The Food Pantry Chronicles

The movers are coming in a little over a month and I've been working my way through the pantry for what seems like forever. It was more of a goal to tap into the pantry reserves than it was a necessity to empty everything. Now we are getting down to the line and I'm really trying to use up the pantry contents. I'd really just like to take spices and staples and buy new food when I get there. 

While Hubs is gone I should be cooking for one. I've found that cooking up a soup or a casserole to share with the neighbors gives me something to look forward to and I'm using up more ingredients that way. It's also nice to have that social interaction. 

I have made some fun meals with ingredients mostly from the pantry. I've also embraced my inner 13 year old and tried combining ingredients that I normally don't use. My two favorites from this week were Chili-Ghetti and Tuna Melts. 

My Chili-Ghetti was much better than the stuff my mom (or was it my dad?) used to toss together when I was a kid. I used the last of the lentil chili (lentils, chili powder, cumin, garlic, Rotel, Boca beef crumbles) I made on Sunday along with bow tie and corkscrew pasta bits. I topped it with bagged taco cheese shreds and half a can of chopped green chilis. (I used the rest of the can chilis in omelets.) I had a few boxes of 1/2c or so of pasta left in the box so I combined them to empty the boxes and just followed the instructions for the pasta with the longest cook time. I'll post the recipes for everything along with pictures as soon as I can.

For my tuna melts I used the usual tuna salad ingredients but I substituted hot Chow Chow for the relish. I didn't want to buy another container of relish just to eat up the canned tuna and I had a jar of hot Chow Chow that I bought at the farmer's market over the summer. It was amazing on a Tuna Melt and the Chow Chow flavor did very well with a sharper cheese. 

I've also set a few guidelines that seem to help the pantry emptying process.

1. No random canned goods or boxes of foods for future use. If I can't cook it tonight, don't buy it. (Exception: Max of two cans of soup for use this week, broth and coffee.)

2. Stick to buying produce, dairy and small portions of meat that can be combined with pantry contents to make meals.

3. Try to use something from the pantry at every meal.

4. You can throw a lot of stuff into soup! The same goes for casseroles and pot pies. Make it on Saturdays and let the neighbors know that a container will be coming their way. Don't freeze more than you know you'll eat between now and move day. 

5. No more condiments. Look up recipes for ketchup, mayo etc. or use up salad dressing as substitute. 

6. Save sour cream containers, mayo jars, etc. to give soup to neighbors. Avoid tracking down the good Tupperware on move day.

Powdering (or dicing or chopping) mushrooms...

A Moment of A-ha! Not the band...the mushroom!

As we've discussed, I'm adding the Cabbage Soup Diet into my low-carb eating plan for the next week. It's all in an attempt to help a cocktail dress fit a little better. That and it's kind of fun to embrace a fad diet for a few days. 

While I was making my soup/stew I had the most amazing kitchen epiphany. Why wait until the dehydrated mushrooms have re-hydrated in hot water before dicing them?

Let's back up...

I decided to add some mushrooms to the soup and opted to use the dehydrated mushrooms from my pantry.

I had two kinds. The trumpets are kind of big.

I tossed those in a bowl so I could add boiling water to re-hydrate them.

I reached in and started breaking them up with my fingers since I knew I'd be dicing them later. It was something to do until the kettle heated. 

And then I giggled...it was maniacal laugh. If I had a mustache I would have twirled it. 

I took my bowl of dehydrated mushrooms and dumped them in my mini chopper and pulsed them until they looked like this...

The ones on the bottom (it's hard to see in this picture) are super tiny.

You can pulse them as finely as you want. 

Heck, you can completely powder them and add it by the tablespoon into just about anything. 

I still wanted mushrooms that were chopped looking. You can also go for a dice or a mince depending on how much you process it.

I am never dicing mushrooms again for soup.

I'm guessing this will finally be the way I can sneak mushrooms into sauces without my husband looking for fungi invaders before he takes the first bite. I'm going to keep an eye out for other dehydrated foods that I use often and especially those that get a good dice before going into soups or casseroles. I'm also going to suggest this to my brother-in-law as he's always working to have his girls eat healthier foods. This is a great way to incorporate (ok, sneak or hide) vegetables. The smaller you make it the harder it will be for picky eaters to identify in a dish.

Jalapeno Tuna Pasta Salad with Corn

Oh Happy Day!

I found some jalapeno tuna in the grocery store and couldn't resist buying it. Tuna...with flavor...
Sign.
Me.
Up.

I took a taste right out of the can and WOW! Talk about a kick!

So I added a can of Mexicorn. Who doesn't have a can of Mexicorn for that recipe you can never remember?

