Lonely Ingredients

So I have cupboards full of random and seemingly necessary ingredients that, of course, I haven’t used much of, if at all. I really hate to waste, and I love the feeling you get when you know you’ve used what you’ve bought wisely, but for some reason, I’ve struggled to find use for so much of what I’ve invested in over the last year and a half (since getting married and having a kitchen!).

So, please, help me out. Take a look at my list below and then take a second or two to tell me any ideas you may have for me. Any recipes you know of or just simple ideas for integrating them in simple meals or snacks, or. . .whatever!

PLEASE. I BEG OF YOU. HELP!

And thanks. :)

Now to the list:

Dijon mustard
Hoisin sauce
red wine vinegar
white wine vigegar (I blame my sister for these two items! Hehe, love you Jen!)
cooking wines- white, sherry, and (I think) red
Hot sauce, both Chalula and Tabasco
Chicken stock/broth
Beef broth
Cous cous
Corn meal
Dry ranch dressing mix
Old Bay seasoning
Wild rice
Brown rice
Various pastas (like ziti)
TONS of frozen veggies-  broccoli, corn, mixed veggies, peppers
Canned items like:
diced tomatoes
black beans
red kidney beans
whole kernal corn
tomato sauce
tomato paste
tomato soup

And a few more perishable items that need to be used ASAP:
Russet potatoes
Carrots
Onions
Celery (this will get used up anyhow, it’s so good with peanut butter!)

Sigh.

I think that’s it. This feels a little embarrassing to post, and kinda makes me feel like the spoiled foolish newlywed, but whatever, I’m calling out for help! A lot of the sauces/broths/wines were needed for a single recipe, but now I’m left clueless on what to do with them, not wanting to make that one recipe a gazillion times.

So go ahead. Brainstorm and give me some feedback.
THANKS!

An Early V-Day

This was awhile ago now, but who cares!

My wonderful and thoughtful husband treated us to a surprise night out at a hotel in Minneapolis (see here) the week before Valentine’s Day. Thank you, priceline.com, for helping us get such a good deal! It was a great time to get away for a bit and enjoy not thinking about work or cleaning and daily life. The funny part though? We get up to our room and see that we got two double beds! Whoops.

Since this place was on Nicollet Mall, we could just walk a couple blocks to some well-known fancy shmancy restaurants.  We decided to go here, and boy was it yummy! We both ordered the corn tacos and really enjoyed them. The way they presented the food was really beautiful too; the plates were so pretty and cute!

Even though we tend to go “out” to eat pretty often these days, we haven’t been to a nice restaurant in a long time, or ever even.  So I’m hoping my husband and I can do these little date nights out more often. It was great!

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

Here is a super easy and tasty recipe I got from a friend at work. She also blogs and has a cute cooking blog here. I cooked this up while I was out of the “house” for our usual Sunday business (church, small group) and it was ready when we got home! Super easy and pretty darn tasty too! Maybe not the most healthy, but not bad either! You’ll have to try it.

Here goes:

4 Frozen Chicken Breasts (I actually had mine already thawed and it worked just fine)
1/2 a packet of Taco Seasoning
1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 a jar of salsa

Spray crock pot with some non-stick spray and then put all ingredients in the crock pot. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Top with grated cheddar cheese and/or sour cream. Eat with flour tortilla or tortilla chips (we ate it with some blue corn tortilla chips).  I served it with plain old cooked brown rice with the sauce and grated cheese on top.

Love these one-pot recipes! Enjoy!