But tonight, it is all about eating up what is left over. The bow tie pasta without any sauce left. A half can of soup. Yes, yes, I know. Canned soup is bad but there are times . . . Oatmeal from this morning. Snap peas. Artichokes. Mushrooms. Greenhouse tomatoes (Jealous! We're in California!). Well, we can't polish off the carrots, I surmise after studying their growing pile in the produce bin, and I'll save the turnip for next week to try an interesting Indian recipe when I feel like actually cooking.
I begin microwaving bowls of oatmeal and soup and handing them off to the appropriate person while an omelet filled with various veggies simmers on the stove top.
The oatmeal is devoured and the bowl goes into the sink. The soup bowl ends up there as well. Water from washing the veggies rinses the dishes and I plop them into the dish washer, making room in the sink for more dirty dishes.
Round two goes to the pasta. A tab of butter melted on top of the pasta replaces the missing sauce and the butter wrapper goes into the freezer for the next time I needed to grease a pan.
Apparently, I served too much pasta because both bowls are returned not quite empty. Scrapping their contents into the chicken bowl, I smile down at my youngest. "Lucky we have the chickens," he pipes! "They'll eat anything."
I agree, turn off the oven and crack the door to warm up the kitchen.
Nothing wasted. Everything gained.
9 comments:
I hear you on doing the produce bin clean-out before the CSA comes again. I've switched from the CSA to an organic produce stand, but it requires the same approach.
Sadly, their asparagus season ended Saturday. :(
Love. It. I am soooo happy when I have these kinds of experiences. What does that say about me? Don't answer. You know I hate waste!
@Chile: Noooooo!!! Asparagus ended Sunday!! Well, I guess at least you can look forward to stone fruit, berries, tomatoes and WATERMELON! Though the latter is a few months away.
@Alison: At least I didn't eat anything potentially lethal. ;-)
Nothing like "must-go" night. We just picked up our CSA box yesterday and I should have done a nothing wasted night before. My fridge is packed and I have to dig to discover what's hiding. Oatmeal for dinner-what could be better?
@GroovyGreen: Glad I'm not the only one who makes a dinner of random bits and things to clean out the fridge. :) And they only get oatmeal for dinner when they pull the "I'm not hungry" routine right after asking me to make it for breakfast.
Soup and omelets - my favorite way to clean out the fridge. We do a "leftover buffet" night at least once a week. Sometimes more.
@Lisa - I like calling it "leftover buffet" because that is exactly what it is. What is your secret with leftover soup?
I don't know if I have a secret for soup but if I did it would be my overnight crock pot broth. I freeze those odd bits and ends of vegetables and when I have enough throw them in the crock pot to make my overnight broth. Makes any soup better. In fact making some right now from our leftover chicken from tonight.
@Lisa - I LOVE that. I've done the veggie broth here and there but it never occurred to me to do it in a crock pot. Doh!
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