Use what's in your pantry

I have a few grocery items left over from the Christmas season and I need to use them up. I had a half head of cabbage from making vegetable beef soup, a couple of bags of fresh cranberries, some smoked beef sausage and frozen shrimp from making a low country boil, and a tube of convenience biscuits left from making an appetizer, to mention just a few. I had leftover turkey and gravy that I froze, so last week I made a turkey pot pie and used the pie dough balls a friend gave me for Christmas. Today I decided to find a couple of new recipes to use up some things I already have at home.

Shelf cooking is a quest for many people. Shelf cooking is trying to use as many ingredients as possible that you already have at your home without buying more.

As we start this new year, I am trying to use items in my freezer and pantry and clean out as much of it as possible. Here are a few recipes I found to do that very thing.

Nutty Oatmeal Cranberry Bars

These sweet and tart bars are perfect for serving as a snack during coffee or tea time, or as a main dessert served a la mode.

For Oatmeal Crust:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 tablespoon salted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

For Cranberry Nut Topping:

• 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease or coat with cooking spray a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan.

For Oatmeal Crust: Prepare crust by whisking together flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter and lemon juice until combined. Evenly press mixture into the bottom of prepared baking pan.

For Cranberry Nut Topping: Combine sour cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, flour and brown sugar. Spread mixture over crust. Spread fresh cranberries evenly over mixture, lightly pressing into mixture. Evenly spread top with chopped nuts.

Bake at 325-degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, until light brown. Let cool completely in pan before slicing.

Source: www.shewearsmanyhats.com/nutty-oatmeal-cranberry-bars-recipe/

Cajun Cabbage Shrimp Jambalaya

Cajun spices, savory broth, and shrimp with spicy turkey sausage along with cauliflower rice. A delicious low carb skillet meal that is healthy and nutritious. Just the right dish to start the new year.

• 3-4 tablespoons avocado oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 yellow pepper, diced
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 14 ounces cabbage coleslaw mix
• 1 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups raw cauliflower rice
• 12 ounces frozen medium to large shrimp
• 1-2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning
• 13 ounces turkey sausage
• 4 green onions, sliced

On medium heat add avocado oil to a skillet, add sliced turkey sausage. Cook until brown, turning over and browning the other side, being sure to not to overcook. The sausage will be tough. Transfer to a platter and set aside. Toss the cooked shrimp in the Cajun seasoning and set aside.

Add more avocado oil, cauliflower rice, onions, celery, and bell pepper, stirring and sauteing for a minute then add the cabbage slaw. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the cabbage is limp and bright in color.

Add a cup of vegetable broth and bay leaves, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the lid and add the turkey sausage, and shrimp. Add Cajun season, liberally. Give the jambalaya a good stir and cover with the lid. Cook another 5 minutes.

Remove bay leaves before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions.

Source: www.cookingwithk.net/2019/01/cajun-cabbage-shrimp-jambalaya-listen.html

Lemon Spaghetti

A partial box of spaghetti in the pantry will become a quick and easy side dish for a chicken breast dinner.

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

Source: www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lemon-spaghetti-recipe

Creamy Chicken and Biscuits

• 2 cups new redskin potatoes, halved or quartered
• 2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 cubes chicken bouillon
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
• 12-ounce tube large refrigerated biscuits, cut into quarters

Cover potatoes, carrots and onion with water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat and simmer until tender. Drain and set aside.

Melt butter in another medium saucepan; stir in flour, salt and pepper, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, broth and bouillon. Cook until thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes; set aside.

Combine chicken and vegetables in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking pan. Pour sauce over top; arrange biscuits over sauce. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until biscuits are golden and sauce is bubbly. Serves 8.

Source: http://www.gooseberrypatch.com/gooseberry/recipe.nsf/

Fried Cabbage

Fried Cabbage is a simple, delicious recipe that makes the perfect side dish for any meal. Made with just 5 ingredients, it's easy to make and packed with the most amazing flavor. The combination of sweet, tender cabbage and salty, fried bacon is simply mouthwatering. It's one of those dishes you can't stop eating, and since it's so easy, you don't even have to.

• 1 large head of green cabbage, chopped
• 1 pound bacon
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup beef broth (or broth of choice)

Chop bacon into 1-inch pieces. Add to a large frying pan and fry for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Saute until browned, stirring regularly, 5-10 minutes over medium heat. Slowly add cabbage, stirring constantly.

