The Use-it-or-Lose-it Thread

[flash]

Mrs P's thread on cleaning out the frig got me thinking...

Do you have something you need to use up? Something sitting in the stockpile getting dusty as the expiration date comes (...and goes...)? Need some inspiration?

Ask it here!

[flash]

I'll go first...

I hate turning on the oven in the summer, so we mostly eat main dish salads and crock pot.

I have a rotissiere chicken I got for $5.49, minus a $5 MIR and a free 2 liter coke WYB Rotissiere chicken. I never buy these things...so it's in the frig.

I thought maybe chicken enchiladas, I have tortillas in the freezer, but that's oven. Boo.

I thought chicken manicotti, but that's oven and I don't have ricotta.

I have salad greens and cole slaw shreds...maybe chicken oriental salad or chicken caesar salad?

What do you do with whole cooked chickens?

[sbp]

I hear ya on not using the oven. I try to not even use the stove top, so the side burner on the BBQ grill gets ALOT of use!!

Easy thing for precooked chicken is chicken quesadillas. Slap some chicken pieces and cheese onto a tortilla, fold it in 1/2 and put into a lightly oiled frying pan for a few minutes, turn over cook a few more minutes and serve with salsa and sour cream. YUMMY!!!

[sbp]

My turn - I've got a boatload of Gerber Grads diced pears, peaches and applies. Each boy will eat one full jar easily at a time, but I'm not kidding about the bunches and bunches. what to do with all of them?

[flash]

I hear ya on not using the oven. I try to not even use the stove top, so the side burner on the BBQ grill gets ALOT of use!!

Easy thing for precooked chicken is chicken quesadillas. Slap some chicken pieces and cheese onto a tortilla, fold it in 1/2 and put into a lightly oiled frying pan for a few minutes, turn over cook a few more minutes and serve with salsa and sour cream. YUMMY!!!

Good idea, easy to prep ahead. I tend to prep things in the morning so they are ready to go at night. I started that when I was working 18 hours+ days, and more food was getting tossed than used because it was late and I was tired.

I could heat up some mexican rice a roni in a pouch, no cooking required, to go with.

Or maybe a chicken taco salad with some rice in it? I am thinking the chicken will last more than one day.

[flash]

My turn - I've got a boatload of Gerber Grads diced pears, peaches and applies. Each boy will eat one full jar easily at a time, but I'm not kidding about the bunches and bunches. what to do with all of them?

Muffins! Seriously, they are great and fairly easy for kids to eat.

[flash]

or a fruit crisp, or a dump cake. Great for using up cake mix too!

[pedspeech]

My turn - I've got a boatload of Gerber Grads diced pears, peaches and applies. Each boy will eat one full jar easily at a time, but I'm not kidding about the bunches and bunches. what to do with all of them?

I have made muffins with them and I have put them in pancakes! The whole family loves them and I don't have to chop up fruit.

[flash]

I have made muffins with them and I have put them in pancakes! The whole family loves them and I don't have to chop up fruit.

Oh, I forgot about that...the pancakes are wonderful!

Also, the pears make a fantastic pie! Seriously, if you haven't had a pear pie, well...you should try one!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

As far as your rotissieries chicken flash...chineese chicken salad. I actually made one the other day per your suggestion on the cole slaw mix and everyone (even 2 year olds) ate it all gone...2 bags of mix to boot!

I also since its already cold in the fridge how about just chicken salad sandwiches or wraps?

Fruit dices for Sbp...how about running them in the blender and pouring the pureee in popcicle molds and freezing. Then on hot days you can give them popsicle for breakfast and they will think your so cool.

I have one for you guys... I just cleaned my fridge and found 1/2 container of cool whip that I thawed last weekend for shortcakes. Can I either freeze it or do you have any recipies that use 1/2 cont. of it? Or should I just buy somemore strawberries and angel food cake?