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Pantry Challenge 2021 – Day 11

Jessica Fisher · January 11, 2021 · 22 Comments

lemon chicken on plate of veggies

Welp, I was at the computer most of the day so the lemons didn’t get juiced. I guess I will work on them tomorrow.

As for meals, I didn’t do much for those, either, thanks to leftovers and yesterday’s meal prep.

Our meals for day 11:

Breakfast – Yesterday I spent a few hours prepping breakfasts, including: sausage patties, Sausage Egg Hash Brown Casserole, and Raspberry Baked Oatmeal. I thawed the last loaf of Cranberry Bread. I also made a really yummy egg bake that’s more Mom Food than anything else: sautéed mushrooms, leeks, and spinach, topped with goat cheese crumbles, and beaten eggs. So good!

So, today everyone helped themselves to oats, egg bakes, baked oatmeal, and cranberry bread.

Lunch – Bryan had his Chicken Fajita Burrito; FishChick12 made the boxed mac and cheese she got for Christmas. Other kids had leftovers or sandwiches. The two big boys were at work. I had a big salad and leftover grilled veggies.

Dinner – I had a bag of frozen chicken cutlets in the freezer that I pulled yesterday so they were nice and thawed by dinnertime tonight. I made an old favorite from a Susan Branch cookbook: Lemon Chicken. It’s basically breaded cutlets fried and topped with a lemon-butter sauce.

I also made roasted broccoli, a big salad, and pasta tossed with EBB seasoning. I finished off the leftover veggies in the fridge, too.

How is your Pantry Challenge going?

Filed Under: Pantry Challenge

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lily R. says

    January 11, 2021 at

    Day 11
    Breakfast: maple coconut baked oatmeal with Thai iced coffee. Yes I love iced coffee year round!
    Lunch: I made falafel with tabbouleh.
    Dinner: West Indian fish stew with dhal and rice.
    We didn’t really snack much today.
    I have made a nice dent in our indoor freezer. This weekend I will bring in some items from the chest freezer outside. I’m also planning to make more of a dent in our pantry next week.

    Reply
    • Heather M says

      January 12, 2021 at

      I envy you the second freezer. We have nowhere for a second freezer or fridge, so I have to make do with the one. It’s the freezer I wish I had, so I could make all my own beans, stock, freeze baked goods, etc. I just don’t have the space for those.

      Reply
      • Lily R. says

        January 12, 2021 at

        I hear you, I wanted one for a long time before we actually bought this one. I don’t know if you have checked them out recently but they do make much smaller sizes if that could work for you.

        Reply
  2. Alice E says

    January 11, 2021 at

    Breakfast was l/o oven omelet, peaches and hot tea
    Lunch was l/o Texas hash and more hot tea
    Dinner was beans and cornbread,

    Not much other action, but I did get the cornbread made and some beans used.
    Your egg bake sounds good, and a little like my oven omelets which combine eggs, milk, cheese, onions and ham in the original; except I have been adding things like spinach, roasted mushrooms and or peppers. I continue to try substituting creativity for fat, since we system will not tolerate much fat and I am basically trying to maintain a very low fat diet as a result.

    Reply
    • Alice E says

      January 11, 2021 at

      Obviously my typing isn’t good this late at night. I meant my system!

      Reply
  3. Kathy in Denmark says

    January 12, 2021 at

    Day 11:

    B: The ususal 🙂
    L: Rye bread with boiled eggs or mackarel. Cut up veggies
    S: More cut up veggies and grapes
    D: Vegetarian lasagna with mixed salad and garlic bread pizza

    I finally felt motivated to do some actual prepping and cooking. I think it helps that we’re in more of a routine with distance learning now.
    I made a huge pot of vegetarian bolognaise which I turned into a large lasagna using some mornay sauce from the pantry in place of my usual béchamel sauce. I also made some filling for tortillas using up some cooked rice in the fridge. I plan on tortillas for dinner tuesday.
    The garlic bread pizza is a favourite in our house and I have a few in the freezer. It’s also a very easy side, so win – win 🙂

    Reply
  4. Maureen says

    January 12, 2021 at

    Lunch was leftovers for 2 kids and I warmed up a freezer item. My youngest made a can of cinnamon rolls that didn’t rise, but everyone ate them anyway. I made homemade chicken noodle soup for dinner and cut up some carrot and celery for snacking while I was at it. I have enough soup without noodles to freeze for another family dinner (I’ll just add noodles when serving) and enough soup in the fridge for ~3 servings for lunches, etc. I had hoped to use up a bit of bread with the soup, but it was just starting to mold so I trashed it. I also made crepes for after school snack (since dinner was going to be late) and there are leftovers for breakfasts and snacking. DD13 really enjoyed them…we hadn’t made them in months. And DD10 made me a cup of hot chocolate for dessert (from a Christmas gift). It was a good day.

