leftovers in many forms

Our fridge is absolutely jam-packed with food lately. Over the weekend we went camping with our small group from church, and since we organized the dinners, we ended up with all the leftovers. Of course, to get good prices on food for 22 people, I made a Costco run... which resulted in me buying all of my regular stock in BULK as well. Hence the super-duper crowded refrigerator. I am an self-aggravating combination of health fanatic, tight-wad, and global hunger sympathetic. Therefore, I have spent this week creating culinary concoctions that use as many perishable foods as possible. Waste not, want not, right???

Exhibit A: I started by calling it Jungle Juice, but quickly changed my title to the more intriguing Caterpillar Guts Smoothie. Eva was grinning from ear to ear when I explained that I ground up those little green inch worms (spinach), brown beetles (grapes... the skins don't die very well in the blender blades), and spider eggs (tiny balls of coconut oil). I think I also threw in a little bit of orange juice, banana, and agave nectar.

Eric was very cooperative and drank his glass right down. Eva was enthusiastic about the idea of drinking beetle juice, but didn't seem to have much of an appetite to match. Never mind though... the real exhibit is this dress ensemble (hand-me-down Easter dress becomes pinafore over vintage Little House frock)! Hope was running a fever, and generally exhausted from camping. She would have nothing to do with these vibrant vittles.We've also eaten tortillas, beans and rice, hummus, BBQ chicken, shredded cheese, sour cream and spinach in countless other ways (never all together, of course!). For dinner, I was very pleased with a casserole combining diced BBQ chicken, rice, spinach, cheese, and some other stuff. I even made an extra to freeze for post-baby meals! Lastly, tonight I cracked open a watermelon that is just a touch past it's prime (grand disappointment here). It is cut up in the fridge, but I'm eagerly anticipating throwing it in the freezer to try this, these, or this other delicious looking thing. Check 'em out!