More food thoughts

[aelfie]

Now that we are no longer receiving boxes from Live Earth, I'm thinking it might behoove me to start thinking waaaay ahead for menus. I have what seems like an amazing amount of food stuffed into my freezer, and I want to actually use it (what a concept huh?). I have an inventory on the outside of the freezer. I want to eat as much as possible out of the freezer for the next couple of months, for a couple of reasons. First, if I eat food I've already paid for, I'll reduce my grocery bill (This week's grocery bill really reflected a HUGE difference). Second, I need to make room for all the stuff that will start rolling in next spring. If I don't eat what's in there, I won't have room for new stuff.

I don't know if I want to do a whole month (or heck, just the rest of the month) but it might help a lot if I come up with 30 (or so) dinner ideas, based on what I have socked away and then plan weekly menus accordingly.

EDIT
Okay so I went through my inventory sheets and came up with this list. Its almost 30 items long and its a good start and should put a big dent into my freezer. If I want to put in a bigger dent, I should plan some desserts too. I've got LOTS of frozen fruit too. I may add that later.

Turkey
-Turkey Tikka Masala, Aloo gobi, rice
-Turkey Tortilla Soup
-turkey with spicy peanut noodles, sunomomo

Pork
-white bean soup with ham (can do twice)

Chicken
-whole roasted chicken, butternut squash with candied nuts, garlicky greens
-chicken and peanut stew
-chicken and dumplings
-chicken with spicy green beans (family fun) rice
-BBQ chicken cassarole with beans, corn, and peppers
-jambalaya


Lamb
-Shepards Pie
-pastitso (greek lasagne) with lamb and garlicky greens

Beef
-Minestrone (multiple pots)
-spicy green pepper rice
-pot roast, broccoli, mash (lots)
-steak, baked potato, green beans(multiple times
-skillet lasagne with greens
-chili (lots)
-CP short ribs (365), rice, chili-garlic greens
-italian stew with red wine, onions, & mushrooms,  with garlicky greens and polenta
-fajitas, rice and beans, roasted peppers and onions
-gileshe, rice and green beans (lots)

Fish
-pesto white fish (365), beans, greens and pasta (LEA)
-tuna noodle cassarole with chopped cauliflower

Vegetarian
-pasta with pesto and beans
-pasta with beans and greens

Edit # 2: Desserts

coconut rice pudding
strawberry shortcake
strawberry rhubarb pie/crumble/cobbler
blueberry rhubarb pie/crumble/cobbler
mixed berry pie/crumble/cobbler
(okay, I have a lot of berries. I have strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Yum)
Apricot cobbler