In a food rut. Need some inspiration.

[intrepidity]

There are several ingredients I need to do something with in the next few days and hope you all can give me some new ideas. I have a handful of easy go-tos, like with veggies, either a salad or steamed. But I want something different (but still sort of easy).

I don't want to go to the store for additional items, either.

So here's the perishables I have on hand:

Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Asparagus
Cherry Tomatoes
Potatoes (white and sweet)
Onions
Garlic
Jalapenos
Sugar Snap Peas
Mung Bean Sprouts
Lettuce (iceberg and romaine)
Yellow squash (the ones that look like cucumbers, but yellow)
Orange squash (basically like pumpkin)
Avocados
Celery
Green onions
Green bell peppers

Eggs
Milk
Sour cream
Butter

Camembert cheese
Cheddar cheese, but not very much
Parmesan, I think

I've also got frozen proteins:
Chicken breasts
Chicken legs
Fish filets (pollock)
Steaks of some sort
Maybe ground beef

And a loaf of sourdough bread.

(But no partridge in a pear tree, oddly enough)

I've got the typical assortment of canned and pantry items, including bottled herbs and spices, lemon and lime juice, dried pastas, rice, etc.

So any ideas? The easier the better. An InstaPot and deep fryer sit ready. Spicy is definitely ok. Lots of dried chiles available.

[FirstLight]

1. Dunno what the weather's like where you are...

But here in the Sierras, it's SOUP! Season.

Just made a huge pot of chicken soup and some biscuits, only used potatoes as starch, but you could add rice or something else. I think most of your veggies could go in that, especially peppers! (I used a well-stripped jalapeno in this batch and it add no kick but good vitamins)

Good luck!

[intrepidity]

5. Yeah, cool and rainy out here on the Russian River

Soup is a great suggestion, but will also be the last resort when all else fails lol.

What to do with camembert cheese? Just put it in a salad? And nothing more inspired for asparagus?

I also have swiss cheese, forgot to list that.

Thanks!

[irisblue]

2. As many veggies & chilis as you can fit in a soup pot & a can or 2 of V8 juice?

Beans if you want, sprinkle cheese on each bowl

[Glorfindel]

3. Easy Oven-Roasted Vegetables

I think you have all he ingredients necessary.

https://diethood.com/easy-oven-roasted-vegetables/

[NewLarry]

4. Got a food processor?

Gazpacho. Serve hot or cold (whatever the outside temperature is not)

[intrepidity]

6. Ah, my Achilles heal

I took mine apart for deep (deep!) cleaning and have not yet reassembled. I only have a small one at the moment (like enough to do an onion at a time).

But good thought, thanks.

[cachukis]

7. I'd start with onion, cut in an olive oiled, sizeable pan.

Cut bell peppers, yellow squash, tomatoes, garbanzos or some bean, jalapenos to taste, garlic, celery, and herb to your taste. Middle eastern concoction. You could even throw in some cubes of orange squash.

Sugar snaps and asparagus braised with green onions. A little soy sauce.

A bit of camembert, room temp on broken pieces of sourdough.

Mandolinned potatoes with sour cream and jalapenos baked with a little parmesan on top.

[intrepidity]

10. Those all sound really good

I think I may do the sugar snap peas and asparagus as you suggested--no parboiling? Oh, and maybe a grilled cheese sandwich! Will swiss and camembert play well together? Hmmm

[cachukis]

14. I braise at low heat after they get on their way

I like to finish with a really good fruity extra virgin olive oil just before serving

[fierywoman]

8. Pickled jalapeos? (the fast pickle kind) -- incredibly delish. Some kind of Chinese

recipe with your bean sprouts and frozen protein plus rice (lots of GREAT Chinese recipe sites on YouTube; start with: Souped Up Recipes (Mandy) or Woks of Life or Made by Lau.) Roast a lot of those veggies in the oven... which you could turn part of into a frittata and/or a fast soup (+ broth, maybe milk or the sour cream plus some protein.) Make your own mayo and sour cream salad dressing (+ dry herbs) for your lettuces. Stuffed green peppers. A Korean bean sprout side (check out Maangchi for recipe.) OK it's time for me to deal with MY kitchen madness -- bon appetit!

[intrepidity]

9. Great ideas, thanks!

Here's my usuals:

Avocados: either sliced in a salad or mashed into guacamole (always have corn tortillas on hand for fresh chips and guac)

Sugar snap peas: to add to ramen type soups (the easy cup o noodle types) or to egg foo young

Bean sprouts: for egg foo young, but I am out of oyster sauce... Can't do it without the sauce, although maybe I could freeze the egg foo young for later, hmmm

Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers: salads

Jalapenos: to add to ramen soups or guacamole or egg foo young

I've got some stuffed pepper filling in the freezer for the peppers, maybe should put those together and refreeze?

I can't stand throwing away food! Especially produce. But my freezer space is limited atm. And I've been busy with other projects.

I'll probably end up eating bread and cheese tonight while scrolling through recipes lol..

What to do with several cucumbers though? Maybe just grate and drain them for now.

[fierywoman]

11. Re stuffed peppers: I think you'd have to cook before refreezing (the stuffing that is

currently frozen). The cukes : google "recipe german cucumber salad" which is with sour cream and white vinegar and dill == yum.

[intrepidity]

12. Oh yeah, I would cook them (peppers and filling)

My mom used to make sour cream salads which basically was lots of cucumbers, carrots, radishes, celery and some iceberg lettuce, salt and peppered, just smothered in sour cream. So, that's very familiar to me (Eastern Europe heritage). It was our standard summer BBQ salad.

[intrepidity]

13. I just remembered that one of my all time fave quiche recipes

involves asparagus and swiss cheese!

But, alas, no easy pie crust available (I usually keep a couple frozen on hand but not now).

So, a fritatta will have to suffice. Wondering whether to throw the camembert in there too? Just ate some on the bread and omg, it was just like brie! I was expecting more of a bleu cheese flavor, was I confusing camembert for something else?

Eta: gorgonzola! I think I was confusing them!