Cleaning the Fridge 1

   Sometimes things get lost, left behind and generally forgotten. That is why every once and a while I will make a meal from Cleaning the Fridge. So yesterday was one of those days. I had been gone on holiday for about 4 days and when I got home I realized that there were a few items that were close to expiring or giving up the ghost so I gathered them to see what I could make. 

-some Broccoli starting to change color to yellow.

-some wilted cauliflower

-an onion starting to dry out

-wilted celery

-a sad looking carrot. 

-half a cup of left over potato bacon soup (previous incarnation of a hash brown and bacon breakfast)

-1/2 cup of whipping cream just past the expiry date

-Some avocado's that were just ready 

-1/4 cup chicken broth

-Bread loaf that was starting to dry out. 

So I pulled out some frozen chicken sandwich slices and thawed them. 

Chopped up the veggies and started to saute them with olive oil.

Added the left over soup, stock and whipping cream to the veggies with a can of cream of chicken soup. 

Used some homemade spices (thyme, garlic powder, parsley), sea salt & pepper in the soup to season it. 

Took the bread and added mayo, chicken slices, avocado and cheddar cheese, buttered the outside  and then grilled like a panini until both sides were brown. 

In the end I had a delicious supper of Cream of Vegetable Soup and Grilled Chicken Avocado Panini! This is something I would have paid $12 to $17 dollars for in a new trendy restaurant. Instead it didn't cost me anything but the time to use up items I had already paid for rather than throwing them away. 

This is the left over soup that I now can have for dinner today or if I freeze it then dinner for another day. 

 I also saved the small bits of onion and celery that were left over to dry for spices. 

Here is the drying trays I put them on and then I just leave them on top of my fridge to dry out naturally. There is not enough to warrant starting up the whole dehydrator. 

And here is the end result. 

                                           Celery Salt                            Dried Onion Powder

 I use my spice grinder (a very old coffee grinder from Superstore) and when I have enough to fill the cap I grind it up and add it to the jar.