Sometimes planned meals just don't work out and I have to do a quick substitution so I often have a few things purchased that I didn't use. Menu plan below.
As I go through this post please remember that we grow all our own grass-fed, free-range meats and our freezers are generally full of anything we might need.
This week I have some things in the frig (or will have after Christmas Day) that need to be used up:
2 small heads organic broccoli
4 dozen eggs that are getting to 4 weeks old. Someone requested them and didn't pick them up.
Shredded Cheese
Parsnips
Cranberries
Green Cabbage
Ricotta
1/2 head cauliflower
1/2 each yellow and zucchini squash
Red Onions
potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Oranges
Green and Red Pepper
Turkey
Today I've made a Broccoli, Mushroom, Ham Frittata for 24 servings. I mixed up the Frittata in a large bowl and then scooped out 2 cups for breakfast and baked it in a small pie (I don't know where I got this tiny 8 inch pie plate but it's perfect for us now) plate at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. The remaining servings were placed 2 cups each in zipper freezer bags and frozen flat on a cookie sheet so they will stack well in my freezer. The 2 cups makes 2-3 servings for us.
I also boiled a dozen eggs. They will be used for Deviled (We actually call them Angel Eggs) Eggs for Christmas and Egg Salad Sandwiches. Another dozen eggs will be scrambled with some bacon fat and given to the outside cats for a cold winter treat. These guys work hard to keep the rodent population at bay.I have some 'neighbor gifts' to make so I'm going to make some Gluten-Free Cranberry-Orange Cakes in Muffin tins. I will give some for gifts and freeze some.
I'm going to try to make some Gluten-free bread dough that I can form and fill with Runza filling and the Cauliflower and the red pepper will be used for a Beef Cauliflower Casserole (just 11 carbs with almost 4 g fiber and 31 g protein)
Sweet Potatoes will be carved into Sweet Potato Fries served with Lentil Chili
Another freezer project (Spicy Marinated Pork) will use up some other ingredients. Since this recipe serves 4-6 I will cook one half this recipe and put the other half in a zipper freezer bag (well labeled) for a later meal. I have a small crock-pot that I use for these recipes and reduce the cooking time appropriately since there are only two of us.
Christmas Morning we will enjoy Hot Orange Mocha and the Brussel Sprouts recipe that I will be serving with the meal will also be divided and frozen so that I can serve it later with some Pork Steaks I have in the freezer.
The parsnips will be used in a Short Rib Recipe (Wine-Braised Short Ribs with Vegetables)
and the summer squashes will be used in my Country Egg Scramble for breakfasts.
The left-over Christmas meal will be eaten again, in its entirety, as left-overs. Then I will remove the meat from the turkey and bag 2 cups to a bag in zipper bag for meals later. I will break up the carcass and make broth from it.
We have made several breakfasts, plus many dinners and lunches with what I have left in the freezer. Can you count? The internet is full of what to do with left-over turkey so I'll search out what I need to fill and and I'm thinking that I won't need much for the food budget in the next couple of weeks and into the following couple weeks also.
Here's the Menu Plan:
Sunday: Beef Cauliflower Casserole, Green Beans
Monday: Sweet Potato Fries served with Lentil Chili
Tuesday: Christmas Feast
Wednesday: Christmas Feast Part 2
Thursday: Wine-Braised Short Ribs with Vegetables
Friday: Grilled Pork Steak, Mashed Potatoes (in the freezer), Brussel Sprouts
Saturday: Turkey, Ham & Swiss Casserole
Sunday: Spicy Marinated Pork
Monday: Left-over Buffet
Tuesday: New Years Day Finger Food Feast
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