And then I cooked up a little farfalle pasta (that's bow tie) ...

and combined it with a little mayo. 

I ended up with a great little pasta salad that only took 15 minutes to throw together with stuff I had in the pantry. 

(Yeah...I'm out of everything but I'm not going to the grocery store until this weekend when I have my muscle around to carry everything.)

I was just tossing things together and never bothered to take a picture. Sorry. Here's the recipe. Don't be scared if you think it's too hot. Just put your pasta salad and chill overnight and the flavors really mellow to become mild. I had some for lunch the next day and the flavors were very mellow and not as hot. If you like it with a kick, serve it straight up or just chill for a 20 minutes to let everything combine.

Jalapeno Tuna and Pasta Salad with Corn

1 Can on Jalapeno Tuna, drained
1 Can of Mexicorn, drained
1- 1 1/2 cup of bow tie or other small pasta
2 tbsp of Mayonnaise

Cook the pasta as directed in salted water, drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. While it's boiling... Pour tuna into a medium bowl and use a fork to break up large pieces. Add Mexicorn and mayonnaise and stir to combine. Add cooked pasta and stir to combine. Refrigerate.

Salad a la Tater

I had some potatoes left over from when I should have roasted them up for my husband. I decided to boil them up so I could make a potato salad. I'm such a rebel. An hour ago I wasn't going to blog tonight or make potato salad. It was just too good not to share.


I make potato salad differently every time I make it. I spurn the zillions of recipes and just go with what I have...if I have potatoes. I like this combination of ingredients so I took notes.


Here you have it...

I don't have the photography skills to make potato salad look yummy. You'll just need to trust me. 

Salad a la Tater


2 1/2-3 lbs of small red potatoes
2 eggs
2 tsp salt


3/4 c of mayonnaise
1/8 c  Deli Mustard with Horseradish or more to taste (I use the Publix brand. Use less of any gourmet brand as they're a little heavier on the horseradish.)
3 tbsp Hot Green Tomato Relish or other zesty relish along with a good splash of juice
3 Green Onions, sliced thin
2 tbsp Capers
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt or more to taste
1/2 tsp Fine Ground Pepper or more to taste
1/2 tsp Dill Weed, dry
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Celery Seed


Add the potatoes with skins on and the eggs to cold water and 2 tbsp of free flowing salt (the cheap stuff). Heat over Medium High heat for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and plop the eggs in a dish of ice water to avoid burning your fingers later. Put your potatoes into a wide bowl. Use a potato masher to break up the potatoes.


Chop up the eggs and green onions and add them to the potatoes along with the mayo, mustard, O/V,  spices, capers and relish. 

Before stirring. I ended up adding a little more relish.

Give it a good stir and add additional seasoning to taste. If it's too dry you can add more olive oil or mayo. Chill.


Add to a pretty bowl and add just a touch of paprika on the top before serving.


Tips: 


I love using the Hot Green Tomato Relish I got from Slice of Georgia. I picked it up at a booth they had during a local farmer's market. It's spicy and has a touch of sweetness without the generic bread and butter pickle relish taste. I think I'll try it with a Chow Chow next time.


Potatoes, eggs and green onions were the only fresh foods in this salad. Everything else came from the spice rack or the refrigerator door. 

Tot Fondue

I try to eat healthy but sometimes I just need to cannonball right off the deep end into some comfort food. Back when I was a housewife in training wheels my friend Aimee told me she always kept Velveeta and Rotel in the pantry for when there were unexpected guest. Sure enough, the queso recipe is right on the inside cover of the Velveeta. Just mix it with Rotel and nuke it. Her advice has saved me when friends stopped over or when the hubs was looking for serious snacking while studying in law school. 


One of our favorite restaurants in Atlanta is The Vortex. They have this wonderful concoction called Tot Fondue. It's essentially tater tots and queso dip. Man, is it good. This is my take on the recipe. It's not as good as The Vortex but I had some supplies on hand to give it a shot. I was pretty happy with it. My version is spicier and the pepper on the tots makes it extra good.


This takes about 25 minutes from pantry to table and it's a great TV snack or a fun twist on a side dish. It's also easy to make multiple batches if you're looking for a warm finger food for entertaining.


Any leftover dip is good with tortilla chips...duh!

Tot Fondue! As good for a hangover as Waffle House. Ole, ya'll!

Tot Fondue


1 can of Original Rotel 
1 16oz package of Velveeta
1 bag of Tater Tots
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Finely Ground Black Pepper

Step 1: Preheat your oven and pour tots onto a baking sheet. Cook as directed but add an extra minute or two at the end to get them good and crispy. You'll be eating these with your fingers and the extra few minutes gets them crunchy enough to stand up to dipping.












