Comments on: Making More with Less- Can you?

By: Rachel

Rachel — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 21:40:22 +0000

That mexican dish looks great…I would eat it for dinner any time

By: Wendy (The Local Cook)

Wendy (The Local Cook) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:56:19 +0000

That’s actually how I do all my menu planning, since I am a member of two CSAs (community supported agriculture, where you get 1-4 bags of vegetables per week from the farm). I write what I need to use in one column, the recipes I want to make that would use them in another, and in the third column the additional ingredients I might need.

By: Manic Mom

Manic Mom — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:15:59 +0000

Love the idea! I am such a stock pile girl, that I’m never running out of stuff. But, I need to be better about inventory. Making sure the old is used first has always been a problem. Great ideas!

By: Dani

Dani — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:16:18 +0000

Wow, I just did this with some fish last night! I had some individually shrink-wrapped halibut fish steaks that looked like the vacuum seal wasn’t doing so hot (lots of frost), so figured I’d better use it up (turned out okay–no freezer burn, thank goodness). The fish had been in there for who KNOWS how long!? Anyway, I had some lemons that were past their prime, so pulled out my faithful Julia Child cookbook for some quick ideas, and ended up with this: In the trusty cast iron skillet, melteded some butter while the broiler preheated and the fish thawed (in the package in water). Broiled the fish 6 minutes on each side, and meanwhile whipped up a salad, chopping some tomato that was on its way out and topping with some cottage cheese. Moved the fish to a warm plate and back in the oven (off) to stay warm, and in the skillet squeezed one mushy lemon into the hot pan and about 3-4 more tablespoons of butter (one at a time). (I was lucky–this lemon had no seeds, so I was able to squeeze out some of the pulp; if it had been a seedy lemon, I would have used a piece of cheesecloth over it to catch the seeds). Tossed into the sauce a scant tablespoon of parsley (could also use dill or any other favorite herb) and stirred to brown the butter ever so slightly. Topped the fish with the sauce, and YUM! Let’s see: used up FROZEN FISH, TOMATO, COTTAGE CHEESE, LEMON. This was a nice, tart fish sauce that would also be good over chicken! Seems I might have some of THAT in my freezer that needs to be used up…

By: Sharon

Sharon — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:04:32 +0000

I do this all the time. Especially with soups. Take a jar of home canned chicken broth and make soups out of what you have in the fridge. Sometimes I’ll add a pint jar of beans, some leftover meat and veggies, 1/4 cup lentils or barley or both.