Pantry Organization #2

Like I said in this post, holidays have a way of wrecking havoc in my kitchen. All the extra baking and leftovers from get-togethers seem to just take over and my organized refrigerator and pantry end up CRAZY! Now my refrigerator no longer looks like a Christmas bomb went off in it, and last night I worked on the pantry.
Here is before

Big difference, huh? See my new little mason jars? I took advantage of the after- Christmas sales and went shopping yesterday with birthday money from my in-laws. I bought the 2 smaller size jars at Target. They make me very happy. I will share some of the other super great deals I found to spend my birthday money on, in another post.

Oh, here is something I bought that I can share now. My sister-in-law (the one I talk about here who always buys great gifts, and did it again) bought me a great big glass canister with a brushed silver lid for Christmas. I knew the minute I opened it what I would use it for. I have been baking ALOT more than I ever have,and have been frustrated with flour storage. I have been experimenting with whole wheat flours, (pastry flour, coarsely ground flour, etc) and really wanted a simple, big, stylin’ jar with a mouth big enough to fit my one cup measure into, and one big enough to hold a five pounds of flour. I didn’t communicate this to Wendy, but somehow she knows what I would love and use. It’s weird.
I loved the jar so much I used some of my birthday money to buy another one the same size, and one smaller. I put my coffee maker away (trying to cut out daily coffee as a New Year’s goal) and put these beauties out instead. I like how accessible they are, it makes me want to bake just looking at them! (wish I had a better picture, this one does not do them justice, but I’m too lazy to go try for a better one)

Now I am very ready to participate in the “Eat From The Pantry Challenge” (read about it here.)

Today was my first day, it went well– I made Potato and Corn Chowder Soup. Tomorrow is more of a challenge because it is New Years Eve, and we like to celebrate with good snacks and food. It will just be our little family this year, so I am trying to get creative…I have ingredients for homemade pizza and some cookie dough that my sister made in the freezer for sweets. My family is used to a tradition of chocolate fondue with lots of dippers, but Christmas cooking/baking shot our grocery budget for the month so we will skip that this year. We will make popcorn, our trusty fudgy buttons, frosted grapes (post to come); cookies, and homemade pizza decorated with pepper strips to look like a clock, in honor of time passing and the New Year!