What do I do with THIS???

[me&thegals]

My greatest area of waste is kitchen waste. It drives me crazy, but it happens. Things go bad. Things sit around until they're too old to use. What makes me nuttiest of all is having pantry, fridge and 2 freezers full of food and still needing to go "buy a few things" to work them into a meal.

So, would anybody be interested in a thread where we could post ingredients that we really need to use up, and everybody else could post some of their best ideas for doing so? (without buying any additional ingredients)

For example, what are some ideas for using up a huge bag of onions (besides fried with veggies and French onion soup). I use onions in just about everything, but does anybody have anything that features onions as the main ingredient?

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Chop the onions up and place them single layer on wax paper (or parchment paper) on a cookie sheet and freeze them. Then put into containers or bags (I like the vacuum seal ones) and store in the freezer. The're already chopped and set to go when you need them. Just get them out and add to whatever you are making.

 

[me&thegals]

That's a great idea. For some reason I have never frozen onions. Good way to save them when they're getting ready to sprout!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I make carmelized onions and use them in just about anything you can think of. They are sweet, so they are good with just a bare minimum of other ingredients. Adding carmelized onions to a meal uses about one large onion for whatever dish I am making -- for example I add carmelized onions to pasta dishes a lot.

To make carmelized onions:
Cut onion in half, lengthwise and then cut it into 1/4 to 1/2" thick slices.
Meanwhile heat either oil or butter in a skillet.
When oil is hot, add onions. Let them sit until they start to sizzle and then stir them occassionally. Keep heating them until they are well browned (carmelized). You will need to stir more often toward the end of the cooking process. Avoid browning them too dark.

 

[sylvie]

When my father was due to come home from work and my mother was running late, she'd throw a chopped onion in the pan and start browning it in oil. My dad would come in the door and ask what was cooking with a big smile. Otherwise he'd be grouchy coming in not smelling anything cooking. This seriously worked every time, it was so comical. Just another use for onions: mood changer.

 

[enjoy the ride]

Onion egg tarts are really good- lots of recipes for them. I chop and mix them, along with some herbs, in some of my ground goat meat to make "hamburgers"- then freeze individual patties so I can use them when I want.
Also, you can dehydrate onions for later use.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

When my father was due to come home from work and my mother was running late, she'd throw a chopped onion in the pan and start browning it in oil. My dad would come in the door and ask what was cooking with a big smile. Otherwise he'd be grouchy coming in not smelling anything cooking. This seriously worked every time, it was so comical. Just another use for onions: mood changer.

LOLOLOLOL!!! I'm going to have to adopt this policy.

 

[keljonma]

Freeze or dehydrate them, or throw them in the blender and make onion juice. The juice can be frozen or kept refrigerated to use in dressings or anywhere you don't want chunks of onion.

Baked onions... a great side dish for meat or vegetarian meals.

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1380

 

[Wifezilla]

My greatest area of waste is kitchen waste.

Isn't this one of the best excuses to get yourself some chickens? I hear they make GREAT kitchen waste disposal units and then turn that waste in to yummy eggs.

Works a little on my ducks, but they are picky. I haven't had to toss brown lettuce, wilted cabbage or carrot peelings in the trash since I got them though. They LOVE that stuff.

 

[me&thegals]

Absolutely, Wifezilla! I have approximately 100 of them! In fact, the veggie lasagna that I just baked and my family hates has "chickens" written all over it. My husband keeps insisting they (the chickens) and they (the family) will love me forever if I just feed it to the birds.

So, nothing is completely wasted, but still.