Tuesday, August 18, 2009

counting down and using up


It's not that long till we are moving to the States, and my cupboards (OK, the closet in the Japanese 6-mat tatami room that we use as our dining room/computer room/playroom) is still running over with too many overzealous Costco purchases. We are blessed to have so many provisions!

Here's a quick overview of some of the things I need to use before we go:

  • 6 cans tuna
  • 2 kg of regular flour (Japanese "soft" flour)
  • 9 cans black beans
  • 4 cans soybeans
  • 4 cans black olives
  • 4 cans kidney beans
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 4 cans creamed corn
  • 6 cans refried beans
  • 1.5 big bags old-fashioned oatmeal
  • 4 cans coconut milk
  • 10 cans cream of mushroom soup
  • 10 cans tomato soup
  • 4 bags (500 g or 1 lb. each) penne pasta
  • 3 bags (500 g or 1 lb. each) angel hair pasta
We've also got some dried chickpeas, dried mixed beans, dried black-eyed peas (I've got a recipe for a black-eyed pea curry meal I'm hoping to try soon), dried lentils, and some staples like couscous and rice.

I feel like I'm cooking up a storm all the time and hardly using up anything (a very good - miraculous? - problem to have).

I've got some ideas already forming, but I'm open to any and all suggestions you may have about easy, fast, fuss-free, and summer-friendly meals that I could make using any/all of these ingredients.

Oh, and by the way, we're probably not going to Costco in Japan anymore! We've got plenty! (OK, maybe just for wet wipes for the kids. We love the Kirkland big, soft wipes for baby bottoms.)

8 comments:

Kim said...

You can send us the leftovers after you buy your tickets! HAHAH!!! What a fun dilema!

Abigail (aka Mamatouille) said...

Don't worry, Kim, I'm sure I'll be sending you some things--wait by the post box! :)

K and S said...

pasta salad? maybe a layered taco dip? tuna salad? 3-bean salad? bean soup? gosh! you sure do have a lot of provisions :)

Abigail (aka Mamatouille) said...

3-bean salad! Yes! I haven't made that in a few years and I have a really good recipe for it. Good idea, K and S! :)

Kim said...

You're the BEST, Abigail! You know when a girl ISN"T kidding! SMILE!

FOODalogue said...

K and S got here first. I had the same ideas (minus the taco dip).

Where you moving to? Are you coming back to FL?

Abigail (aka Mamatouille) said...

Joan, we'll be visiting Florida because I've got friends and relatives there, but we're thinking of moving to Seattle, actually - the opposite side! Haven't made any decisions yet for sure but we're working on it.

I made two dishes yesterday using some of these ingredients, so I'll let you all know soon how it went. Thanks for the ideas!

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