March Pantry Clean Out

        In an interest to be more frugal and intelligent, I am going to check out my food storage places for the odd items that are not getting used - and need to be - and try to figure out what to do with them.  See the list below :-)

  I find I have an strange collection of items I keep passing over for one reason or another.  They are generally

a) items I bought to make a dish that never happened (and now I don't even remember what that was :-) like the roasted red peppers and sundried tomatoes

b) items I bought with good intentions and haven't worked up the nerve to try them like the salmon and the lamb

c) items I bought on sale that seemed like a good idea at the time like the cookie mixes

and

d) items that got shoved around and hidden (like the tamales)

So I need to develop a plan over the course of the next month to use each of the items below or TOSS THEM!

Any advice from people who like to cook is more than welcome!  But be gentle.... recipes need to be EASY

Some things I see I can add to my daily salad..... some things I might be able to figure out as a marinade for chicken... some things just need to be used as either sides or entrees.

I cook for myself and 3 males.... 2 of whom are picky teens.  They DO eat what I provide for a meal.... but they usually eat very small portions... so whatever I fix needs to be something I either like or can freeze in smaller portions so that my husband and I can eat them later.

That includes baked goods.... often the boys turn up their noses at baked offerings.  Smart kids... then my husband and I end up eating them - and neither of us needs it!

So... at the same time I am working on the list below, I will do my best NOT to add to the random collection this month!  I'll report back next week and let you know what is GONE! 

I CHALLENGE you to join with me.... what's in YOUR pantry... freezer... refrigerator... that needs to GO?

And it you have any brilliant suggestions for me (especially for the peppers and dried tomatoes), please leave a comment and let me know!

   
PANTRY

jar roasted red peppers
bag sundried tomatoes
4 cans water chestnuts (4?)
2 cans pumpkin
1/2 box barley
1/2 bag wild rice
4 bags of cookie mix
1 can evaporated milk
1 can beets
3/4 jar wheat germ

FRIDGE

3 open bottles lemon juice (3?)
the end of a container of bacon bits
corn tortillas
jar sliced hot banana perppers
1/2 jar Hoisin sauce
1/2 jar Kalamata olives

FREEZER

1 box Schwan salmon fillets
1 pound ground lamb
1 bag cranberries
1 bag of frozen tomatoes
1 bag Schwan tamales
1 package of Italian sausage
frozen orange juice (not to drink)