It’s Friday Guys – time for No Waste Tastes Great
Click here to find out more about my Friday routine
Simply Being Mum’s Friday Fridge
Top Shelf – Spreads, garlic and parmesan (all with life left in them yet!)
Middle Shelf – The nectarines and grapes are still hanging around
Bottom Shelf – Half a carton of chopped tomatoes
Door – Milk
So, what’s the No Waste Tastes Great plan today then?
It’s pretty straightforward, based on the contents of the fridge.
The nectarines and grapes WILL be eaten up this weekend without fail. Even if I have to eat them all myself! The half carton of toms will make a nice pasta sauce this lunchtime. Aldi chopped tomatoes with herbs are fantastic. Seriously. I use them straight as an emergency pasta sauce, for topping my home-made pizza bases and a multitude of other quick fixes. They require no adaptation to make them the perfect ingredient.
There had been a head of broccoli and some chopped onion residing in the fridge when I opened the door this morning. Both went into the slow cooker first thing.
As I’m grocery shopping later, I’ll grab some cheddar cheese and add with some stock to make a tasty soup. This is a slight adaptation on the Broccoli and Stilton soup that will be featuring in my freebie recipe e-book later this month.
Unfortunately I do have some food waste confessions, once again.
Potential waste – can it be salvaged?
We use a fruit bowl at Chez Wright so the Hubby remembers to take fruit to work and the Kids can grab it as and when.
A quick look through, this morning, identified 2 soft apples and a rather conspicuous looking satsuma. I’m going to stew the apples to make a sauce and freeze. The satsuma will be peeled and eaten later. Wish me luck!
Actual waste
Once bitten twice shy? It would appear not in my case. Cucumber and salad always gets me. Every. Single. Time. They are both off the shopping list for a while as I can’t trust myself to use them up.
The worst experience, on the food waste front this week, however was yesterday.
I cracked a bad egg.
(Not a close-up – that’s as near as I wanted to get to it second time around!)
I’d never experienced this before. And, of course, I cracked it straight into my half-made cake mixture which I was under time pressure to get in the oven.
I was reminded of 3 vital life-lessons yesterday;
1. Don’t take shortcuts – They rarely pay off long-term. Over-confidence in the kitchen means I hardly ever crack eggs into a separate bowl, but straight into my recipe. I’ll be cracking into a separate bowl in future!
2. Don’t leave things until the last-minute – It’s a recipe (pardon the pun) for disaster. The celebration cake, I was making, needed to be completed by lunch-time. Confident in my ability I knew I could get it ready. Providing I didn’t have any hiccups. I had a hiccup! It put me under pressure.
3. There are times you need a contingency plan – I keep a minimal fridge and store-cupboard. But I try to keep extra staple items when it comes to baking. It saves you time (and reduces food waste, as it gives you options) long-term. Eggs, however, I sometimes run out of. I know I can always ask a neighbour. Fortunately I had 3 eggs left to make a new batch of batter.
It all turned out okay in the end, and as I type the cake is flying across the Irish sea to Belfast.
How’s your Fridge looking this Friday? Anything to declare? Or is it nice and bare? Please share…
No Waste Tastes Great is bought to you (as always) with thanks to The Frugal Girl for the original inspiration.
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I was taught by my mother to always crack my eggs into a bowl separate from whatever I was making. However, I got lazy with time and didn’t do it UNTIL I had a bad experience like yours. Back to cracking them in a separate container again. Sorry about your cake. I feel your pain.
Like your Mom, I always get my Kids to crack into a jug or cup, because they are going to get some shell in there! As we get older (well as I do) we get more complacent. I knew I’d get a clean break, but didn’t prepare for what was going to come out of the egg. I’ve never seen a rotten egg before. The other 14 in the box were fine and dandy! Lesson learnt, it was not (as I’m sure you know having done it) a nice experience… but resolves any question going forward as to whether you know when an egg has gone off. From what I saw yesterday, you KNOW when it shouldn’t be used!
I was taught by my mother to always crack my eggs into a bowl separate from whatever I was making. However, I got lazy with time and didn’t do it UNTIL I had a bad experience like yours. Back to cracking them in a separate container again. Sorry about your cake. I feel your pain.
