Literally cleaning out the pantry

It took two trips to the container store, two solid hours of work, and two garbage bags (the first one busted), but I have finally organized the spice cabinet and purged the pantry of all peanut products. Pardon the alliteration.

This spice cabinet project was like weeding and arranging a haphazard mess of a library (keeping my master's in library science handy). I found that turmeric and tarragon were particularly over-purchased as Nick bought at least three packages of each, thinking we had none.

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And though it's been over a month since my baby girl was diagnosed with peanut allergy, I just got around to purging the cabinets of any peanut products. Our new rule is NO ONE brings peanut products into this house. Will I search the bags of visitors on the way through the door? If I have to.  Maybe I have to feel like a jerk, reminding the babysitter every time she comes over, but I will. I'm just learning how to deal with this issue, and I need as much control over the situation as possible until we feel comfortable with it. 

I threw away a mostly empty jar of peanut butter, a can of boiled peanuts, a bag of mixed nuts, a few boxes of questionable crackers.  I did NOT throw away a box Reese's peanut butter bar mix.  Tonight after Mamie is in bed, I will make the bars, eat what I want, throw the rest away, and say goodbye to an old favorite that is not worth the risk anymore.

Mama's veggie soup

It is officially soup weather! (It's also pajamas-all-day weather, but that's a different subject.)

Yesterday, to warm up the kitchen and my tummy, I made a big pot of Mama's vegetable soup. I call it that because my Mama makes it. There is probably not a recipe, more like a concept of how the soup will come together.

For this batch, I used

• 1/2 pound of lean sirloin, chopped into small chunks
• 5 red potatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables
• 2 cups of homemade chicken stock (aka magic chicken juice)
• Enough water to make it as soupy as you like, plus salt and pepper to taste.

Mamie approved of all ingredients, except the green beans, which she banished to the floor.

Posted by Anna B.