Pantry Clean Out Update - Week 4

     Did I ever mention how much I enjoy looking things up on the computer? This pantry purge project has had me researching what to do with these odd items in my stash! 

I think I told you last week that I intend to make pumpkin -cranberry bread..... but when I looked at the recipe, it called for dried cranberries - not fresh ones!  Yikes!  So I went to my trusty search engine and found instructions to substitute -  but haven't done it yet!  Finding time to stay home and play in the kitchen is tough!

  So this last week's efforts?

   I served the salmon fillets to my gang.  My husband said they were good - so I know I didn't mess them up :-)  BUT my two sons and I shared one fillet and it is a definite thumbs down for us.   So we still have 4 fillets in the freezer.  I'll ask my husband if he wants one later for a hodge-podge night but the others are heading out to my daughter's house.  She hates fish too... but her husband likes it and she is trying to encourage her toddler daughter to learn to like it too.   Glad they will be gone!

Salads were enhanced with the rest of the Kalamata olives and bacon bits and roasted red peppers (not finished yet) The hot banana peppers spiced up my turkey sandwiches for the week.

The Italian sausage was way too fatty for me to enjoy.  Initially I chopped it up and put it back in the freezer to add to chili or marinara but it makes me choke to think about it... so I gave it to my dogs.   So now they love me :-)

Okay - on to next week - looks like I need FIVE weeks for my ambitious list!  Our schedule allows for a full-out family meal 3 times weekly so it does take a little longer to use up things!   Pumpkin-cranberry bread on the agenda... maybe for Easter dinner?  Hmmm..... I found a great deal on crescent rolls the other day.... I'll take both!

Used up in Pantry Purge!

2 cans water chestnuts
2 bags cookie mix
3/4c. barley
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 bag wild rice
1 can beets
1 pound ground lamb
1 bag tamales
1 bag raw frozen tomatoes
1 package Italian sausage
jar sliced hot banana peppers
the end of a container of bacon bits
1/2 jar Kalamata olives
1 box Schwan salmon fillets
3 open bottles lemon juice (3?)* will be allocated to cleaning and non-food uses

What's left?

PANTRY bag sundried tomatoes 2 cans water chestnuts 2 cans pumpkin 1/2 c barley * will have on next list 2 bags of cookie mix FRIDGE jar roasted red peppers corn tortillas 1/2 jar Hoisin sauce 3/4 jar wheat germ ADDED:  open jar mint jelly FREEZER 1 bag cranberries frozen orange juice (not to drink) ADDED BACK:     large container marinara sauce