While your tots are in the oven...

Step 2: Open the can and pour all of the contents into a blender or food processor. Pulse it a 5-7 times to break up the chunks of tomato and peppers. Do it until there are no big chunks but don't go nuts with the puree. If you don't do this step the chunks are too big and won't stick to your tots. Aim for teeny bits of tomato and peppers, not liquefied.







Step 3: Cut your Velveeta into chunks and put those chunks into a microwaveable bowl.








Step 4: Pour your Rotel right over the top of the cheese


Step 5: Pop it in the microwave for 3 minutes. Stir, then nuke for another minute or two until there are no chunky cheese bits left and the cheese is melty and the Rotel is evenly mixed throughout. (The heating instructions for the basic queso are in the Velveeta box for reference. Handy!)


Step 6: When the tots are done, remove from the oven and sprinkle with a little bit of salt (the Queso portion will have enough so don't over do it.) Then sprinkle about 1/2 tsp of ground pepper over the tots. Toss them to distribute the salt and pepper.

I hate fighting big dishes in my fridge.
I transfer things into my little ramekins
for easy storage and reheating. 

Pour your queso into a little ramekin and serve along side your tots. 

Ole, ya'll.

Tips: 

• Once my queso is done I pour it into smaller ramekins so we easily reheat it and store the extra without using a big dish. Just warm up a dish for more tots or chips.

• Not all brands have the same size tots. If you have multiple options, go for the bigger tot. The bigger tots give you more surface area for holding the dip. If not, the small works just fine.

• Remember to add a few minutes on to the tot cooking time. You want them crunchy enough to hold up to dipping in queso which is crunchier than what's needed for dipping in ketchup. It's a scientifically proven fact. Really!

• Here's the recipe for the Velveeta and Rotel "Famous Queso Dip"

• I prefer the Original Rotel for this recipe. The Hot is just too strong on the tots.

• Don't wander too far once you hit the 3 minute mark. Trust me. 

Oops!

Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower with Lemon and Capers

I picked up a package of pre-cut broccoli and cauliflower today. 


Why? 


I was feeling rebellious. 


It's usually the most over-cooked and least desirable vegetable combination. I thought I'd try to jazz it up a bit. It's not like I could screw it up more than countless restaurants serving it as a side dish.  Not only is it super good for you, it's cheap and holds up well in the fridge. I really want to like it and restaurants have really ruined it for me. 


This had a lot of flavor and the lemon and capers added a lot of brightness. Yay, me.

Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower


1 Package of Raw Broccoli and Cauliflower Florets
1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
2 Tsp Capers
Salt and Pepper


Break any over-sized florets in half to get everything close to a uniform size. Toss vegetables with olive oil, fresh cracked pepper and a pinch of salt. Toss onto roasting pan and roast at 375 for about 25 minutes. Add the capers, stir and return to the oven for 5 more minutes. You want to see some browning on a few of the veggie edges. If it gets to brown it gets dry and bitter so be careful not to overcook.


Transfer to a bowl, add the lemon juice and zest of 1/2 lemon and toss. Taste and add more salt as needed. The capers and lemon add a lot of flavor so salt sparingly when you mix it together. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the top and serve. 


Voila!


Super easy. 

I've seen Harry's Farmer's Market featured on cooking shows filmed around Atlanta but I've never been. This morning I was running a relative to the burbs and I couldn't resist stopping for some goodies.


Interesting fact: Harry's Farmers Market is actually a Whole Foods. Weird, no? I didn't realize it until I walked inside. Sadly, unlike the Whole Foods near me this one does not allow you to walk around drinking a beer. Darn suburbs. It was also 11am so we'll let it slide.

Homemade BBQ Hot Sauce

I made this finishing sauce to go on the BBQ pork shoulder that's currently cooking up for my husband. This is my version of the sauce you might find on the table at BBQ restaurants for dripping onto your pulled pork. I spent time in North and South Carolina so I used ketchup, mustard and vinegar. Don't judge!


BBQ Finishing Sauce


1/2 c Ketchup
1/2 c Apple Cider Vinegar
1/3 c Yellow Mustard
1 c Water
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Powdered Mustard
1 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
1 tsp Ancho Chili Powder
1 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Paprika
2 tbsp Dried Onion Flakes


Add all the ingredients to a sauce pan and whisk it together. Turn the sauce pan to medium low heat and let it go for 10-15 minutes without boiling just to get it hot and the flavors working. If you like more heat, add more red pepper or chipotle powder. Let it completely cool. Transfer it to a recycled hot sauce bottle or to a plastic condiment squirt bottle using a spout. Park it in the fridge for at least two days. Add a few tablespoons of water and give it a shake if you'd like it thinner. 


