Cleaning Out the Refrigerator Cooking

Yesterday was supposed to be clean and organize day and today is cooking day if I go back to my norm for blogging.  So I'm combining the two to show you guys how I think about cleaning out the fridge and cooking at the same time.

Fact.  We all buy stuff that we think we are going to use.  Then we don't make what we planned.
Hating waste, here is how I deal with that.

Rather than say,'what do I want to make for dinner tonight' on clean out day, I let the fridge tell me what to make.  And here is how that looks this time because it all comes down to what the heck is in there!

                                           I had too much fruit that no one was eating. 

And all those limes I bought to make something that never I never did were no longer green.

 And Jeff made a fancy meal on a night that Tony and I weren't home so he only used one pork      tenderloin and today, this was not enough for the family. 

So. I made a fruit salad.  I juiced all those lemons and limes.  Don't get grossed out.  Too many of you young people get way to squeamish at the thought of using food you think is bad and you toss it.  Well, here is what the inside of those limes looked like making them just fine for juicing.

And as for the cleaning part?  If you have a garbage disposal, throw your limes, lemons and oranges down them to freshen.  Yes, I know my sink was gross.  I wasn't done yet!

Now, I have some lovely juice to use this week by grabbing the citrus before it dried up into a brick.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that I took the zest from the still green parts.  Now if you love these awesome bottles, you will have to go ask Allie where she got them.  She gave them to me as an early birthday gift since she will be touring when my birthday comes.  Here is her FB page.  Like it if you haven't and ask her.  I'm sure she'll share.  They are perfect for so many uses.  I also have salad dressing in another one.

I also cleaned out the veggie drawer and simply cooked up everything that might not keep for the next few days so I wouldn't lose it.

I took the rest of the rotisserie chicken, which was mostly bones and grabbed some of the bones from the baggie I save them in from the freezer to make stock.   I also pulled the prime rib bones (frozen since Christmas) and the short rib bones (from a couple of nights ago) to make beef stock.  Since my veggies were in need of using, this was the best time for stock.  My carrots were not bad but weren't good enough to eat raw in a salad.  Perfect stock time.  I've already shown you how to make chicken stock so I'm skipping that but here's how you make beef stock.

1.  Simply place your beef bones in a roasting pan.  Add onions, and any other veggies you want.  Like past their prime carrots, celery that's getting soft and parsley that has wilted.   Add a little water or beef juices that are left if you have just made a beef dish.  I did have some from the short ribs so I tossed that in. Roast until it looks charred like this.

Then transfer to a large stock pot and add water, maybe some salt.  Himalayan, preferable. Bring to boil and then simmer till it smells good.  Or about two hours if your nose isn't so sensitive. 

This was at the beginning.

While my stocks were cooking, (which I do twice each time) I made Mexican Winter Chili out of my remaining pork tenderloin, half of the chicken stock I just made and two cups of leftover canned pumpkin from the Pumpkin Bourbon Cheesecake that Jeff made (yes, I'll post that recipe soon)!  Sadly, I don't have the finished pic of my stew as we were all too hungry and I forgot.  But here's a copy of the clipped recipe,

And yes, it's spicy.  So cut down on the poblano pepper if you don't like the heat!  I also made rice to help with the 'spice' factor.

Using my pork tenderloin instead of stew meat, here's what you need to do before you cube it.  Remove the silver skin. With a sharp knife, you just reach under and press upward so as not to remove the meat.  I should probably do a video to show how this is done.  I also prefer my meat smaller than most suggested 3/4 inches for 1/2 inch.  But that's just preference. 

Oh, I also had apples that had a few brown spots so I made Allie's baked apple recipe except where she uses whole (and they are much prettier that way) I had to cut mine.  But it tastes great anyway.  I'm going to ask her to share that recipe.  It's so simple.  And just lovely.

The beef stock is done when it has this beautiful rich color.  And then I strained it into a bowl and chilled it. 

 Then I called it a day.

Today, I got out the beef stock to rid it of it's solid fat and plan on pouring into freezer bags.  Homemade stock. 

Then I strained it again...there are still tiny bits which could be removed via cheesecloth if so desired.

  Oh, I guess I should close with dessert!  but that was all Jeff.  I had an unused loaf of French bread from the day before.  It was hard.  So he created a Black and White Chocolate Bread Pudding out of it.  (recipe will come soon)!

Next, I will tackle the food pantry and do the same thing.  Grabbing cans that will expire soon and make stuff from cans I bought throughout the year and didn't use.  See, it's Shoprite's Can Can month and I won't allow myself to really restock without using up lasts year's cans.  Chili, just in time for Superbowl Sunday and maybe some bean, lentil and pea soups coming up!

 Anyway, I hope you have have gotten the idea of how we make use of food that is often tossed away.  I've made some great dishes out of leftovers. Now if I could only remember how I made them....