Dwindling Supplies

Apologies to everyone for being a bit M.I.A. for the last few weeks. I'm having surgery next week and I've been trying to get lots of things done before I'm on crutches for a few weeks. Don't worry, I'm going to be fine, and this is going to fix what has been causing me pain for months so...I'm actually looking forward to it, as much as one can look forward to extra pain. Knowing that the pain will subside is what is keeping me going right now!

I've been cleaning the house, doing all the laundry, changing the sheets, and preparing for a week on the couch...but I've also been trying to use up what I've got in the kitchen. I haven't gone food shopping in a few weeks, trying to clean the freezer out of all the collected meats, and pairing that with randomness found in the pantry! There's too much stuff in there! I've actually purchased some cute little glass bottles, which should arrive in the next few days, in order to combine duplicates of spice jars in the hopes of making more space in there! I've got bottles and bags, jars and cans...and I need to use this stuff up. Otherwise, there's no room for new and exciting ingredients that I find in the future!

Last night, for instance, I made a risotto using things I had on hand. Like I've said in the past, risotto can be a great catch-all for leftover ingredients, and this was no exception. I even had some homemade chicken stock left over that I defrosted for the occasion. I'm not going to share the intricacies of my creation, because I'm thinking that this is one for the books - and a cookbook, I will write, one day. I'm taking notes, and collecting pictures. This one was an interesting pairing of ingredients that turned out really well so I was very excited!

What types of ingredients do you have lying around in your pantry? We've all gotten that jar of seasoned salt, that bottle of tarragon vinegar, that container of homemade jam that sits around, waiting for the perfect recipe. They take a long time to use up, but taste so good - we need to utilize these wonderful ingredients more often! That's the my goal!

All Clean!

Well...I really took on a challenge today. As I mentioned the other day, my plan was to organize and clean my pantry and refrigerator this weekend...a sort of mid-summer cleanse before the next grocery shopping. I did it! It took 3 hours, but I did it! Thank goodness for central air, because I was sweatin' and it's hot outside!

I started with the fridge, cleaning out old leftovers, and veggies I never got around to using. There were some old condiments that I got rid of and the things I decided to keep got organized. I also wiped down each shelf and tried to freshen the walls as well. It's good to do this every few months because you would be SHOCKED at the amount of dirt that accumulates in the refrigerator. I use a counter spray cleaner to wash everything down, since it's meant to be used on surfaces that will be touching food. Mine even smells like fig so my fridge smells yummy, even though there isn't much food in there right now! My husband and I have made a pact to try a little harder to use up leftovers before we have to throw them out, or they pile up the way they did over the past few weeks.

Look at all that space I get to fill with goodies, now! Woooo! I rearranged the freezer a little bit too, but there's not much space to work with in there. I did find some frozen ground beef and some frozen shrimp though...hmmm....shrimp cocktail anyone? I moved on to the pantry and whoa, it looks like a tornado went through there. I have so many spices, vinegars, flours and other cooking necessities. The problem with trying new recipes every night is buying an ingredient, and then not needing it again...like, ever. Tarragon vinegar? Walnut Oil? Sea salt with saffron? I need to find a way to use these delicacies! I see some experimentation in the very near future!

That basket you see on the shelf? That's for my onions, shallots, and potatoes!

Ah, my storage areas are now ready for what I'll be bringing in tomorrow. I was even able to check a few things off my list that I didn't actually know I had, so that shortens the list, and the bill for my shopping trip. I decided the kitchen needed to be wiped down too so I did all the dishes, scrubbed the counters, and cleaned everything from top to bottom. My kitchen is definitely ready for me now!

It's time for a little R&R with Oia before I head out to dinner with the girls. We're going to try a restaurant in Cambridge called Dante. I'm looking forward to a few cocktails, some good food, and most importantly, good ol' fashioned girl talk! I'll let you know how it is, and if I remember, take some pictures too! :)