Playing Chicken with the pantry

The end of the month is always an exciting time around here when it comes to our meals. I shop once a month for all of our main grocery supplies and we run to the store for fresh fruit and veggies and for milk etc. So every month there is a period of time that lasts a few days to a week where I get creative with the items left in the house. Most of the time this seems to be a heavy carb time for us.

Of course I prefer to have full cupboards, fridge and freezer, but this time forces me to be creative and use what we have on hand. I like using up all the odds and ends that would usually just get lost in the back of the cupboard or freezer. This is what my cupboards, pantry, and fridge look like right now.

Cupboard #1: Top shelf: baking products, Middle shelf: rice and pasta, Bottom shelf: canned goods

Cupboard #2: Top shelf: Storage for larger pantry items, Middle shelf: random foods, Bottom shelf: Oatmeal and other breakfast items.

Pantry: Mostly empty

Fridge: Mostly empty also. I know there are carrots in that drawer but believe me when I say you do NOT want to eat them. Their a bit...wrinkled.

Monday we were at a party so I didn't cook. Tuesday I found a package of elk steaks in the freezer and made elk steaks in mushroom gravy. I served it with the last of the brown rice I bought a few months ago. I didn't like it so I wasn't using it but I decided to use it and get it out of the way. I also served the last of the frozen peas I found hidden in the freezer.

Wednesday night my SIL and her kids came over so we made a hodge-podge dinner of left over taco soup,  homemade mac n' cheese with hotdogs, and canned green beans. Thursday I fed the kids sandwiches and random leftovers while Hot Hubby and I dined on cheap party pizzas he bought a few days ago. Classy, huh?

I'm glad today is my shopping day. The nutritional value of our meals is about to get 100 times better than it has been this last week. I've been planning meals based on what we have left in our house and I'm looking forward to cooking real meals again and having fresh fruit and veggies.

Do you ever play Chicken with your cupboards and fridge? Do you like to be creative with your cooking? What's the most creative meal you've come up with?