    Reply
    • Lily R. says

      January 12, 2021 at

      What a fun treat for an after school snack! And your dd making you the hot chocolate is very sweet : )

      Reply
  5. Tasty says

    January 12, 2021 at

    Breakfast doesn’t vary much around here. Hubby had his grapefruit a pineapple with yogurt and a muffin. I finished up the apple sauce from yesterday with yogurt and granola and had a slice of toast and marmalade. Lunch was cheese buns and some Christmas goodies.
    Turkey soup for supper with biscuits.

    The soup used up all sorts of small containers from the over-the-fridge freezer – there’s actually some space in there now.

    Reply
    • Lily R. says

      January 12, 2021 at

      Don’t you just love when a recipe uses up all those little odds and ends?

      Reply
  6. Sarah says

    January 12, 2021 at

    Day 11:

    B: oatmeal bake; coffee w/cream
    L: avocado toast w/ fried egg and EBB seasoning
    D: GF pasta with peas and prosciutto
    S: GF brownies from mix; GF pretzels

    So we both had a rough day and I thought that a walk would help and we did need potatoes for thanksgiving round 2 so we went to the organic grocery store since they would for sure have the GF brownie mix I like best (King Arthur) so we purchased it there but we still needed chocolate chips so we stopped at the mini target on the way home. They had the GF mix AND it was almost $3 cheaper. Oh the rage! But still cheaper than getting ice cream or something similar so I’ll take it.

    We were tired from our walk so we made a quick pasta using pantry items and we will have thanksgiving today.

    Reply
    • Heather M says

      January 12, 2021 at

      Target comes through when you least expect it, lol. Future reference, I guess?

      Reply
  7. Pat says

    January 12, 2021 at

    Day 11 was pretty laid back around here.
    I had my toast for brunch.
    My husband took leftover fish and broccoli for lunch with applesauce and a slice of pumpkin bread.
    My son got takeout.
    Dinner was leftovers from BFD . I ate pancakes and bacon after work. Not sure what the guys had.
    Snacks were cuties, dip and crackers and pumpkin bread from the freezer.

    Reply
  8. Carol B. says

    January 12, 2021 at

    B: regular.
    Lunch: home made hot and sour soup. Used tofu from last week’s groceries , pork packaged for this soup from the freezer and pantry items. Finished squash salad.
    Supper: finished coq au vin. Had salad and baby spinach / kale mix as a side vegetable.

    Reply
  9. Laurie says

    January 12, 2021 at

    B- The usual- warm muffins, a piece of fruit
    L- leftover spaghetti for the husband and a 1/2 sandwich for me made with leftover meatloaf from Sunday
    D- frozen stash Salsa Verde with beef on rice with beans, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and cheese. I had mine in a bowl and the husband had it on a plate. We still have another bag that’s in the freezer and I’ll plan to thaw it next week and make tacos. The Salsa Verde with beef is wonderful and it’s Jessica’s recipe. Try it! A very nice change from Chicken Verde.

    Reply
  10. Heather M says

    January 12, 2021 at

    Day 11, not a perfect Challenge day, since dinner was 2/3 items purchased earlier in the day. However, it was a special treat for all of us, while my son is still home. So I’ll take it. Son and I stopped at the store after a dental appt because we really needed more varied produce, especially some lettuces and were out of onions. Spent $48 on food, including $8 for the chicken(bone-in split chicken breasts, which I don’t keep in the freezer, and are necessary, but also there are leftovers) and almost $10 on grapes since they are my husband’s go to in place of sweets. He has lived on them since he started mostly working from home, and I keep buying them. Bought lettuces on sale, various onions, fresh broccoli, mangoes, etc. And a few other needs like eggs & bread, along with my favorite uncured hot dogs were on clearance due to their exp date approaching, so I grabbed 2 packages, one for the freezer and one for this week. Total spent on groceries so far this month is about $100 so I’m happy. Hoping that this trend of less spending will continue into February, especially since Sunday our son heads back to university and it’ll just be the two of us. I also hardboiled eggs, which we like to keep on hand for snacks, to put in salads, etc.

