Storecupboard clearout/useup thread

[JontyDoggle37]

Inspired by the 'freezer roulette' thread a while ago (which I did and now have a lovely organised freezer with properly labelled food! 😄) I'm now aiming at my store cupboards. Just opening the doors without moving anything, I can see tinned fish, random boxes of specialty dried pasta I've used once, coconut flour (why?!?) and a variety of other stuff that really shouldn't be there. I can't bear wasting food though, so I'm determined to find tasty ways to use up as much of it as possible. I'm spending time this afternoon making a list of what I've got, then I'm going to try and use up at least two things off of the list per week. Anyone else up for a cupboard clearout?

[Blondie1984]

Hell yes! Mine are overflowing will all manner of randomness - including some Ellas Kitchen bits which I got for when my niece came to visit and am now seriously considering trying to use in some way
I'm also imposing a rule that I can only put something new in if something else either gets used or gets binned - and like you I hate throwing away food

On the coconut flour, I put that in my porridge and it tastes lovely - I use 1 part coconut flour to 3 parts oats - and you need more liquid than normal as the flour is very absorbent - I also put in some raspberries and it goes all jammy - give it a try

[Paffle]

I am making chestnut cake tomorrow to use up some vacuum packed chestnuts I bought about two years ago.

[AdaColeman]

If the Ella's Kitchen items are fruit puree such as peach or apricot, use them with prosecco for a fruity cocktail.

[JontyDoggle37]

Ooh thanks for the coconut flour tip! One cupboard listed, four to go....

[JontyDoggle37]

Ok the list of things I need to use up covers a whole side of A4 and I can't be bothered to type it all out here, but it ranges from all different types of teabags through spice mixes, custard snack pots, specialist pastas and lentils and beans. So far tonight I've managed to use a custard snack pot for DS's dessert and some ground black pepper - small steps!

[BearsRuleBunniesDrool]

I too have cupboards fit to bursting with ingredients that 'sounded useful at the time', but now is relegated to the back of the cupboard waiting for its moment to shine.

I've been trying to bake muffins of varying flavours, tray bakes, loaves that I can freeze, so I can grab them (stick a custard pot over the top) for a quick and easy pudding for the kids.

Also assorted flavours of couscous/bulgar wheat/pasta with weird and wonderful accompaniments to use off what I have amassed.

Any other ideas I can glean from this thread would very much be put to good use! Watches intently

[Blondie1984]

Lentils make great soup (as do beans) - lentil and bacon is one of my favourites and you can also make dahl
You could also use your beans to make a houmous style dip - they don't have to be chickpeas - or as an alternative to mash

What sort of teabags do you have? You could maybe use them to do a tealoaf/bread - would be delish served warm with custard!

[Blondie1984]

Oh and if you have any smallish pasta shapes then you could use those in minestrone soup....

[CaptainWarbeck]

Great thread! Anyone have ideas for desiccated coconut? I have lots and never know what to use it up in.

[AdaColeman]

Lamingtons are a good use for desiccated coconut, you can never have too much
A real retro use would be serving sliced banana tossed in lemon juice then rolled in desiccated coconut as a side dish with curry, very hip in the 1960s!

[8dayweek]

I always used to make these with left over desiccated coconut...
www.be-ro.co.uk/f_insp.html

[Blondie1984]

You can use dedicated coconut in curries, not just for sweet things

[JontyDoggle37]

Bear I'm going to use up the giant pasta twirls and a bag of pine nuts in one hit by making pasta with chicken in pesto
Blondie I make a lot of soup that I freeze in portions and take to work to I can definitely work lentils into that
Captain, 8day and Ada, the desiccated coconut is tricky because I'm mid-weight loss, so while the cakes sound gorgeous I'll have to give them a miss (I do eat some cake, but if I make a batch it will be fatal!)
So far I've also decided to:

• pre-soak the raisins and add them to curries
  
• put the linseeds on breakfast porridge
  
• throw the Munchy Seeds out (they were so dried out they were disgusting!)😁
  
• use up the honey in some Asian-style marinades for meat/fish
  
• use the pickled ginger in a recipe I've found for Pickled Ginger and Sweet Chilli Glazed Lamb ribs
  
• do a coconut flour and chilli/paprika coating on chicken/fish and bake it in the oven for a crispy coating
  
• take a Dutch crispbread to work with a portion of peanut butter each day for my mid-afternoon snack
  

The teabags may get given to my Camellia bush - I mulched around its roots six months with about a hundred teabags and it's now absolutely covered in flowers so that clearly works!
Oh, and I've found a lovely recipe for a tomato and caper sauce that will go equally well with pasta or chicken/fish and vegetables.
Feeling quite pleased with the plans so far at least! 😄

[Blondie1984]

Sound like some amazing plans Jonty - your cupboards will be a fair bit clearer before you know it!

[FreeButtonBee]

I am IN! Loved the freezer thread but I am too boringly organised to be able to contribute (I buy only one brand of supermarket Tupperware and one size of to. Foil freezer trays so all my freezer meals tesselate perfectly).

I sill have the lasagne mountain from before DS2 was born... 18 months ago so need to use that up. I also have two tins of light evap milk (not idea why!) and a tinned of puréed chestnuts (don't even like chestnuts)!!! Lots of baking stuff - millions of blanched and flaked almonds - I may try blitzing them and using as ground almonds. Also have a massive tub of poppy seeds so may do some lemon poppyseed muffins.

I am off work this week but just at home with the kids so good opportunity to make a dent.

I forgot about all the odd types of flour. Damn.

[toffeeboffin]

Great idea of a thread.

Any ideas for pot barley?

Or green lentils?

[FreeButtonBee]

Put style lentils are brilliant in a sausage casserole type thing. I have a good recipe which I have bastardisedbover the years.

[FreeButtonBee]

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/feb/18/sausage-chorizo-lentil-casserole

This one.

[JontyDoggle37]

Thanks Free that recipe looks lovely, will add it to my list!

[toastyarmadillo]

Love the idea of this, have been doing it since the beginning of the year!

I added a jar of dorritos salsa dip (that had been lurking fir over a year) to my spa bols that worked quite well. Will be interested to hear of possible uses for evaporated milk, I seem to have a glut of it.

[JontyDoggle37]

toasty I reckon you could use it in place of cream to thicken a sauce...

[AtleastitsnotMonday]

There is a recipe section on the Carnation website. Lots of ideas for evaporated milk there. I've made these Cinnamon buns before.

[ppeatfruit]

FreeButton You could use the chestnut puree with the evap. milk and flaked\ground almonds to make either a nice dessert or brownie type cake. I LOVE chestnuts I made fabulous veg. sausage rolls and stuffing for Christmas with them

I'm about to start fridge clearing for my sins (dh is a shopper and buyer of things i can't eat, and he shouldn't, which makes using up things more difficult) also our freezers are nearly full. We are lucky though we've got a neighbour with chickens, sheep etc. who's always happy to receive food from us for them.

[ppeatfruit]

toffee Just soak some of the barley and add it to a stew, it's nice comfort food. You could do the same with the lentils.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Barley is terrific in soup. Thick ribsticking type, full of vegetables, pulses and chicken or beef. Mmmmmm. Doesn't need presenting. Just boil a good long while. Like oats, the barley gives off a bit of starch which thickens the soup a little.