31 Days of Living Well and Spending Zero - Day 3

Day 3 - Meal Planning 

Planning? I can plan all day long, but it's the follow through that gets me every time. I am much better at flying by the seat of my pants when it comes to cooking, because I am married to a man who loves last minute adventures. I have had to learn to just go with the flow, because I am a planner by nature. 

I also have a creative side, but I am as fugal as can be. I love a good challenge. I can look at a recipe and easily adapt it by using what I have in the pantry. I rarely purchase special ingredients. When I plan out our meals, usually weekly, I have to be able to adapt to my husband's wild hairs. 

Sometimes, I just do not want to cook, or I am not hungry, so I try to have something that Number One husband can put together or heat up without any assistance from me other than a suggestion of what he can eat. Hashbrowns, toast, sandwiches, smoothies and oatmeal are the only things that he makes regularly. Cooking is not his thing. 

We are going to have to change our ways for this challenge. Meal planning is the only way that this is going to work, or we are going to end up eating bread dipped in hot water sauce before it's over. 

My Two Cents for What It's Worth:

Changing and adapting to a challenged pantry is my new way of cooking, at least for the next 29 days. I think that this challenge is good practice for tougher times. Running a small business gives us firsthand insights into the health of the economy. I can tell you that business has never been slower in the 25 years that we have been working for ourselves. Others, in the same business, are experiencing the same slowdown. This has been going on for months now. I'm afraid that it is past time to batten down the hatches. Super Inflation and a slowing economy are just another disaster in the making...

Shipwreck Pantry Recipe

There are so many versions of this recipe out there. I believe that it originates from Europe and other cultures have made their own versions. This is a layered casserole that originated out of necessity. It is aptly named Shipwreck for a reason. Someone created it by using what little ingredients they had. Most of my ingredients were pre-cooked, so I changed the cooking time and some of the ingredients that I used was not part of the original recipe, but I used what I had on hand. Here is my pantry version of Shipwreck for two. 

Ingredients:

1 Can Corn (Peas are normally used, but I don't have any)

1 Can Tomato Soup           

2 C Cooked Rice 

1 C Cooked Ground Chuck 

1 C Chopped Onions, Celery and Carrots 

1 1/2 C Prepared Mashed Potatoes (Sliced raw potatoes are called for in the original recipe, but I don't have any)

Season to taste with salt, pepper and the seasonings of your choice on each layer.

I oiled the bottom of my instant pot pan and threw in my chopped onions, celery and carrots. Normally, the first layer would be sliced onions only, and the celery and carrots make their own layers in between the other layers. I just used what I needed to use first in my refrigerator. Then I started layering the individual ingredients and topped it off with the prepared instant mashed potatoes.  

Raw onions, carrots and celery that were in already
chopped up together in the refrigerator. 

Rice layer

Corn layer

Ground beef layer

Tomato soup layer. 

I still have rice and beef left over. I think I will
make Spanish Rice with the rest.

Look, I found a use for a Ramen seasoning packet that I found in my pantry.
I used it to flavor my mashed potatoes along with some dried parsley.

Mashed potato layer

I cooked the casserole in my instant pot for about 7 minutes until it was heated throughout and since the raw vegetables were on the bottom it was just enough time to cook them thoroughly. I was good and reminded me of recipes that could be found in the 70's era cookbooks. 

I will see you tomorrow for Day 4,

Mrs. Smith