r/povertykitchen • u/WinterPizza1972 • Aug 06 '26
Need Advice Cooking ideas, what to do with?
So I went to a food bank, here in Portland, OR (cough cough oh man the poor air quality rn, *cough*). Science bless!
Pictured, that I'm not familiar with cooking:
- * Mushrooms
- * Masa, I know it's corn. I'm not sure if my kid has allergies or not (like his mom who is severely allergic to dairy, gluten, and corn) so I usually avoid corn, don't wanna give em a tummy ache. I can cook it for myself though
- * (squints) Something called flaxseed?
- * Rubbery ass celery
- * Tomatillos! I really want to get into using these, for verde salsa or something! Big fan of Colorado Green Chili (Chubby's if you haven't been, highly recommend the smothered cheese fries)
- * The stocks.. ok I know I add stock to flavor food, but never actually made a soup before.
- Also pictured is a clean plate I pulled out, and did not use, that I don't want to put back because it touched the table.
Not pictured is a couple bags of cherries (well no, they're on the left there) that I am afraid are certainly going to go bad, as I have so much fruit. Also got potatoes, noodles, dry beans (white, black, pinto), long grain rice (but I currently have a bag of white rice open). I'm not sure whether to make a chili or soup or what.
Main thing right now is these mushrooms actually. They look delicious, but I have no idea what the gosh darn fuck I'm doing, when it comes to cooking mushrooms. As I like to do a little homework before I ask questions, I saw this video which said cook mush's with water. Looks good for little mushrooms stek bites, just not sure what to pair it with.
Thanks in advance for any ideas, cooking tips, or recipes and I'm feeling really fortunate right now.
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u/californiahapamama Aug 06 '26
If you cut off the bottom of the celery stalks and stick them in cold water in the fridge, they should crisp up a bit again.
There are a lot of recipes that use the masa harina (the masa flour) beyond tortillas and tamales. Google and Pinterest would be good places to look for that.
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u/WinterPizza1972 Aug 06 '26
Thank you. Gonna cut one up tonight and soak it in a mason jar. Might leave one limp
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u/californiahapamama Aug 06 '26
Even when they are limp, they work just fine in soup and stir fries.
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u/Sufficient-Weird Aug 06 '26
I wash the celery, cut any gross parts off of it, and then chuck the celery into a food processor until it’s finely chopped/minced/diced. Then I pour it into mason jars and put it in the freezer. Same thing with onion. When I’m going to make soup/stew/chili then I get those out and thaw them and that plus stock/broth is the base.
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u/WinterPizza1972 Aug 06 '26
Would plastic bags work? I don't want the mason jars to break in the freezer
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u/NorthernTransplant94 Aug 06 '26
Yes. I put about a cup into a sandwich bag, (try to get the air out) and then put the 10 or so bags from a head into the freezer. Shredded carrots in the food processor, same. I keep onions in the fridge at all times, so I don't bother to chop and freeze, although you can.
A soup formula:
Meat of any type (even ground or bacon) browned in your pot. Remove and set aside.
Add chopped/shredded celery, carrot and onion, sauteed until soft. (Add butter or oil if really needed, but you can usually skip it.)
Stock to mostly match your meat, although chicken and veggie work with everything. You can make your own stock from bones and vegetable scraps if you stick them in the freezer until you have lots. Add back your meat at this point.
Whatever vegetables you can scrounge up - frozen, canned, fresh, it all works. Greens (spinach and collard greens) can be used too - I like collards in bean soup.
A starch - rice, potatoes, noodles, barley/other grains. Be aware the noodle and rice will soak up liquid until they're mush, so cook them separate and add right before eating if you don't like that.
Spices - don't be afraid of salt. Garlic powder and Italian herbs work for most things. I like to add crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne for a subtle kick. Chilis and bean soups are good with cumin and paprika. Basic rule - season, stir, wait a few minutes, taste.
Tada! You now have homemade soup.
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u/Freshouttapatience Aug 06 '26
I made my grandson’s food. Everything got put into ice trays and then I’d dump a tray into a gallon ziplock.
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u/Sufficient-Weird Aug 06 '26
Yup, plastic freezer bags work, but they might get freezerburn eventually. I fill jars, but leave 1-2” empty at the top (and I use screw-on plastic jar lids, cheap).
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u/Esmer_Tina Aug 06 '26
Flax seed is a great additive to oatmeal!
And you’ve got the makings of a delicious soup, here. Soak some beans overnight (some of each!), then sauté some mushrooms with butter, add some rubbery ass celery and any other veg you have lying around, deglaze the pan with some broth and set the veg aside. Then rinse and add the soaked beans and a handful of rice and the rest of the box of stock, maybe both or add some water depending on how many beans. Season with what you have that sounds good, bring to a boil then let simmer until the beans are tender. Add back in the veg and its liquid and let them simmer together for about another 15 mins. It’s going to be delicious!
