Cleaning out the cabinets

A goal that I set for 2009 that I didn't list in my previous post is to use up what food we have in the house before going to buy more. I find that my freezer and pantry end up full of things that basically become out of site out of mind. So this week I made two recipes using ingredients that I already had in the house (with the exception of fresh produce). Both recipes came from my cookbook of the moment, The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.

The first dish I made was Skillet Ziti with Chicken and broccoli. Basically the recipe gave me more of an idea of what I wanted to make, but I made several adjustment to the recipe to make it a bit lighter and healthier.

The two major changes I made were instead of using the 3 tablespoons of butter that the recipe called for I only used one and instead of heavy cream, I used skim milk. I also used whole wheat ziti and added cauliflower and carrots. I am a sucker for pasta and this one was really good, I will make it again for sure.

The second recipe I made was Slow Cooker Chicken with Sausage and Corn. Again, I made just a couple of adjustments to boost the health factor. Instead of bone in skin-on chicken breasts I used boneless skinless breast and thighs. Also, instead of pork of beef kielbasa I used turkey kielbasa.

I love the convenience of my slow cooker(s) and this recipe was easy and sounded comforting. The addition of fresh corn was appealing as well. The dish was good served over rice, but it didn't knock my socks off. I found it to be a little bit bland. Peter added hot sauce which he said helped.

I still have plenty of things to use up in this house, I am looking forward to finding creative uses for all of it!