Cooking for a Community Fridge

[patti]

I tried not to even think about community fridge meals once Thanksgiving prep started, and succeeded up until Monday. I needed the break, both physically and mentally. But once Monday rolled around, I decided on the menu.

 

Today’s CFM meal consisted of ham fried rice, coleslaw, and store bought cookies. The cookies were a last minute addition because I felt bad that there wasn’t an item for the third spot on the to go plate, and my husband chose them on a grocery store run for more soy sauce.

 

I made ham fried rice for a previous fridge meal back in July, and remembered it as fairly easy with a really tasty final product. So of course this time it wasn’t. I mean, it was fairly easy, but mediocrity often is. Haha! I never felt like the seasoning was just right. The only ingredient difference between the two was red bell pepper. I only had half of one and didn’t feel like it was worth it to use, so I didn’t, but I don’t think that’s the difference.

 

Also, it looks good in the skillet, but not so photogenic on the plate or in the hotel pan. Hopefully, it tasted good to those who received the food.

 

 

 

 

 

What turned out even better than expected was the coleslaw. I got the recipe from The Kitchn, which calls it Thanksgiving Slaw, but since Thanksgiving is past, I called it Holiday Coleslaw. 🤷‍♀️ https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-thanksgiving-slaw-237475

 

The dressing includes apple cider vinegar, olive oil, diced red onion, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. I used less red onion than the dressing recipe called for, and less fresh parsley in the slaw when I quadrupled the recipe. And I didn’t measure the cranberries or almonds. Just mixed until it looked (and tasted) good. Even my particular husband thought it was great. I dressed and refrigerated the slaw before I started the batches of fried rice, so it would have time for the flavors to develop.

 

 

Starting to dress the slaw.

 

 

 

The cookies:

 

 

 

The plated meal:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delivered:

 

 

 

Edited December 3 by patti (log)

[Darienne]

Wonderful, as usual.  I am so taken by what you are doing!!

 

And I just happen to have a green cabbage on hand.

[patti]

3 minutes ago, Darienne said:

Wonderful, as usual.  I am so taken by what you are doing!!

 

And I just happen to have a green cabbage on hand.

 

Oh, do try the coleslaw! And thank you. 

[Smithy]

1 hour ago, patti said:

 

Oh, do try the coleslaw! And thank you. 

 

I don't know when I'll get to it, but I've downloaded that recipe. It does look good!

[Shelby]

That looks delicious Patti!  I also have saved the salad recipe.  I don't have the cranberries or I'd make it tonight to go with duck....I do have fresh cranberries but I don't think I'd like that as well.........

 

edited to say I don't think I have enough slaw mix either.  But I WILL be making this soon.

Edited December 4 by Shelby (log)

[patti]

I started working on my CFM earlier today, and food delivery should happen tomorrow.
 

Fifteen bean soup is on the menu. I rinsed and sorted the beans, brought them to a boil, and let them sit for an hour. 

 

 

I had a ham bone in the freezer from Thanksgiving, so that went in my largest pot. In the second pot, I used smoked ham hocks.
 

Other ingredients include my favorite smoked sausage, diced onion, bell pepper, celery, Rotel tomatoes, shredded carrots, garlic, chicken stock, ham base, a glug of balsamic and a squirt or two of fish sauce. Tony’s seasoning, a few bay leaves.

 

 

I decided NOT to make cornbread to go with this soup, and I’m already feeling guilty. I decided on saltines, specifically saltines packaged in half sleeve packs. Each brown bag will have a 24 oz container of soup, saltines, a banana, and some peanut butter. The peanut butter can be eaten with the banana or the crackers, which gives them an option. It seemed like a great idea yesterday. Haha. We’ll see. 
 

 

The soup is cooling. Seasonings will be adjusted. 
 

To be continued…

[MaryIsobel]

12 minutes ago, patti said:

I started working on my CFM earlier today, and food delivery should happen tomorrow.
 

Fifteen bean soup is on the menu. I rinsed and sorted the beans, brought them to a boil, and let them sit for an hour. 

 

 

I had a ham bone in the freezer from Thanksgiving, so that went in my largest pot. In the second pot, I used smoked ham hocks.
 

Other ingredients include my favorite smoked sausage, diced onion, bell pepper, celery, Rotel tomatoes, shredded carrots, garlic, chicken stock, ham base, a glug of balsamic and a squirt or two of fish sauce. Tony’s seasoning, a few bay leaves.

 

 

I decided NOT to make cornbread to go with this soup, and I’m already feeling guilty. I decided on saltines, specifically saltines packaged in half sleeve packs. Each brown bag will have a 24 oz container of soup, saltines, a banana, and some peanut butter. The peanut butter can be eaten with the banana or the crackers, which gives them an option. It seemed like a great idea yesterday. Haha. We’ll see. 
 