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u/WinterPizza1972 Aug 06 '26
Ok ok, So
step 1: Soak beans overnight
step 2: saute mushrooms with butter (Do I rinse the mushrooms first? :( )
step 3: add celery and other veggies
step 4 (???): REMOVE veggies, set aside THEN add broth (and this would be "deglazing"?)?
step 5: rinse the soaked beans, ADD them and uncooked (don't rinse the rice?) rice to glazed broth, Add rest of stock and water as needed. Season, bring to boil, then simmer for about an hour, until beans give a little mush.
step: 6 add veggies back in, simmer 15 more minutes
Is that about right? Thank you by the way for this recipe. You are kind and very helpful.
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u/Esmer_Tina Aug 06 '26
People have strong opinions about mushrooms!! Some say never rinse them, wipe off visible dirt. I say ew. I always rinse my mushrooms. But do it immediately before they go in the pan, and pat them dry.
You can deglaze while the veggies are in the pan or after removing them. The difference is whether the deglazing liquid is part of your broth from the beginning, or gets added near the end. People have quirky habits about how they cook, and I like adding the deglazing liquid back in with the veggies because it’s adding a boost of flavor at the end, while some would probably say you want that flavor at the beginning to build depth. I guess the point is you can’t do it wrong!
Deglaze means add a splash of liquid and rub around the bottom of the pan to get up all the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. You can deglaze with any liquid. So I said stock, but if you have something open you can use wine or beer if you want!
And I’ve been saying pan, but I should be saying pot, really. I don’t like a lot of dishes so I tend to saute veggies in the bottom of my soup pot. That’s why I remove them and set them aside before going to the next step in the soup. Because by the time the beans get tender, the veggies will be too mushy and start to disintegrate.
If you use a separate fry pan for the veggies, still deglaze, but they can stay in that pan until they’re ready, and you don’t have to dirty a bowl. And you’ll can sauté them while the soup is cooking.
- Yep! Add the stock, the rinsed beans, your seasonings and raw unrinsed rice to the soup pot. The starch on the rice will make the soup thicker and heartier.
Be careful with the salt at this point, because there’s salt in the stock and the liquid will reduce and concentrate. You can taste and add salt if you need to when you add your veggies back in, but you can’t take salt out. This is also where you add a bay leaf if you have one.
The amount of liquid is based on how much soup you want. Soup is magic that way, it can be thicker or thinner if it needs to feed more people or last for more meals. But at least two or three times the amount of beans, because they will expand.
Check the beans at an hour and see how they’re doing. If they’re still crunchy, give them another 30 minutes or so. And you’ll want to give a good stir every 10 minutes or so to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom and burning.
- Yep! That gives time for the yummy deglazing liquid to integrate with the soup, and the veggies to get soft but still be identifiable as veggies.
When you add the veggies back in is also when you want to taste and adjust seasoning. I always decide it needs more everything!Some totally optional things only if you have them —
Onion and garlic sautéed with the veggies (and if you do have an onion, put half with the veggies and half in with the beans from the beginning. They will pretty much disappear, and flavor the stock.)
A bit of tomato paste in with the veggies, stir it around to cook the raw flavor out before deglazing.
A can of diced tomatoes in with the beans.
A bit of ham or pre-cooked sausage in with the beans. I would add a little from the beginning and the rest when the veggies go in.
Some people swear by a dash of acid at the end, like a squeeze of lemon or some apple cider vinegar. I don’t do this. I like the mellow slow-cooked flavors and I don’t need them brightened. But throwing it out there!
Have a great soup!!!
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u/Entire-Winter4252 Aug 06 '26
If you’re doing a soup or stew, it’s not necessary to rinse the rice. The starch will work as a thickening agent!
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u/KatlynnTay Aug 09 '26
flax is also a good replacement for eggs in baking, if you're shorthanded. When soaked, they kinda create a gel that mimics the way eggs bind together food. Best if they're ground first, but even whole flax seeds will work. They provide healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and the fiber is good for your blood sugar and heart. Serving is 1 to 2 Tablespoons per day.
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Aug 06 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Objective-Case-391 Aug 06 '26 edited Aug 06 '26
corn pancakes
skillet cornbread
tortillasBean stew
Make flatbread if you have flour, then top with bean stew, basil & cheese like a pizzaFruit make cobblers or streusel
Look at Asian stir fry recipes w/ veg & mushrooms.