Like your Mom, I always get my Kids to crack into a jug or cup, because they are going to get some shell in there! As we get older (well as I do) we get more complacent. I knew I’d get a clean break, but didn’t prepare for what was going to come out of the egg. I’ve never seen a rotten egg before. The other 14 in the box were fine and dandy! Lesson learnt, it was not (as I’m sure you know having done it) a nice experience… but resolves any question going forward as to whether you know when an egg has gone off. From what I saw yesterday, you KNOW when it shouldn’t be used!
I have never had a rotten egg – touch wood! I also always crack them straight into whatever I am cooking. Good luck with using up the rest of the stuff this week 🙂
I too hadn’t experienced a rotten egg before yesterday… oh boy I’d rather that experience be a one off! Thanks for popping across, I’ve been over to yours. I’ve never had kale, but may need to try and track some down to give it a try!
I have never had a rotten egg – touch wood! I also always crack them straight into whatever I am cooking. Good luck with using up the rest of the stuff this week 🙂
I too hadn’t experienced a rotten egg before yesterday… oh boy I’d rather that experience be a one off! Thanks for popping across, I’ve been over to yours. I’ve never had kale, but may need to try and track some down to give it a try!
I had a bad egg for the first time this year too; that’s one sensory experience never to be forgotten! I’m anxious about that cake making it to Belfast…please promise that you’ll update us! Congratulations on being the new fortnightly FWF hostess…there could be no better jobshare partner for Frugal Girl than you!
It was really odd. I cracked the egg and because I’d never experienced it before I was a bit confused… my brain picked up on a horrible smell first, and then my eyes were looking at black goo oozing out – it took a while for the two elements to click and for me to register “oh a rotten egg!”. Not nice as you say, not to be forgotten!
The cake is being taken on as hand luggage. I did wonder how it’d fare, but I went with a solid construction and less ornate than I would normally do – I’m hoping it makes it in one piece. But then again, I’ve been on a flight over the Irish sea, and that was one bumpy journey…
Thank you for your kind words about FWF, I just hope I can do it justice!
I had a bad egg for the first time this year too; that’s one sensory experience never to be forgotten! I’m anxious about that cake making it to Belfast…please promise that you’ll update us! Congratulations on being the new fortnightly FWF hostess…there could be no better jobshare partner for Frugal Girl than you!
It was really odd. I cracked the egg and because I’d never experienced it before I was a bit confused… my brain picked up on a horrible smell first, and then my eyes were looking at black goo oozing out – it took a while for the two elements to click and for me to register “oh a rotten egg!”. Not nice as you say, not to be forgotten!
The cake is being taken on as hand luggage. I did wonder how it’d fare, but I went with a solid construction and less ornate than I would normally do – I’m hoping it makes it in one piece. But then again, I’ve been on a flight over the Irish sea, and that was one bumpy journey…
Thank you for your kind words about FWF, I just hope I can do it justice!
Yuck! I’ve never had a rotten egg; hope I never do!
I hope you never do too! 🙂
Yuck! I’ve never had a rotten egg; hope I never do!
I hope you never do too! 🙂
That egg looks amazingly awful! I’ve never seen a rotten egg until now.
I’ll definitely be cracking into a small bowl from now on 🙂
Almost forgot to add – your cake looks beautiful – such clean, simple lines. Everything you make looks so professional and attractive.
ps – Thanks for your kind comment about the cake. You’re spot on in what I try to achieve (whether it turns out or not is another a matter)… I like them to be ‘neat’ even if they are ornate. I like ‘tidy’ cakes! It’s always a good day when my icing is smooth without cracks or dents…makes me happy 😉
I’d highly recommend it…after my experience 🙂
That egg looks amazingly awful! I’ve never seen a rotten egg until now.
I’ll definitely be cracking into a small bowl from now on 🙂
Almost forgot to add – your cake looks beautiful – such clean, simple lines. Everything you make looks so professional and attractive.
ps – Thanks for your kind comment about the cake. You’re spot on in what I try to achieve (whether it turns out or not is another a matter)… I like them to be ‘neat’ even if they are ornate. I like ‘tidy’ cakes! It’s always a good day when my icing is smooth without cracks or dents…makes me happy 😉
I’d highly recommend it…after my experience 🙂