Eat From the Pantry Challenge: Recap of Week 1 and Week 2 Plan

Week 1 of my family's Eat From the Pantry Challenge went very well, or at least I think so.  Here was our meal plan for last week, and we basically followed it.  The only thing I did differently was on Thursday, instead of making a bean and cornbread casserole with red cabbage on the side, I decided it would be wise to use up some of the turkey from the Trash Can Turkey we made last weekend.  I made turkey divan and turkey-black bean-tortilla soup instead.  Delish.

One thing I did not totally account for with my meal plan, is the sheer quantity of food all of those recipes would make!  Not that it's a bad thing, but here we are on Sunday, and we still have lots of leftovers from last week to eat.  Also, making at least one beef, pork and chicken dish each week is a lot of meat.  At least it is for us, a family of 2 adults and one little one.  You see, when I cook, I make enough for at least 4-6 people, because I'm a big fan of the cook once / eat many times idea.  Sure enough... we are eating some of these dishes many times!

I haven't always cooked such meat-laden foods.  Since I've been in the pregnancy/breastfeeding season of my life for the past couple years, during part of which I couldn't have ANY dairy, soy or nuts, meat became one of my few options for protein.  So now I'm a bit torn, because I don't think we need to eat meat every day, but I am also anxious to move along some of that meat taking up valuable real estate in my freezer.  I'll come up with a happy medium at some point.  But for now... I'm cooking up a storm.

My schedule is a little busy early in the week, so it will be a bonus to have all these leftovers available.  Here's my plan for this week:
Saturday:  Meat pie from the freezer - an incredibly delicious annual Christmas gift from friends
Sunday:  Trying a new recipe for beans and rice in the crockpot, roasted vegetables.  Possible "Jeff Casserole"
Monday:  Leftovers, broccoli
Tuesday:  Leftovers, salad
Wednesday:  Marinated pork loin chops, red cabbage, potatoes of some sort
Thursday: Baked Mediterranean chicken, kale, roasted root vegetables
Friday:  Potstickers, broccoli

So far so good on the grocery spending.  I did go to Trader Joe's this week for milk, bananas, yogurt and the month's worth of rice milk, and spent around $35.  I only anticipate going once or twice more for the bare necessities, so I think we're still on track.  I was also lucky enough to be given a dozen of the freshest eggs I have ever had (I saw them be plucked from their nests) when I visited this farm, where I am thinking of becoming a member of their CSA this summer.  What a treat!

And, while I am enjoying this Eat From the Pantry Challenge, my husband and I are developing a little grocery wish-list of things we can't wait to have once we can grocery shop again!  Here is our list so far:
     ::  shrimp (lots of good shrimp recipes in my cooking magazines lately!)
     ::  peanuts (for his rice cream)
     ::  dried blueberries (for Molly's oatmeal)
     ::  white miso (to make this fabulous salad dressing, which I have been craving lately)
This is good, we're coming up with alternatives and using what we have instead. 

Have you decided to participate in the Eat From the Pantry Challenge for a week, two weeks, or even the whole month?  How is it going for you?