Add broth and cook for 10-15 minutes until cabbage cooks down and reaches desired texture.

Remove from heat; season with additional salt and pepper as desired.

Source: www.lemontreedwelling.com/fried-cabbage/

Baked Shrimp Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Shrimp Macaroni and Cheese is an easy and decadent take on the classic Lobster Mac and Cheese. Three cheeses create the perfect flavor combination for an ultra-creamy sauce all topped with a golden brown breadcrumb topping that is baked to crispy, buttery perfection.

• 24 ounces shrimp, raw peeled and deveined, sized 31-35 per pound
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons shallot, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, fresh ground
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces macaroni pasta, cooked to al dente

Sauce:

• 3 cups whole milk, room temperature
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, fresh ground
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, fresh grated powdered nutmeg may be substituted
• Breadcrumb Topping:
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.

Cook the pasta to al dente per the package directions and drain well.

Add one tablespoon butter, one tablespoon olive oil, the shallot, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes to a large skillet or fry pan. Then turn on the stove heat to medium. Cook until garlic starts to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add half of the shrimp in a single layer to the bottom of the pan, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then flip. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minutes just until the shrimp is slightly opaque. The shrimp should be slightly under-cooked as they will continue to cook up in the oven. Immediately remove the shrimp from the pan including any bits of garlic. Repeat the process with the second half of the shrimp, adding additional oil and butter if no drippings remain.

Turn the heat on the pan down to medium and melt the 3 tablespoons of butter for the sauce. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for two minutes. Slowly begin whisking in the milk until everything is smooth and well incorporated. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. It does not need to boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg and then the cheeses in batches, whisking to combine until the cheese is completely melted and smooth.

Stir in the shrimp and drippings and the cooked and drained macaroni into the sauce. Pour into the 9x13 greased baking dish.

Combine the Breadcrumb Topping ingredients together in a small bowl and then sprinkle evenly over the tops of the mac and cheese.

Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes until the sauce is bubbly around the edges and the breadcrumbs have begun to brown.

Notes: Optionally, divide among four gratin dishes (approx 2 cup size) that have been sprayed with cooking spray and cook for only 10-15 minutes until bubbly and brown.

Optional: Other sized shrimp may be used, but make sure they are raw and not pre-cooked. Smaller or larger shrimp may need an adjusted cook time to pan sear. Make sure to not over-cook them as they can turn rubbery.

Source: www.savorwithjennifer.com/baked-shrimp-macaroni-and-cheese/

Skillet Brisket Nachos

I have some leftover brisket from making breakfast brisket burritos and a bag of tortilla chips and fresh salsa leftover as snacks , so that will soon become skillet nachos.

• Avocado
• 2 cups black beans, canned
• Fresh ground pepper
• 2 jalapenos (diced, with or w/out seeds depending on preference)
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• Mexican red sauce or enchilada sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Olive oil
• Pepper
• 2 cups pico de gallo, prepared
• 2 cups shredded brisket
• 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
• Sour cream
• Tabasco, or other hot sauce to taste
• 1/2 bag tortilla chip

Combine beans, minced garlic, jalapenos (diced), fresh ground pepper, hot sauce and fresh lime juice into a bowl. Stir and adjust flavor to taste preference. If you like heat, add more hot sauce or jalapenos/seeds. If you like it sweeter, feel free to add in a little bit of sugar. If you like more citrus, add some more lime juice.

In a separate bowl, add the leftover Brisket (shredded), or other protein (shredded), and the Mexican enchilada sauce little by little. Enough to add moisture to the meat, but not enough to drown it.

Lightly coat your skillet/cast iron in olive oil.

To assemble, layer half of the tortilla chips, beans, cheese, brisket and pico de gallo into the skillet. Repeat the layers, but leave off the rest of the pico until the dish is cooked.

Grill or bake until the cheese has melted, about 8-12 minutes, making sure you don't burn the chips.

Once the cheese has melted, remove the skillet and set it on a hot plate trivet. Caution! The skillet will be very hot. So use a grill glove or oven mitt to pull the skillet off of the grill or out of the oven.

Top with the remaining pico and you're ready to serve and enjoy.

Optional: Add some sour cream, or peppers and avocado to the mix if you'd like, or even more jalapenos for some extra heat.

Recipe adapted from: www.countrysmokers.com/recipes/brisket-nachos

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.