Menu Plan - Pantry Challenge Week 12



Last week was Spring Break for Diva as well as our anniversary so we ate out one night (on a gift card of course) ate with my parents and generally ate leftovers so not much was crossed off the list.  What did happen though was we had the Operinos over for Frito Pies one night.  Who said that having company means making gourmet food?  :)

Sometimes when you are cleaning out the pantry of fridge, you end up putting more stuff in the freezer.  Take the ham for instance.  I cooked it for brunch, we had it for supper, then I turned it into individually wrapped croque monsieur sandwiches, a ham & apple bake, and a breakfast ham & cheese casserole for the freezer.  Seriously, the pantry challenge may never end it is a very visual manifestation of one step forward and two steps back. 

This week I'm thawing one of the two turkeys that I found down in the depths so again, I'll be making casseroles and putting them back into the freezer.  At least casseroles are easier to stack than turkeys and hams.

Engineer asked if I felt like our guests were suffering due to the pantry challenge.  I don't think so since everyone left with food in their bellies.  It may have been food they never thought they would eat in their lifetime (Mung Bean & Kohl Rabi Salad, I'm talking about you) but they were fed nonetheless.

I am thrilled to have one of my little hats showcased on the fabulous Brooke's blog.  She took my sad little freebie hat that was thrown in with another purchase and made it into a stunner.  Here is what it looked like before:




You'll have to go to her blog Custom Style to see what it looks like now.  The transformation is shocking; plus, if you are into that crafty thing, she will show you how she gussied it up.  Thank you Ms. Brooke!  I love it! 

This month we will be eating (in no particular order):

  1. Beef Stroganoff & Salad
  2. Sweet Potato Chili & Rolls
  3. Steak Fingers, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
  4. Pumpkin Soup & Rolls
  5. Tuna Noodle Casserole & Steamed Veggies
  6. Salad Nicoise
  7. Sausage, Biscuits, & Gravy
  8. Croque Monsieur and Stewed Apples & Cranberries (assembled & put in freezer)
  9. Ribs, Roasted Sweet Potato Salad, Greens
  10. Quesadillas, Rice, & Beans
  11. Roast Turkey, Green Bean Casserole, Dressing, and Cranberry Sauce
  12. Pasta Salad, Rice Salad, Green Salad
  13. Stuffin' Muffins, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Chard
  14. Turkey Broccoli Rice Casserole & Sauteed Veggies
  15. Quiche & Salad
  16. Tin Foil Dinners
  17. Beans, Greens, & Cornbread
  18. Turkey Curry over Rice
  19. Soft Tacos, Rice, & Refried Beans
  20. Enchiladas, Rice, & Beans
  21. Pork Stir Fry over Rice
  22. Roast, Rice, & Gravy, Steamed Veggies
  23. Grilled Turkey, Brie, & Cranberry Sandwiches, Slaw, & Broiled Grapefruit
  24. Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese
  25. King Ranch Turkey Casserole and Salad
  26. Hashbrown Casserole & Mixed Vegetables
  27. Ham, Salad, Sweet Potato & Collard Soup, Cranberry & Brie Crescents, Marinated Broccoli, Mung Bean Salad
  28. Cuban Sandwiches & Beans
  29. Chicken in a Cloud and Steamed Broccoli
  30. Frito Pies made with Homemade Chili
  31. Ham & Apple Casserole (assembled & put in freezer)
  32. Ham & Cheese Breakfast Bake (assembled & put in freezer)


This is part of Menu Plan Monday.

Comments

  1. This pantry challenge has me cracking up!!! With a few cases of water and a bicycle powered generator, you're all set for some 1950's era catastrophe!

    And the hat...OMGosh!!! That gal is very talented!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't forget the dehydrator - I need one of those too, just to make it through the roughest parts of that 1950s calamity. ;)

      Delete
  2. The hat transformation is amazing! My gram always wore hats, and I saved a few.

    I can't believe you're pantry challenge has lasted this long. Perhaps you'd like to borrow my teenagers to wrap it up?!?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do think that a couple of regular extra adult type mouths to feed would help me bring this to a close a lot quicker. :)

      Delete
  3. Thanks for the link-back - I'm so glad you love the hat! I really want to see a photo of you modeling it sometime! =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do love the hat Ms. Brooke and as you can see from the above comments, everyone else does too! I'm not big on having photos taken but will get over it so you can see your creation in action....someday. :) Thank you again!

      Delete
  4. Bwahahahahahaha!!!!!

    Does that mean dinner at your house one night? LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe neighborhood dinner needs to include the entire neighborhood. :)

      Delete
  5. Omigosh, the same thing happens to me - I haul something out of the freezer, cook it, and recycle into half a dozen meals that go back back INTO the freezer, finished off with, almost always, a pot of soup of some sort!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's where we are now in the process, either to big joints of meat that have to be repurposed and refrozen or to previously repurposed/refrozen meals....oh, and cranberries, I have bags and bags of cranberries.

      Delete
  6. And still...pantry envy. Plus, cute hat! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! My pantry is not that big but it is amazing the amount of stuff that will fit in a smalllish pantry, a couple of fridge/freezers and a deep freeze. :)

      Delete

Post a Comment

Your turn! Let me know what perfectly practical comments you have.