Monday, January 28, 2008

Let's Play A Game Shall We?

These are the things languishing in my fridge. In the photo below, I have 2 handfuls baby spinach, about 2 cups cubed butternut squash, 2 red bell peppers, half a bulb of fennel, 2 jalapenos, 1 pound of haricot verts, and about 2 cups of sugar snap peas.

Not pictured, I have about 12 cups of cooked basmati rice that I need to find a use for. My pantry and fridge are fairly well stocked with the staples, and I have many odds-n-ends as well, but these are the things that are on the verge of expiring. Any ideas? I have a few, but nothing really exciting.

5 comments:

Josie said...

Sounds like time for Funky Fried Rice! :) I love mixing all sorts of random veggies in a skillet with rice. I love folding in greens at the end (and I am not a greens person so that is saying something!).

On the other hand, I would make a scrambled egg dish using the squash (cook it like you would for a mash or puree), scramble eggs with onions and jalapenos and serve with the squash puree on top. It is even better if you have ham to mix into the eggs.

Anonymous said...

Oh yea . . . I needed a bit of fun today!

Okay, here's what comes to mind for me:

* Cube the fennel and toss that and the squash with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a heavy-duty roasting pan at hight heat, then mix in the spinach at the end to wilt. Then either serve with roast chicken or pork or something, or stir it into risotto or barley risotto with a handful of Parm.

* Use the peppers, jalapenos, haricot verts and snap peas (and if you don't roast the squash, that would be great in here too) in a curry and serve over that leftover rice.

Thanks, Erika, for getting me out of MY fridge today!

JEP said...

Uhhh...I don't have a clue:) What a fun post today!

Unknown said...

The curry idea sounds good. I'd probably do some kind of creamy veggie soup.

Erika W. said...

Josie, Andy really liked the eggs idea, even though he's squashed out right now, so I'll be remembering that idea!

Lia, Andy also wanted me to tell you that his vote was for your first suggestion of roasting. He'll probably lose out the the curry though. ;-)

Jep, it was fun to get help!

Claire, soup sounds good too! Maybe that will be for tomorrow...it's just one of those weeks I don't feel like planning ahead much.