Dear Friends,
Do you remember that nursery rhyme about uncooperative Mary? It goes
like this:
Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With silver
bells and cockle shells and pretty maids all in a row.
I don't know what a cockle shell is and right now my garden is in need
of a fall cleanup, but my pantry is also looking a little bleak. Let's
not be contrary and really get things cooking, shall we? As we get
ready to march into November for a major overhaul of our menu
planning, we need to get down to brass tacks and start cleaning
house...or the pantry for that matter!
How's your pantry looking? Do you have 5 cans of tuna scattered about
the cupboard instead of all stacked up together. Can you find cereal
boxes here, there and everywhere? How about your staples, like flour,
sugar, baking powder, cornstarch, etc.? Are they grouped together into
a baking center or do you have to go on a pantry scavenger hunt to
find them all?
Let's do a little pantry perk-up, shall we? Set your timer for 15
minutes and start getting your dry goods in logical order. Like goes
with like. You'll want a shelf for the canned goods (and put the same
thing all together, too). A big basket to hold your bags of dried
beans, a smaller basket to hold envelopes of spice blends, mixes, etc.
(look around the house, I bet you have what you need), and if you
haven't done it already, big containers (I like big glass jars) for
your flour, sugars, oatmeal, etc. Putting dried goods like flour etc.
into containers will keep the bugs out!
Getting your pantry together will help you get your meal planning in
order, too. Don't forget to do a 27 fling boogie on your pantry if
necessary. Get rid of the stuff you don't use (donate it to a food
bank if it's good, usable food) and watch your pantry take shape. I
want to challenge you to make a meal out of something in there this week!
Here's a wonderful easy dinner recipe (from our low carb Menu-Mailer)
to get you in the mood for a good pantry routing:
Chicken Nicoise
Serves 4
1 cup dry white wine, or use low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/3 cup frozen pearl onions (or you can use the same amount of chopped
onion)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 small red bell pepper, deribbed, deseeded and sliced into strips
4 each olives, use what you like (I prefer Kalamatas)
Heat 1/4 cup of the wine (or chicken broth) to boiling in a skillet. Cook
chicken in wine, turning once, until brown. Remove chicken and keep warm.
Add garlic, onions, olive oil, Italian seasoning, bell peppers,
olives and remaining wine (or broth) to skillet and heat till boiling.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Add chicken back to the skillet, reducing heat to medium low. Cook 10
to 15 minutes until chicken is cooked thoroughly.
Per Serving: 330 Calories; 6g Fat; 55g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 1g
Dietary Fiber; 137mg Cholesterol; 196mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain
(Starch); 7 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat.
LC SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve over cauli-rice alongside sautˇed green
beans. (To make cauli-rice trim cauliflower and cut into piece small
enough to feed through food processor tube. Process cauliflower till
it is grainy and resembles rice. Steam `rice' on stove top or cook in
microwave. Microwave on high for about 10-12 minutes in microwave
safe bowl. Add 3 tablespoons water and stir every 4 minutes while
cooking.)
SERVING SUGGESTION: Add some brown rice.
VEGETARIANS: Skip the chicken and opt for a Boca Chikin patty or
another veggie patty. Cooking time will be less.
KOSHER: None needed.
Back
