I’ve been also doing the bake something and freeze at least half routine.
Dh is currently making homemade fettucine and I’m making a bolognese sauce to go with it. It’s a rainy, dreary day today so decided to have some comfort food. Tomorrow is supposed to be a glorious 80 degrees so planning to take advantage of the nice weather and grill outside.
@abasket my Dutch oven has a plastic knob, I’ve read they can melt. Have you had a issue with that? Dutch oven is a Le Crueset. I read on one site you could cover knob with foil. Anyone have experience with this issue?
@milee30 I have been mixing things up. Cooking a mix of healthy but also doing things I don’t normally do like bake. Today I made pancakes for lunch. I haven’t made pancakes in years. I put some blueberries and walnuts in to convince myself they were somewhat healthy.
@mom60 the black knobs from Le Creuset are good up to 375. I use mine at that temperature all the time. You can also get replacement stainless knob https://www.lecreuset.com/signature-stainless-steel-knob-2019 Sky’s the limit there.
For those trying to fill up bottomless pit teens, adding oatmeal to pancakes makes them filling while still tasting good. Mine like them with Nutella for snacks.
I’m doing a bolognese today too. Started daydreaming while adding the red wine and poured in the whole bottle instead of my usual 1/3 bottle! It’ll be a bolognese au vin instead lol.
The No-Knead Bread is cooked at 450. I wouldn’t put a dutch oven top with a plastic knob into a 450 degree oven.
I’ll send you the recipe I use for no knead bread. It doesn’t require a dutch oven top. You can use either a dutch oven (sans top) or a cast iron pan, then it uses a broiler pan of hot water underneath while baking. I’d post here but it might be considered a blog.
Agree w/ @“Cardinal Fang” - the no knead spends time at 450. So wouldn’t use a dutch oven with a plastic knob - I had to go check mine to see what type it is - not plastic!
I have also used a larger pyrex deep dish casserole type dish with a glass top before and it worked just fine.
Haven’t been out to the store in 10 days now so trying to use up what’s on hand. Kielbasa, sauerkraut (a brand we’ve never tried before so that’s the excitement for the day), potatoes.
Need to get out soon to get some fresh produce, meats, and fruit.
LOL at sauerkraut excitement @sevmom husband just perked up over the frozen Brussels sprouts I dropped in his leftovers.
Thanks @doschicos got it.
I have the dough resting. My H put a metal cupboard knob on my Dutch oven. I’ll try Doschicos method next time. Tomorrow is roasted chicken.
All the Italian pasta making is causing a pasta craving. I’m also following on Instagram a woman from Italy and she has been posting some delicious looking simple pasta recipes.
Tonight was ribs. It’s a 2-day process so we don’t have it alot.
First you rub them w/ rib rub, fold them into foil packets and sit them in the fridge overnight. The next day you add about a TBS of bbq sauce to each packet and bake them in the oven for 2 hours at 325*. Then you slop on a ton of sauce and grill them for just a few minutes. They practically fall apart on their own!
The strawberries looked pretty good today so I bought some of those and DH said he’d make chocolate chip belgian waffles tomorrow. The kids like their waffles in double decker stacks w/ sliced strawberries and plenty of whip cream.
I made Shepard’s Stew a few days ago. It’s basically shepard’s pie, but w/ stew meat instead of ground beef. Unfortunately I accidentally grabbed a Blonde Guinness instead of regular. DH had some london porters so I used one of those. It wasn’t as good but it was definitely better than if I’d used that blonde guinness!
Speaking of pork butt… I have a massive one in my freezer taking up far too much space. I have an Instant Pot recipe that makes carnitas in an hour! That may be in our near future. Bonus points for easy lunch leftovers too 
I don’t like to cook, nor do I have much of an imagination in just coming up with recipes from things already on hand,
I wish there was a program where I could list everything I have stocked, including herbs and spices, and it would make recipes for me. That would be so helpful.
Typically, I decide what recipes I’m making then shop. But I’m really wanting to avoid grocery shopping until I really need to, plus use up what I have.
@conmama have you tried taking a couple of key items that you want, a protein and starch or veggie Maybe a spice and putting it in google? I find new interesting recipes that way. When I want to use my instapot I add that to the search. Also try doing the search in Pinterest.
@conmama we will be your personal app! Tell us what you have or want to use up and we will tell you what you can cook with it!
@Singersmom07 , no I haven’t! I will try that! I’m usually an All Recipes user when I try to find new recipes, but then I can go to the store.
@abasket! That would be so nice! I will do that a little later today!
Ok, so even a couple meals would be great. These are what I consider my basics.
Soups:
Chunky soups
Cream of chicken
Cream of Mushroom
Bean with bacon
Chicken noodle
Tomato
Chicken stock
Dried soups beans
Cans:
Diced potato
Garbanzo beans
Diced tomato
Corn
Green bean
Peas
Black beans
Pork and beans
Chili beans
Refrigerator:
Eggs
Bacon
Baby spinach
Black olives
Cauliflower
Tomato’s
Asparagus
Parsley
Instant mashed potatoes
Yogurt
3 chicken breast - all the meat I have left
Swiss cheese slices
Shredded cheddar cheese
Frozen:
Vegetables for stir fry
Brussel sprouts
Crispy chicken breast (Tyson)
Buffalo chicken breasts crispy
Shelved:
Taco seasoning
Pine nuts
Brown gravy
Crackers
Mac and cheese
Penne pasta
Regular pasta
Grated Parmesan cheese
Dried cranberries
Onions
Full spice rack