use up what I have and do as many meals as I can.

So what have we eaten these last 2 days??

1. Chicken and Red Bean Enchiladas with the roasted chicken (I just googled a recipe and this is what I found. It was good but as usually happens with me I don´t make it like the recipe!!), Peach cobbler for New Year's Dessert

2. Brown Rice, Stuffed Eggplant with grapes

If you would like to join me then check back for next weeks menu!