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?

I made a cake with molasses and malted rice syrup yesterday. (dh is nearly a type 2 diabetic) so I'm not heavy with normal sugar and syrup.

Golden syrup - make some flapjacks. Yum. I found an ancient jar of marmalade at the back of the cupboard yesterday, think I'll have a go at Nigellas store cupboard chocolate orange cake. I haven't made it before but it looks fab. I've got 4 or 5 jars of my nans homemade damson jam to use up - my kids love jam but not the damson variety. Might make a Bakewell tart, or some ice cream. Any other ideas?

I also have an excess of cheap muesli - I could maybe add it to flapjacks, or crumble topping?

Yeah Fluke You could use all the muesli in the flapjacks , baking cheers up lots of things. You could put the marmalade in it too. (then freeze it to use in a school fete or something)

First experiment - muesli cookies in the oven. The raw mixture tasted nice when I licked out the bowl 😉

It will taste better when it's cooked!

The muesli cookies taste rather good. Went down well with the troops. So just nearly 2kg of muesli to go!

Did you use the marmalade in them?

Kudos on the muesli cookies Fluke
Not doing so well on the cupboard clearance the last few days as down with a chest and throat infection, but I've been busy on my phone finding and saving recipes I can use when I'm feeling better. Right now I'm just packing in as much fresh fruit and veg as I can to help recovery.

No ppeatfruit, I didn't use the marmalade in the cookies. I'm def thinking choc orange cake for that 🙂 Tea tonight is chicken chasseur, using an ancient packet of Colman's chasseur mix. I also baked some parmesan and sundried tomato bread rolls to use up an equally ancient packet of bread mix I got reduced ages ago. Yum.

Can someone link to the freezer roulette thread please?

Desiccated coconut = Anzac biscuits surely? Super yummy and quick to make

Anzac biscuits for dessicated coconut and golden syrup!

Great thread. I have SO much spelt flour 😬

Cross post peponi great minds!

Oh HushHush Spelt makes makes lovely cakes and bread. I use it all the time! You use the same recipes as you would for wheat , just more yeast or baking powder than usual. It needs less kneading but takes longer to rise. I rise it 'cold' IYSWIM.

Thanks for the barley and lentil tips everyone.

I use spelt flour a lot in my bread maker - usually 50/50 with wholemeal flour, it comes out lovely.

Any ideas for rice flour? I've got about 250g to use up. I've been putting a small amount in loaves of bread but its taking ages to use it up.

Fluke rice flour is a really good thickener so if you're doing any gravies or sauces you could put bits in that?

Jonty I didn't know that, that's great. Do you blend it with cold water like corn flour? X

I have a brilliant ginger cake recipe that uses a substantial qty of golden syrup, can post it tomorrow if anyone is interested

Large tin of Evaporated milk, 8oz butter, 2lb sugar, vanilla essence to make fudge.

Yes please part time

Fluke yep just cold water should do it, or you could do some cold first til it's a paste at least, then mix in a little of the hot liquid from the sauce until you're sure no lumps then transfer it into the main dish. Chinese cuisine uses ground rice (not even the flour) as a good thickener too, thinks it's because the rice is so absorbent it just sucks the moisture in. I'm trying not to do too much today as still ill but I might have a go at a little cherry cake, be nice for DS to come home from nursery to fresh baked cake 😄

Fluke If you've been keeping it in a normal cupboard, sniff it because flour can go off (it's a musty smell).

I always use rice flour instead of wheat flour It makes lovely light pancakes too.

Ooh what a great thread.

Sorry posted too soon! I make pastry with rice flour as my husband is gluten free. It can be tricky to handle and a bit crumbly so if you are OK with gluten I'd go 50/50. I use it mainly for quiche.