    Brunch: I had tuna and avocado on sourdough, and the last few bites of the panang curry soup; Husband had most of the rest of the panang curry soup and some leftover salad from the weekend.; son had baguette, nuts, and snacky things

    Dinner: Honduran marmahon, which is extremely similar to israeli couscous, cooked in the traditional way of toasting it in olive oil, adding minced garlic and sauteeing a bit more, then adding chicken broth. After it’s cooked on the stove, you add it to the pan of roasting bone-in skin-on chicken parts(i only use breasts, and stir it in the juices and then finish off cooking the entire pan. I made a rub for the chicken and I am writing down what I did because it was delicious. This is a special meal because the marmahon is hand-brought back from honduras(and trips there by family are not frequent at all, especially now, and as my in-laws age), and it’s ultimately cooked in chicken fat which as we all know is not good for you. But, it is delicious. So we have it maybe twice a year. We also had steamed broccoli (yay for fresh produce options!).

    Reply
  11. Heather M says

    January 12, 2021 at

    Also, Jessica, we also love that Susan Branch recipe! I think we have the same cookbook. 🙂

    Reply
  12. Julie says

    January 12, 2021 at

    I didn’t update the last few days because I haven’t been able to cook since our kitchen is fairly unusable due to our demolition for our remodeling. We have just been eating food I previously cooked and froze. Tomorrow my parents are going to stop at Aldi and pick up milk and grapes for me. I know if I would go to Aldi I would pick up more so that’s why I’m asking them to stop by on their way to visiting us.

    Reply
  13. Cindy says

    January 12, 2021 at

    Breakfast was the steel cut oats that prepped for my work breakfast, tea and mandarin – hubby had his usual but I’m not sure, he’s got a “bad” tooth and headed to the dentist later this morning.

    Lunch: he had scrambled eggs – root canal tomorrow ? I had cottage cheese, fruit and a piece of cranberry walnut bread.

    Dinner: spaghetti and meatballs (from the freezer, I typically make a large batch to have meals on hand) home canned pasta sauce and romaine, red onion, tomato, feta salad with raspberry vinaigrette.

    Looks like my meal plan is going to need some altering for a few “soft food” meals for his post root canal period. Thanks to Jessica – I’ve got plenty of ideas!

    Reply
  14. Jennifer says

    January 12, 2021 at

    Oh Monday, you come too soon!

    Breakfast – homemade chocolate chip muffins, blueberries

    Lunch – I took leftovers, dh took a burrito, yogurt and fruit, kids had who knows what as they were at home doing school and I was at work. I did see leftover mac n cheese in the fridge so someone must have made a box of that.

    Dinner – chicken/bacon/apple bake over cous cous with peas and a yellow pepper

    Reply
  15. Lynn from NC Outer Banks says

    January 12, 2021 at

    1/11/21
    Pretty easy day since we ate items I’d prepped yesterday. Always like to cook once and eat twice.

    B: grits and coffee

    L: 1/2 pimento cheese sandwich, minestrone from yesterday

    D: LO casserole and salads from previous night

    Reply
  16. Kim says

    January 12, 2021 at

    Made a $100 grocery run today but didn’t impulse buy anything!

    B- oatmeal
    L- kids brought lunch to school: sandwiches, pears, cookies
    Hubby had to go in to work for a few hours so his boss treated him to lunch, then he brought half of it home for me 🙂
    D- bought a pork shoulder on sale before Thanksgiving so thawed it out yesterday, then cut it in half for 2 recipes. Today used it for a copycat recipe for Costa Vida sweet pork in crockpot, and came out really good! Turned it into burritos. Have plenty for at least 2-3 meals of leftovers. I will use the other half of thawed pork later this week. My freezer is clearing out but I need to get to work on the pantry…so many types of rice, lol

    Reply

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