Pantry Challenge Week One

This was Week One for me of the Pantry Challenge (thanks to Good Cheap Eats) and I was really excited to get started on this month long journey.  I have way more than I want to admit to in my pantry thanks to overzealous deal finding.  We did make some donations to local food pantries, and I make and bring food to work for students and coworkers (although I completely fell off the wagon with this over the month of December), so I do try to share our food blessings with others.  Even having done that, I still find that we have a boodle left over.

I was considering all of this when I went to the mailbox and got the mail.  Actually, it wasn't really mail.  It was all BILLS.

I quickly realized that we have a very expensive next three months coming up.  Between taxes, vehicle expenses, the newly added orthodontist bill (poor Loola is getting her braces in a few weeks), and insurances our savings and checking accounts are going to get a workout. If ever there was a time to shave expenses where I can NOW IS THE TIME!

The one month break from having to throw so much money into the grocery funds will be very welcome.

So, one of my meals that I threw together was a refrigerator special featuring cooked chicken, cooked bacon, tortillas, cheese, salsa, and refried beans.

QUESADILLAS!

Oh my they were super yummy.

And so very easy!

Why is it I don't make these more often?  What am I thinking?

We all really enjoyed them and the evening was a big thumbs up.

We also had some "breakfast for dinner" thanks to some hash browns I found buried at the bottom of the freezer.

(Check out the "Pancake" post from December to find out how I made all that de-lish batter!)

I'm intrigued as to what else I am going to find down there!

We fueled our weekend activities with sandwiches made with the bread I brought up from the deep freeze.

Now, I will admit that I did have one epic dinner fail when I succumb to both the temptation of ketchup and fries and the tired of the evening and ordered out burgers from the local restaurant down the street.

(Don't tell anyone, but it did taste really good, even with the eater's regret!)

This week went pretty well, all in all.  I am still trying to get a handle on the whole meal planning thing, which so far is me "planning" a meal about 24 hours before it happens.  This skills is definitely one I need to work on!

This upcoming week is going to see some serious soup and casseroles.  I also have some canadian bacon lurking in the deep freeze.  If anyone has great ideas for how to use it I am ALL EARS!

How did your week go?  What are you looking forward to this week?

Take care all!

T