It's fun making your own hot sauces! I loved playing with all the peppers and spices in my cabinet. I'm already thinking about what else I can put this on and which sauce will be next.

Pantry Confidential and Uses for Powdered Drink Mixes

A little area in my pantry is dedicated to drink mixes. You know, Kool-Aid, Crystal Light, those nifty instant coffees from Starbucks that I keep in case zombies stop by for coffee?

I used the Kool-Aid brand for this. You can use any brand of unsweetened  lemonade. You'll find the unsweetened kind in the tiny packets, not in the big packets or tubs.

I finally got around to trying a cool trick using Lemonade powdered drink mix to clean the dishwasher. Don't try grape or any other flavor. It's got to be plain unsweetened lemonade. It's the citric acid that does the trick.


Step #1: Pour powered Lemonade drink mix into door.


Step #2: Start the dishwasher and make sure the drying cycle is engaged.


Important: No dirty dishes or soap. Run this through an empty dish washer. The citric acid neutralizes soap scum and soap in general, so adding washing soap and trying to wash a load of dishes at the same time will just be like washing them in lemony smelling water. No bueno.


I haven't tried this method with a load of already washed plastic storage containers (they sometimes absorb odors) or a load of (washed and clean) soap spotted glasses. I did empty a packet into a load of hot water in my washing machine. It was too diluted and didn't really do anything. Instead of trying it again with even more lemonade I will use it to clean out my coolers. I hate opening a cooler and smelling bleach. Bleh!


I've mentioned before how I have to get my pantry under control for when we move. I'm all about planning for emergencies and having enough food to feed us for a few weeks in case of the zombie apocalypse or (even more unlikely) a snow storm in Atlanta.


I'm all about emergency preparedness. 


Until it's time to move and I have to deal with it all.


Where's a zombie or snow storm when I need one?


In addition to all of the other projects that need to happen, I'm trying to use the stuff in my pantry instead of making a ridiculous donation of capers, artichoke hearts and seven kinds of gourmet vinegar to the local food bank. (They'll get the more practical canned goods if there are any left.)

I have issues...and capers for days.

Big Pimpin' Tuna Salad and Fun with Condiments

I love condiments. (By condiments I mean toppings, marinades, sauces and pickled stuff.)


I don't recall meeting a condiment I didn't like and try to take home. So if condiments were like hookers and the grocery store was like a red light district...Well, you get it. I like them a whole bunch. Condiments, not hookers.

Hey baby, you wanna date?

I am overwhelmed. Almost everywhere I look there is a surplus of something that needs to be consumed or used. While it would be noble to donate the condiments to a local food bank, I'm thinking they won't find the jars of capers, marinated artichokes and hot cherry peppers as useful as other foods. 


I've heard mixed reports of movers either allowing or not allowing you to pack food. While it would be really nice if they'd pack everything, I think glass jars of picked okra and chow chow might make for a big mess once they break in transit. I'd rather eat it than pick it out of everything I own. Military wives are great at blogging their moving adventures (Thank you!) so I'm heeding some of their advice.


What's a pimp to do? 

What's a housewife to do?

I started thinking of dishes that use a lot of condiments. My goal is to use at least something from my awesome collection every meal. 

There's a whole shelf in my pantry devoted to condiments. The door of the fridge is also full.

The first thing that jumped out at me was the five cans of tuna. Helllllooo! Tuna salad may be the finest condiment disbursement meal of all time. I went digging. And ended up with a salad full of condiment-y goodness.


Big Pimpin' Tuna Salad 


1  small can of tuna (I love the kind packed in olive oil found in the highfalutin section of the store. It's not dry and it actually has flavor. Gasp!)
1 tbsp of the Hot Green Tomato Relish (pictured above)
1 tsp of Deli Mustard w/ Horseradish
1 tbsp of Mayo
1 Hot Cherry Pepper (pictured above) seeded and diced
1 hard boiled egg, diced
1/2 scallion, sliced thin
1-2 tbsp of diced bell pepper.
1 tbsp of sun dried tomatoes or 1/2 small tomato, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Best of all, it takes a cutting board, knife and bowl. No kitchen disaster necessary.

Stir and have at it. PS...it's super easy to double. If you only have water packed tuna, add a splash of olive oil. And start buying the good stuff packed in olive oil. It's tuna, not a Whopper with cheese, it will be okay. Trust the pimpness.


There are so many tuna combinations. Tomorrow I may try a Greek version with pepperoncini peppers, kalamata olives and more of those yummy sun dried tomatoes from Trader Joe's that I've been stocking up on like they're some antidote to the zombie apocalypse.