Christmas is coming, the goose is getting canned

I had one major food goal this week, and that was to start clearing out the pantry in anticipation of the holidays. While other people gather up and donate old toys or clothes in order to make space for the coming influx of gifts, I find myself looking at my kitchen shelves, thoughtfully trying to work two servings of roast beef and a small jar of fruit compote into my menu. The adults on my side of the family are only exchanging "consumables" this year, which sounds like "cookies and preserves" but will actually end up being "anything you can fit into a jar and stick in the pressure canner, which is basically everything." I need space! It's a good problem to have! It means I have barely cooked at all the past few days.

Canned item #1: Roasted red pepper potato soup that I put up in anticipation of Ivy's...um...birth. Thirteen months ago. It was still good! Cooked item: none, technically, though I did shred some brussels sprouts for a lovely salad.

This salad also gave me a reason to use my FANCY PEPPER for the first time in two and a half years.

Canned item #2: olive salad for muffulettas. These were highly lazy sandwiches, with only one type of deli meat and the wrong kind of bread. But none of that matters in the presence of olive salad. Cooked item: roasted cauliflower.

Canned item #3: roast beef with carrots, a gift from last Christmas. Yes, the carrots came with the meat.  And it was all just sitting in my pantry in one delightful little dinner jar. Cooked item: roasted broccoli.

I thought Dan was going to lick the aluminum foil in his quest to get all the roasted garlic bits.

So there you have it. In this entire week I have 1) roasted cauliflower and 2) roasted broccoli. Not my most ambitious stretch! But you know I'm just doing some motivational hibernation right now in order to store up for my next project, whatever and whenever that may be. This...historical collection has been suggested, although I think I miiiiiiiight hold out for something that sounds slightly less soul-murdering. Still, you never know. It's a contender, thanks Lynnette! Who am I to resist Inspiration Soup? And, let's be honest, this one was tailor-made for me.

Anyway. I'm 85% certain Anna and Ivy are involved in some sort of Freaky Friday situation right now.