Monday, January 13, 2014

Pantry Foraging, Day One

Last night's dinner consisted of One Pot Pasta, made from pantry staples including linguine, canned diced Italian tomatoes, olive oil, and vegetable broth. I unearthed a package of turkey meatballs from the freezer and threw those in for good measure. An onion, four cloves of garlic, and a bunch of basil from the fridge as well as dried spices from the spice cabinet rounded out the recipe with no need for purchased items.

To accompany the pasta, I made a salad, using veggies in the fridge and topped with croutons from a package that I discovered in the back of the pantry during my purge/cleaning/organizing spree.

I'm not sure what tonight's meal will look like, but am determined to create it from the things that I already have on hand.

One thing that I did purchase this weekend, and for which I make no excuses, is a supply of pomegranates. I had to go to three grocery stores to find the little buggers and I made sure to buy as many as I could afford since this is the tail-end of the season and I probably won't have another opportunity.

In fact, when I didn't find the fruit in the first two stores, I kind of resigned myself to the fact that they were gone, and, mourned accordingly. Which, is why I have two bags of Cara Cara oranges in my fridge, now, because; if I can't have pomegranates, Cara Caras are the next best thing.

Unless you are The Teenager, that is. The Teenager has no special love in her heart for either the Cara Caras or the pomegranates and I was upbraided by her this weekend for not having the ingredients for a full-on fruit salad on hand. When I suggested that she crank open an ancient can of fruit cocktail (also unearthed during the purge), she snorted in disgust (not that I can blame her). So, there may be one additional trip to the grocery store in my immediate future. This will, in no way, challenge my goal to purchase no nonperishable items, as I'm sure you realize.

It will also enable my daughter to fight off the dreaded scurvy. You know, according to my daughter.

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous9:17 AM

    Your first pantry foraging meal sounded pretty good actually.

    Far as that fruit salad goes (not for me thanks) - the teen drives. Hand her a $20 and send her off to the store to get fruit. She gets to be part of the solution and might be less tempted to snort in disgust next time (not that she could be blamed for it, of course)

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