FREEZER CLEAN OUT

A few times a year I get around to clearing out my freezer. You know what I mean, the stuff you're not quite sure how long it has been lurking, the stuff you bought for a "special recipe", which you never got around to making, and probably no longer even know where the recipe is, the odd bits and pieces which you froze rather than waste and of course the escapees. The peas and sweetcorn which has rolled around in the bottom of the freezer drawer. We all do it, come on own up. You'll feel better knowing you are not alone.

So with my husband out of town for a few days this is the perfect time for using up small amounts. First off was the minced beef. With beans, tomatoes and chilli it could have been turned into a nice chilli con carne. But as I was alone, I decided to indulge myself with something I very rarely eat, but do enjoy when I do. A humble burger.

 

Simply added a finely chopped onion, salt and pepper, shaped into patties and left in fridge for an hour to firm up. With the addition of a nice roll, fresh, some salad, a slice of cheese and a few frozen fries which were lurking I had a delicious supper and freed up some space.

Some chicken wings formed part of Sunday lunch. I was cooking Asian so some wings were a perfect dish to nibble on while waiting for main course. Again nothing complicated, just marinaded for an hour in soy sauce, honey, five spice. garlic and a few slices of ginger. Cooked for an hour, during which time they smelt delicious, we couldn't wait to get our teeth sunk into them.

A scattering of red chilli and spring onion, and some soy sauce and sour cream alongside completed our appetiser.

I'm sure you all have puff pastry in the freezer ready for when you need it. I can't always buy it here so when I do I tend to buy a few. So now time to use some up.

Using chicken left over from the weekend, I decided to do a chicken and mushroom pie. Always a favourite in this house. I think everyone loves chicken pie. This time it involved frying a leek and mushrooms, adding the chopped chicken and some stock, made from the aforementioned chicken. Yes I really am trying to be more economical, I hate waste, so decided 2013 is the time to put feelings into practice. I let it all cook through then thickened the stock with cornflour slaked with water, doing it this way also cuts the calories leaving you less guilty about eating the pastry! The pastry cooked off in the oven, then the whole thing put together for a tasty easy quick and cheap supper. Words to make me happy. Added a few fresh veg to complete.

Unfortunately this only used up half a packet of pastry so the following night I decided to make a dessert with the other half. So easy you won't believe it. I cut the pastry into circles, spread a tub of apple sauce, I had it in the cupboard, over the centre leaving a 1cm edge. I took an apple from the bowl cut it into slices and arranged them on top. A sprinkling of brown sugar and they were ready for the oven. 25 mins and with the addition of some cream we were once again enjoying the "dregs" of the freezer.

 

So as you can see with a bit of thought and imagination cleaning out the freezer doesn't need to be boring. I enjoy the challenge. I'm not quite there, still have some chicken livers, belly pork and prawns to deal with then I can start to fill it all over again....... so in 6 months I'll be doing it all over again.