Pantry Meal - Vegetarian Dinner - Gather Up The Fragments

We had some vegetables that needed to be used before they met their demise. I decided to make a sheet pan dinner with squash and street corn. It turned out wonderful and we have plenty of leftovers to use as sides for a couple more meals. 

A friend visited last week a brought us a honeynut squash from the farmer's market. I baked it a couple of days ago and I had plenty leftover. It was a large squash for just the two of us. I topped the leftover squash with a little butter, cinnamon and brown sugar. It was a perfect addition to the sheet pan meal. The street corn was something that I had always wanted to try. We were not disappointed. 

All kinds of vegetables can be used in a sheet pan meal. I parboiled the potatoes and carrots before baking them to ensure that all of the vegetables would be done at the same time. All types of spices can be used to flavor the vegetables. Chefs' choice...

It was cool inside the house, so the heat from the oven took the chill out of the air while our dinner was baking. This vegetarian meal was not only healthy but filling. Vegetarian meals a couple times a week can definitely help reduce grocery bills. Gathering up the fragments reduces food waste and saves money. 

Mrs. Smith

Refrigerator Rice - Another Useful Way to Gather Up the Fragments

Even after last week's meal preps, I had a number of items in the refrigerator that needed to be used up before their demise. I would normally make "Refrigerator Soup", but it is way too warm for soup. I decided to make "Refrigerator Rice" instead. Refrigerator Soup - Save Money - Save Food - No Waste

I used to do a series called "Gather Up Your Fragments" but let's face it, who of us have enough fragments leftover these days when everything counts? I had some frozen brown rice and homemade tortillas from another meal prepping adventure, so I was able to cook up this Refrigerator Rice lickety-split for brunch this morning.

The homemade tortillas and Rotel helped me to decide that I would make a Spanish fried rice.
I used the dominate Rotel flavor to my advantage. 

I had an open can of mushrooms and Rotel along with fresh cabbage, celery,
red onions, peppers and carrots in the refrigerator.

I chopped up the vegetables and some grilled chicken. I also gathered two fresh eggs
from the chicken coop this morning that I scrambled up.

I heated up my trusty cast iron wok and started
sauteing the vegetables in a little oil.

 Before I started sauteing the vegetables, I soft cooked the scrambled eggs.

I cooked the vegetables until they were tender.

I added some spices along with salt. I added a small amount of oregano too.

I added the eggs, chicken

and the rice to the sauteed vegetables.

I remembered that I had a small amount of chopped green chilies
 in the freezer and added them to the pot to round out the flavor.

I sliced the tortillas into triangles, 

tossed them in a little oil and taco seasoning.

I baked them for about 12 minutes until they were crisp.

It's ready to eat.

Chips are ready too!

 I served it up in a bowl.

It was a hit! I'm glad that I thought of making "Refrigerator Rice" as another means of using up the leftover fragments from the refrigerator. I'm patting myself on the back! Not really...

Coming Soon: Vegan Beanie Weenies

Enjoy!

Mrs. Smith

Gathering Up The Fragments - Melba Toast...

 

I had some leftover hot dog buns that I baked and a need for something to dip into my homemade humus, so I made Melba toast of sorts.

First, I sliced up the buns and placed them on a baking sheet lined with re-usable parchment paper...

Then I melted a little butter...

Added a little garlic powder...

Brushed the tops of the bread with the mixture... 

And baked them until they were brown...

I served them with my homemade humus...

This was an easy and great way to use up leftover bread...

Enjoy,

Mrs. Smith

Gather Up The Fragments... Meal Prep

We did not have very many fragments left in the fridge this week. Two fragments to be exact, so we did some meal prep for next week's long anticipated Fall like weather. Meal prepping saves time, money and helps us eat healthier. 

I had some romaine lettuce that needed some attention.
I prepared a large bowl for this weekend and
    I washed and stored the rest to use next week. 

I had some homemade chicken and pasta soup that
I had leftover from Thursday's Lunch. I made it from a chicken carcass I had frozen from a previous gathering up the fragments week.
I re-heated it and we had it for lunch on Friday with crackers. 

We have had ice on the chicken water in the mornings for a week now, but it was still in the eighties during the day. This is full blown extreme Summer weather that we have been experiencing during the day. It has been way too hot use the oven, so I have been putting off  baking bread and other things that require the oven. I did make some soup last week, because I am so ready for cooler weather and all the good food that goes with it. 

I pressed out 16 hamburger patties from a
10 pound chub I had thawed out.

Number One is the "Grill Master".

The background colors are changing to dull greens and browns

Creole grilled chicken halves from a few weeks ago.

16 Grilled burgers

Just showing off Number One's grilling skills. Creole grilled chicken halves, grilled smoked
beef sausage and grilled beef hotdogs from a couple weeks ago.

I froze 12 out of the 16 burgers. 

I browned about 2 pounds of the ground beef..

I froze the browned meat to use in other meals at a later date. 

I chopped up cabbage and onions to cook with the rest of the ground beef to make Bierocks (German Burgers) next week when the weather cools off.

Ground beef, chopped cabbage, onions, minced garlic, salt and pepper in a skillet.

Taking a peek...

All done. I put it in a bowl and put it in the fridge for next week.

While all the other food was cooking I used my electric pressure cooker to make this healthy side dish. 

Just add water and a little butter.

12 Minutes at 9,000 feet in altitude.  

I froze two quart bags and put a bowl in the fridge for us to eat this weekend.

One day, some months ago, while I was gathering fragments I made some twice baked potatoes out of some baking potatoes that needed to be used up. I made a large batch and froze them in gallon freezer bags. I froze them on a baking sheet first, so they would not loose their shape or toppings when I bagged them up. 

I added a salad and a grilled burger to make our Sabbath dinner. I cooked the potato while I was heating up the burger in the same pan with a lid. It turned out just as good without using the oven. 

Number One requested turkey bacon and...

green onions on the next ones, so...

I gave the green onions in the window a haircut and...

Wait for it...

made his request happen for breakfast...

I know, I know it's a strange breakfast or an early lunch. It was almost 11 am before we ate breakfast. I am not a breakfast fan and neither of us care too much for traditional breakfast fare. 

Have a blessed week,

Mrs. Smith