CLEAN OUT THE CUPBOARDS

Clean Out the Cupboards Challenge continues!

Well January has come and gone and taken the Clean Out the Cupboards Challenge with it. How did you all do?

Referring back to my pantry list at the start of this challenge here’s what we’ve used:
Clean Out the Cupboards Challenge

popcorn – I’ve refrained from buying chips and have been snacking on this instead. I even discovered that I can make it in the microwave!
lasagna – Turned that partial box into Lasagna Rolls.
taco shells – We’re down to 14 boxes. Can you say Cinco de Mayo party?
spaghetti – Used one box, but that means we still have 11 to go.
penne – Just 7 bags left!
tomato soup
rice
capon – Freed up a ton of room in the freezer by making French Chicken in a Pot and then used the carcass for chicken stock which was turned into delicious Matzah Ball Soup.
homemade cranberry sauce – This has been in the freezer since Christmas. Guess what? It makes excellent cupcake filling!

I did make some progress in the pantry, but still have many things around the house that I would like to use up. One month just isn’t enough time to accomplish that goal.

I usually do a yearly decluttering, relegating cast-offs to the free table, but it doesn’t really encompass food and partially used personal items. So this year I am instilling the Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, or Do without Challenge. {UWMD}

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without. I invite you to join me as I work through my pantry, cupboards, closet and clutter. I will post bi-weekly updates and offer a linky for you to do the same.

This challenge will run for the duration of 2011. Good habits take time to develop!

You can join anytime and post as often or infrequently as you like.

Along the way I’ll issue mini challenges, post tips on conquering clutter and maximizing storage in a house with none, offer creative ways to use up junk by showing you mine, inspire you to fall in love with the clothes you already own, and yes, even learn to do without.

Interested? Click here to learn more!

This is the final Clean Out the Cupboards Challenge linky. Please join me in the new UWMD Challenge!

Tagged as: CHALLENGES, CLEAN OUT THE CUPBOARDS, USE IT UP WEAR IT OUT MAKE IT DO OR DO WITHOUT

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CLEAN OUT THE CUPBOARDS CHALLENGE {Making progress}

I’m finally starting to make some progress on the Clean Out the Cupboards Challenge. How about you?

I did one semi-normal grocery shop this month. It was to fill in some essential items we were out of. Otherwise there’s been the random milk/coffee/bananas and yogurt run, but for the most part I’ve stayed out of the store. I’m used to spending $80.00 a week on groceries, so I imagine we’ve saved quite a bit there.

Sunday I cooked the capon that had been lurking in our freezer forever. We’ve eaten several meals off it and today I’m making stock with the remains.

French Chicken in a Pot cleaned the capon out of the cupboard {freezer}.

I had a partial box of lasagna noodles that was not enough for actual lasagna, but perfect for lasagna rolls.

Lasagna Rolls used up my odd box of noodles.

And just for kicks I experimented with dessert by using leftover Cranberry Sauce frozen from Christmas.

Sweet Tart Cupcake with Cranberry Sauce filling.

I also made an exciting discovery in the snack department! {Which popped my ban on microwave popcorn.} More on that later. And I learned that you can substitute 2 tablespoons cornstarch in place of one egg. I first did this when I made the unfortunate discovery that we were out of eggs while I was in the middle of making crust for my pot pie. Then Mister tried it while making his “daddy cakes” for breakfast. We both noted that color is lost with the lack of egg, but his pancakes sure were fluffy!

With progress underway in the pantry, I feel confident moving on to the freezer.

I know it’s only January, but I’m already starting to think dream about gardening. The seed catalogs are filling my mailbox and filling my head with notions of fresh veggies filling my freezer. In order to do that I need to clear its current contents. It could use a good defrosting too!

I was inspired by Shelly from Coupon Teacher who did so earlier this month as part of the challenge. She’s right, it’s the perfect time to defrost your freezer. Being below freezing, I can stick everything outside without worry of spoilage. Genius!

I wonder what surprises I'll find in here?

Three weeks in. What progress have you made?

Clean Out the Cupboards Challenge is co-hosted by Laura at Frugal Follies, Denise at Shopper Strategy, Robbie at Going Green Mama, Crystal at Mrs. Happy Homemaker and me {Rebecca Jean} at Midnight Maniac. You are invited to join!

CLICK HERE! to read the rules before linking up.

Tagged as: CHALLENGES, CLEAN OUT THE CUPBOARDS

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NOW YOU’RE COOKIN’: Spicy Bean & Sausage Soup

In line with the Clean Out the Cupboards Challenge, last week I concocted this soup using three cans of beans, the last of my fettuccine noodles, some limp celery, a green pepper that was getting old and some turkey sausage links that were buried in the bottom of my freezer. With no recipe and no [...]

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CLEAN OUT THE CUPBOARDS CHALLENGE {Menu Plan-less}

One week in to the Clean Out the Cupboards Challenge and I have made little headway into clearing out my pantry. I’ve only managed to cross one thing off my use up list and that was just today. Tomato Soup. I have managed to stay out of the store and make use of what we [...]

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CLEAN OUT THE CUPBOARDS CHALLENGE {A Peek in My Pantry}

This week we – Laura at Frugal Follies, Denise at Shopper Strategy, Robbie at Going Green Mama, Crystal at Mrs. Happy Homemaker and me {Rebecca Jean} at Midnight Maniac – officially kicked off the Clean Out the Cupboards challenge. CLICK HERE! to read the rules before linking up. Each co-host has their own reasons for participating [...]

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CLEAN OUT THE CUPBOARDS CHALLENGE

Well. The last few days around here certainly have been interesting ones. I spent most of Monday clearing dishes from the apparent bomb that went off in my kitchen, blasting every dish I own out of the cupboards and on to the counters. It must have been a ham-baked-bean-corn-sweet-potato-mashed-potato-cranberry-pumpkin-pie bomb, ’cause that stuff was stuck [...]