 

The soup is cooling. Seasonings will be adjusted. 
 

To be continued…

That sounds like a lovely, homey, warming meal - well done! Our Christmas dinner guest count has grown from 11-16 in the last few days. Since that number includes 5 twenty-something guys who eat like they haven't had a meal in days, I decided that the two smaller turkeys I bought wouldn't be enough. Bought a bigger bird and donated one of the smaller ones to our local meals on wheels. When I called to see if it would be accepted, the woman told me that they charge 9.95 per meal but with rising grocery prices, their cost to prepare and deliver a meal is almost 18.00 so they are delighted with donations.

[patti]

3 minutes ago, MaryIsobel said:

That sounds like a lovely, homey, warming meal - well done! Our Christmas dinner guest count has grown from 11-16 in the last few days. Since that number includes 5 twenty-something guys who eat like they haven't had a meal in days, I decided that the two smaller turkeys I bought wouldn't be enough. Bought a bigger bird and donated one of the smaller ones to our local meals on wheels. When I called to see if it would be accepted, the woman told me that they charge 9.95 per meal but with rising grocery prices, their cost to prepare and deliver a meal is almost 18.00 so they are delighted with donations.

I had no idea that meals on wheels accepted donations. Wise of you to check with them. That is good to know. I didn’t know they charged for the meals, though. Obviously, I don’t know enough about Meals on Wheels!

[Shelby]

50 minutes ago, patti said:

I started working on my CFM earlier today, and food delivery should happen tomorrow.
 

Fifteen bean soup is on the menu. I rinsed and sorted the beans, brought them to a boil, and let them sit for an hour. 

 

 

I had a ham bone in the freezer from Thanksgiving, so that went in my largest pot. In the second pot, I used smoked ham hocks.
 

Other ingredients include my favorite smoked sausage, diced onion, bell pepper, celery, Rotel tomatoes, shredded carrots, garlic, chicken stock, ham base, a glug of balsamic and a squirt or two of fish sauce. Tony’s seasoning, a few bay leaves.

 

 

I decided NOT to make cornbread to go with this soup, and I’m already feeling guilty. I decided on saltines, specifically saltines packaged in half sleeve packs. Each brown bag will have a 24 oz container of soup, saltines, a banana, and some peanut butter. The peanut butter can be eaten with the banana or the crackers, which gives them an option. It seemed like a great idea yesterday. Haha. We’ll see. 
 

 

The soup is cooling. Seasonings will be adjusted. 
 

To be continued…

That looks so delicious and comforting.  I'd gladly dive into that right now.  I think the crackers are a great idea!  While I like cornbread, I also like dipping my crackers in soup.

[patti]

15 minutes ago, Shelby said:

That looks so delicious and comforting.  I'd gladly dive into that right now.  I think the crackers are a great idea!  While I like cornbread, I also like dipping my crackers in soup.

Thank you! I needed to hear that!

[blue_dolphin]

Yum!  Soup looks great and I think your cracker, peanut butter, and banana is an excellent choice.  Crackers, PB and a piece of fruit could be breakfast! 

[Darienne]

1 hour ago, patti said:

I started working on my CFM earlier today, and food delivery should happen tomorrow.
 

Fifteen bean soup is on the menu. I rinsed and sorted the beans, brought them to a boil, and let them sit for an hour. 

 

 

I LOVE bean soup and yours sounds delicious!!!  The smoked sausage and Rotel tomatoes...yummm.

 

Can you name all 15 kinds of beans?

[patti]

15 minutes ago, Darienne said:

I LOVE bean soup and yours sounds delicious!!!  The smoked sausage and Rotel tomatoes...yummm.

 

Can you name all 15 kinds of beans?

Of course (not)!
 

But wait, let me grab the packaging out of the trash. Or look on the interwebs. 😉

 

Northern Beans

Pinto Beans

Large Lima Beans

Yelloweye Beans

Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)

Baby Lima Beans

Green Split Peas

Kidney Beans (Light Red & Dark Red varieties often included)

Cranberry Beans (Roman Beans)

Small White Beans

Pink Beans

Small Red Beans

Yellow Split Peas

Lentils

Navy Beans

White Kidney Beans

Black Beans 

[patti]

1 hour ago, blue_dolphin said:

Yum!  Soup looks great and I think your cracker, peanut butter, and banana is an excellent choice.  Crackers, PB and a piece of fruit could be breakfast! 

I somehow missed seeing your comment. Thank you, and I like the way you think!

Edited 3 hours ago by patti (log)