The Pantry Challenge

Lately, it seems like everyone is talking about how to re-organize their lives in an effort to save money in these hard economic times. I have read several articles on this and have since been inspired to attempt a re-organization/purging of my own.

Now, I am not one of those people who lives in a cluttered home, or hoards, or is a "collector" of things that are useless. I'm actually quite organized, donating clothing that I haven't worn in 6 months, recycling old magazines & having garage sales on a regular basis to keep the clutter down. All of this, with the exception of my kitchen pantry & freezer. They are chock full of wonderful items that I seem to "need". I must tell you that I am only one person and even though I adore cooking, I don't tend to eat a huge quantity of food on any given day.

I think it all started when I was a kid. While we were growing up, we didn't have an abundance of junk food, snacks or other frivolous foods hanging around. Instead it seemed like all the money was spent on stocking up on pantry & freezer items that were true necessities. I've apparently adopted that same habit, however, I'm only one person and just don't need that much "back stock" of food. Really.

I must admit that I am an avid cook. I tend to think that the things I have on hand are pretty normal items: rice, pasta, nuts, soups, frozen vegetables, fruits, meat etc. but you may find there are a few "specialty" type goodies on the list as well. My point is that I just want to use the stuff up in the most convenient and tasty way that I can. I will also allow myself (of course) to use all of the seasonings & condiments that I have on hand. (vinegars, oils, spices, etc.)

So here's the challenge that I'm posing to myself. Make at least one meal per day using ingredients from my pantry (and/or freezer) and make a simple and delicious dish that I can share with you here.

I will start with posting a list of the items I have in the pantry, the freezer and the stock list of condiments etc. that I have at my disposal. As I go through the ingredients, I will move them onto a "used" list and recipes will be archived as well. Basically I just want to use the stuff up and have fun doing it.

So wish me luck!

xo Diane
contact: thepantrychallenge[at]gmail[dot]com