I'm really frustrated today. I bought about 300 dollars worth of food in the last 8 -10 days. My mother decides she's hungry for Chili which wasn't on the menu. THEN she decides to make enough for an army because she says that she doesn't usually get any the second day. THEN... She buys ingredients she doesn't normally buy, gets a tomato sauce that's as thick as paste. It ends up too thick, too boring, and not at all like my family likes it. NO one wants to eat it all weekend. I lost 4 pounds this week. I don't want to eat Chili all weekend!
When something like this happens do you risk adding more ingredients to try and make it right? Or do you just throw it away? Right now we have 3 smaller containers and a LARGE crock pot full of it. We have potatoes and hot dogs to put it over with cheese. Just what I want for my diet...NOT!
A few months back I made beans from scratch. I didn't like them because they never cooked up as soft skinned as in a can. I froze a bunch of it and have taken out a little at a time to add with other things. If I freeze half this chili I'm going to be eating beans for MONTHS.
I suppose it's a small thing to be frustrated over. It's just so hard to feed 10 people without going broke!
Thanks everyone. Actually, we do have the space to save it and it doesn't even taste bad. It's just bland as heck. I like the idea of getting a chili seasoning mix and docoring it. I'll add some beef broth and freeze some and add some rice to some. I also like the sloppy joe idea. We never do them. But that's something different. :)
why not doctor some of it up, make soup for some of it. With 10 people to feed I'd bet you could freeze it, and maybe have 2 meals out of it, one per month. That's not too bad.
If the chili is too thick, just add some water. The BEST chili mix is a .79 cent package of Williams Chili Mix, sold everywhere. Just add some and it will give your plain chili a nice kick.
I'd still freeze it after you get the flavor right. It will last up to 6 months in the freezer. Just put in single serving containers and pop out as needed.
Good luck!
Honestly without tasting it I couldn't tell you how to fix it. If it is too think add water. If it is too bland add chili powder and cumin, maybe some Cayenne pepper. The point is heat it up, figure out what it is missing and fix it. About the only food I throw away is burnt to a crisp!
Make sloppy Joes with it. turn it into marinara sauce and use it as a chunky pasta sauce. Slow cook it in a slow cooker with chicken and see if you can't make some sort of chicken dish with it. You can always add to it. Give some to the homeless, lol.
Freeze it.
Or throw it away.
I personally, HATE chili that has been frozen or left over.
And once you get over-dosed on chili, who wants to eat it again, soon?
Ugh.
Tell your Mom, to never do that again. And simply do not buy it for her. Tell her no. Or she just cook for herself.
My Mom (who lives with us), SOMETIMES does things like that too.
I tell her straight... I have a budget. I stick to it. I have a menu. The menu must be followed. Or, we will waste money and/or spend too much. And we cannot do that. Period.
I freeze in small amounts and then every week for a while we would eat chili cheese dogs.
I think the homeless people in your area might like a visit from the bland chili fairy.
Depending on what it is, I usually try to fix things. Having tons and tons of any one food though is tough. Honestly for that much chili I'd take about half of it and send it to work with my husband or bring it to the soup kitchen - they would LOVE to have it. And lesson learned on this one.
On the beans, you have to soak dried beans for at least 24 hours in water before you cook them or they will be hard-skinned. And the longer you cook them the better.
i'm pretty sure i would try to save it. i would think you could salvage it with out spending too much. Even if you didn't want it exactly as chili, could you strain it and do something with the beef and beans??
I do feel bad for you, cuz that stinks to have that much leftovers especially when you are on a diet.
I'm guessing freezer space might be an issue for you. If you get gallon freezer zipocs and freeze it flat like a pancake that might save you some room.
If it is just bland jazz it up as much as you can!!
I would say there's little harm in trying to add extra sauce.
If at all possible, I fix cooking mistakes. I cannot afford to throw food away unless it is absolutely inedible.
To chili, I think you can add stuff. It can't get worse right?
It honestly depends on how bad it tastes. If it is really bad and you know no one will eat it, throw it away and don't look back. Try to cut your budget in other ways for the next week to get over the guilt.
If it is salvageable and you have room, freeze it all and you can throw it away later if you don't eat it. I like some of the suggestions below about adding water and some other inexpensive things to at least give it a try.
Good luck!
Toss it. It is not good and nobody wants it. No guilt.
