Exactly a year ago, the Washington Post had an Eating Down the Fridge challenge: basically, no grocery shopping for a week, planning menus around the mystery items, creative pickles and eggplant-cilantro marmalade jars that were lurking in the back of the fridge and pantry.
***Who is up for another EDF challenge?***
The (slightly modified) rules:
For one week, only buy perishables (milk, eggs, bread, fruit and veggies).
Make a list of archeological stuff in your fridge and pantry. If it expired, buh-bye. If not, plan a meal around it.
I'm moving in less than 3 weeks so I've been trying to EDF for a while. Tapioca pudding is actually being cooked as these words are being written, to finish up a bag of pearl tapioca that came into the house for my first, last and only attempt to make bubble tea (some dishes are better left to the professionals).
My challenge items for this week include:
Hot pepper jelly - 1/2 jar
Sauerkraut - about 2 cups
Pickles (of course)
Creamed coconut (it looks like a bar of soap - used it for a very complicated Indian dish I cooked from scratch and would like to make again - someday!)
Red lentils
Coconut milk - about 2/3 cup
Canned mushrooms - 3 tins
Pumpkin puree
Molasses
Spring roll wrappers
Today's cooking:
Red lentils, coconut milk and carrots from the bottom of the veggie drawer will become soup (with some ginger, cumin and curry).
Mushrooms will be sauteed with onions, mixed with eggs, cottage cheese and some sour cream and baked until nice and golden, a perfect light dinner.