emily audette.com

Well my friends, it’s getting near that time.  Three weeks left until I bid adieu to Minneapolis and head off to the South.

Which means…I have to clear out my fridge and freezer!  Don’t worry, I started about a month ago even before I knew I had the job.  But I know a challenge when I see it.  Of course I want to try and actually eat everything in there.  Crazy yes, but the more people tell me I shouldn’t bother the more I want to see if I can do it.  And here’s the thing I refuse to accomplish it by just eating a veggie burger 3 meals a day.  I will do it in a delicious well-balanced meal way.

With 3 weeks to go here’s what I’ve got left.  Clearly Costco has gotten the best of me more than once.

FREEZER

• 1 cinnamon raisin english muffin
• 2 whole wheat english muffins
• small bag of cooked noodles (I saved this for soup)
• 7 veggie burgers
• loaf of bread
• 2 misc leftover stir fry veggies
• 1 leftover brown rice
• 2 cups black beans
• 8 cups veggie stock
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 6 slices of veggie frittata
• 3 lbs of cranberries (why did I buy this?!)
• 3 servings misc soups/stews
• 2 bags of unshelled edamame
• 1 bag shelled edamame
• 2 bags frozen corn
• 2 bags rice pilaf with veggies
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 cup shredded spaghetti squash
• 2 slices butternut squash potato pizza
• 14 chicken sausages
• 2 ahi tunas
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 chicken carcass
• 1 bag of veggies for veggie stock

“Hey Em what’s that yellowish stuff in that little container?”

“Oh that?  It’s chicken fat.”  WTH? Yes.  I am crazy.  That absolutely is not on my to eat list.  I saved it with the intention of using it to flavor soups/stews if needed.  I won’t tell you if any soup you’ve eaten from me had it in there.  I bet you liked it. 

Onto the fridge.

FRIDGE:

• tube of tomato puree
• 3 sticks of butter
• pumpkin seeds
• sunflower seeds
• tahini
• lemon juice
• lime juice
• ginger marinade
• rose balsamic vinaigrette
• honey mustard
• big container of minced garlic
• big container of sundried tomatoes
• jar of flaxseed meal
• 4 wheels of laughing cow wedges
• 1 container feta
• 4 pieces of misc cheese
• 1 block of tofu
• maple syrup
• dates
• 10 limes
• 7 lemons
• bag of potatoes

Clearly I’m better off in the fridge than the freezer and I’m willing to ditch the condiments.

I have to admit I’m kind of enjoying this challenge.  It’s forcing me to get creative.  A few things I’ve made using random stuff include the squash potato pizza, smoothies with big handfuls of frozen cranberries, and sausage cabbage soup which is simmering right now.

I like seeing all the ingredients listed out because then I start seeing the possible combinations.  I’m seeing ginger ahi tuna with a side of brown rice and stir fry veggies.  Honey mustard chicken with sun-dried tomatoes or ooh how about STUFFED with feta, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach?  Zucchini cranberry bread with pumpkin seeds.

First up tomorrow for breakfast is a cheese and chicken sausage omelette.

What do you think?  Think I can do it?

The wonders of a fully-stocked fridge struck again this morning.  Due to last week’s cooking fever that over took me I was left with lots and lots of leftovers which all need to be eaten by tomorrow!  

How to eat all these leftovers by tomorrow with a full freezer?  My first idea was to just eat leftovers for breakfast so that it’s one extra meal.  Then this morning I had a stroke of genius.  Yesterday I went out for brunch at Barbette and got the roast chicken hash.  It’s good, but not quite as flavorful as I expected.  Why not re-create it at home with all my leftovers?  

For the record, in case anyone randomly has these same leftovers at home here is what I created.  I have to say I liked it more than the hash from Barbette!  Somehow I had just the right ingredients in my fridge!

Roasted Chicken Hash, serves 2

• 2 cups leftover roasted potatoes and squash
• 1/2 cup chopped red peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup leftover roasted chicken
• pinch of lemon zest
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 T chopped parsley

Directions:  Using a medium frying pan (not non-stick) cook onions and red peppers in a small amount of olive oil (I used my Misto) until soft.  Add leftover roasted potatoes and squash, chopped up into smaller pieces if needed.  Hopefully your leftovers have plenty of butter/oil to add to the pan because your veggies probably need it.  Add chopped chicken, cook for a few minutes on medium low while you prepare the eggs.  Cook 2 eggs over easy or try poached eggs if you know how (which I don’t).  Finally add the lemon juice, pinch of lemon zest and some extra herbs.  I tossed in some dried rosemary and sage.  Stir and cook for another minute until the juice is absorbed.  Serve in a bowl topped with an egg, sprinkle parsley over the top.

You can tell a few things from this photo.  #1 I did not remove my eggs from the pan very elegantly.  #2 I did not properly arrange my hash so that you could see all the various things mixed in.  #3 I don’t care it was amazing.