Pantry Challenge.......Week 4 Review

 HAPPY MARCH!
Weren't we just talking about Christmas?
Geez.....


Finally, finally, finally,  this week, I reached into my pantry and started pulling out things to use to whip up recipes I never made before! 
There were a few challenging moments.....but, oooh,  it felt  so good.....

I thought I would share with you a few of the winners.....

For some insane reason, I found myself with 6 jars of Classico Alfredo Sauce.  All of them with a 2014 expiration date.  Perhaps I had a sudden Alfredo sauce craving  or I was just going through an Alfredo sauce phase.  Who knows.   But, there they were---right behind my institutional size jar of  marinated artichoke hearts.   Knowing that I didn't want to  make just everyday pasta with Alfredo sauce, I decided to rummage through my freezer to see what else I had that might go well with Alfredo sauce.   My choices were vast---chicken, veal, shrimp, tilapia, orange roughy, flounder, salmon, tuna, swordfish, mussels, cod, ground meat, steak, roast.....
I already told you I could feed a small community with everything I have!
So, I bee-bopped around the internet looking for recipes that might be appealing and hit on one that I thought might work out well.....Garlic Alfredo Tilapia.   We liked the addition of the creole seasoning and I loved the fact that it was easy, easy, easy....great for a work night. The only tweak I made was to add some fresh lemon zest to the fish itself.  Other than that, I followed this recipe exactly.   This recipe is definitely a keeper.  Now, I just have to figure out what to do with those other 5 jars of Alfredo Sauce....

Another product that seems to multiply in my pantry is Trader Joe's Organic  Polenta.   Probably because I am obsessed with polenta and I find Trader Joe's the best store bought polenta on the market!  I can't seem to pass by it without picking up a few rolls.  Most likely, I shared several of my polenta-using recipes with you already but I am sure I never shared this one......because I never made it before!   As part of the Pantry Challenge, I purposely forced myself to explore the world of polenta-using recipes while also using other things that I had on hand.  Here's what I came up with and let me tell you......this is yummily excellent....
-TJ's organic polenta, cut into thick slices, sauteed in fry pan with a little olive oil, set aside
-In the same pan---saute quartered marinated artichoke hearts, add about 1/2 cup of white wine, one small can of chicken broth and some sliced roasted red peppers (from a jar).   Let it cook until rather thickened. 
-Return polenta slices to the pan to heat through.  
-Sprinkle with a good Italian cheese (I used Romano) and enjoy.....


I am going to keep plugging away at this challenge for another week.
After that, I really do need to feed my need to grocery shop.....


 Happy Friday!