I started this challenge with the age-old question that I am sure everyone has grappled with at least once in their lives.....
What's a girl to do with 12 cans of tuna?
No, you've never grappled with that one?
You haven't ever lost sleep over having too much tuna?
Must be a ME THING.....
After having lived through one week of the Pantry Challenge, I can now--without the least bit of hesitation--confirm what my children have been saying all along..... I AM A FOOD HOARDER.
~~It's comforting to be able to tell you that I come by this trait honestly.....my grandfather Angelo was an Argo Fig hoarder. After he died, one of my jobs was to clean out the kitchen (I have NO idea why!) and I found enough cans of Argo figs to build a replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. How do I know that? I did it!~~
Anyway..... not only do I have an unusually abundant supply of tuna, my salad dressing inventory is one for the record books.
I'd tell you the number of bottles that I have but then I'd have to kill you. Because you just never know who you might tell.... I can't risk someone coming into my home and robbing me of all of my salad dressing riches.
So......
What did I learn after Week One?
I definitely have a very distorted view of how much food we eat when I cook! I managed to add to my freezer inventory instead of subtract from it by cooking larger portions that needed then freezing it. Although this week was one hell of a work week for me, most weeks are pretty busy for us so we don't really have a lot of at home dinners for 2. So, why do I need to cook such large quantities? We definitely can't eat it all and I know that! I am perfectly fine with taking leftovers for lunch or eating them for dinner the next day. Carmen is not a leftover kind of guy (and I am never going to change that about him!) plus he is not home a good portion of the week and when he is--many of his meals are business oriented. So, if I can't freeze it, lots of food goes to waste. That's notsogood.
In other news.... I am now down to 7 cans of Tuna and I now have 1/2 less bottle of salad dressing thanks to these three quick and easy things I made this week.....
With Lent on the horizon...it's probably best that I still have a good supply of tuna!!!
ITALIAN TUNA SALAD
This was actually pretty good if I may say so myself! Unfortunately, this was enough for several meals and since I can't freeze it, I might have to toss what's left of it......ugh!
1 can of White Tuna--flaked and drained1 can of Italian Tuna in Olive Oil--flaked and drained
1/2 bottle of creamy Italian dressing
handful of grated parm cheese
4 basil leaves--julienned
handful of pignolia nuts
lotsa pepper, a little salt
Mix it all together and mangia!
ENDIVE TUNA BOATS
Yes, I always have endive in my house....I love to fill the leaves with stuff! And, I swoon for goat cheese so it's always in my fridge. This recipe was both delish and fun! But, again, it made entirely too much for just me. So.....this may also find it's way to the garbage disposal.....double ugh!
Slice off the root of the endive to allow the leaves to pull apart without breaking. Sort through to find the best leaves. Spread each leaf with approximately 2 tsp. softened goat cheese. Top with approximately 1 Tbsp. tuna
LEMON GARLIC TUNA BURGERS
These were really really good! I made 4 with this recipe...2 for me and 2 for the freezer
(yes, now there's more things in the freezer...! )
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon each, salt and pepper
juice of half a lemon
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 egg
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Combine tuna, bread crumbs, green onion, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon, sour cream, and egg, and mix well with your hands. Form into 4 patties (they will be wet), place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Onward to WEEK TWO!
If you're doing the Pantry Challenge.....
please share your review, tips and menus/recipes!!!!!
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