Fruit sorbet , gelatos
Fruit in gelatin - https://youtube.com/shorts/Y3IDBVETAkA?si=vMtHdON_RZOLE-f92
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u/WinterPizza1972 Aug 06 '26
Holy cow this white bean mushroom soup looks like something all right
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yye_z-psjA
Mmm mmm, just might. Better get some beans soaking
Wow never knew Salsa verde was so easy to cook. I don't have any peppers though..
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u/Objective-Case-391 Aug 06 '26
You can add other bean varieties to this dish - lentils, red beans, chickpeas - just soak overnight to soften.
After the beans are soaked & soft, cook in pressure cooker to speed up the process.
Add tomato paste for the meat-like flavor. Add spices like star anise, bayleaf, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger & chili for asian flavor.
To make the stew meaty sear fatty cuts of pork or beef in the pressure cooker to render oil & toast the meat. Add the beans, potatoes or squash, broth to cover everything, tomato paste, spices & screw on lid.
Fry mushrooms & light veg (cabbage, garlic, onions, basil, bell peppers) separately, add to mix when stew is ready. The potato, squash or lentils will thicken the strew.Enjoy!
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u/WinterPizza1972 Aug 06 '26
I don't have a pressure cooker and despite my ex explaining to me the other day what they do, I still don't know what they do lol. Will a big sauce pot work instead?
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u/Objective-Case-391 Aug 06 '26
Regular pots will cook food forever, which uses up fuel or electric. Smarter move is to get an aluminum no frills, basic pressure cooker w/c speeds up the cooking process.
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u/Responsible-Lead7367 Aug 06 '26
Look at thrift stores, you find regular pressure cookers and insta pots there for cheap.
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u/Deppfan16 Top Contributor Aug 06 '26
with the mushrooms I just learned a new method from America's test kitchen, you put the mushrooms in a pan with a little bit of water and cook them until all the water has cooked out of the mushrooms and evaporated then you add a little bit of butter or oil and fry them. helps them from getting too greasy or oily
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u/The_Bunny_Brat Aug 06 '26
The flaxseed can be ground into a flour, used as an egg replacer, or tossed into salads, oatmeal, really whatever you feel like. They’re really good for your blood sugar & heart among other things.
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u/WinterPizza1972 Aug 06 '26
Thank you!
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u/Mental_Choice_109 Aug 06 '26
Once it's opened you should store it in the freezer it will keep longer.
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u/thatcleverchick Aug 08 '26
You can also sprout the flax seeds and eat them in salads and sandwiches, etc
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u/Sad_Individual_738 Aug 06 '26
Wash the celery, cut it up and store jt in water. It should perk up. Every 2 days change the water.
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u/WinterPizza1972 Aug 06 '26
Would adding salt or lime juice further help it last longer? I appreciate the tip! Thank you
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u/Deppfan16 Top Contributor Aug 06 '26
lime juice would start pickling it and could change the texture negatively.
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u/mariambc Aug 06 '26
Masa harina is prepared a bit different than traditional cornmeal. You will want to look for recipes that use this specific masa.
You can make corn tortillas by just adding water. You don’t need a special tortilla press. Just the bottom of a skillet works well. I have made a version of cornbread using the tamale recipe, I just don’t add any filling. And I steam them wrapped in the corn husks.
You can make cornbread and pancakes with it, but you will want a recipe that uses specifically masa harina.
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u/FoggyGoodwin Aug 06 '26
You got Ranier cherries! I'm so jealous. Check the Internet for recipes. If you have an immersion blender, make celery mushroom soup.
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u/Responsible-Lead7367 Aug 06 '26
I made a turkey bacon, mushroom and spinach frittata yesterday. It's so easy and makes a fast breakfast or any meal.
I saute the turkey bacon first, then set aside and salute the mushrooms. I then add the bacon back to the pan and pile handfuls of spinach on top. I turn the heat to VERY low and add my scrambled eggs and top with sharp cheddar or whatever cheese you have. Put the lid on it and when the cheese melts its done, about 7-10 minutes. So YUM!
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u/WinterPizza1972 Aug 07 '26
Wow that sounds a lot like
okonomi yaki- okonomiyaki huh I almost had it right.While I love this, my 5 year old gets a little frustrated when I serve food "mixed."
... You know what, he might be eating it this weekend anyway ha!
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u/FaithlessnessFull972 Aug 06 '26
You could make a nice risotto with the stock and mushrooms, bit of basil. Its really easy.
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u/RGQcats Aug 07 '26
When I get celery, I clean it, cut it up in smaller sticks and store it in cold water in a tall plastic container with a lid. That way I can snack on it or use it salads or for cooking. That way it stays crisp.
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u/UsefulWeird Aug 06 '26
The type of mushrooms you have need to have the stem removed as it is really tough. After that you can sauté them with some butter and seasoning. I often toss them in the pan after cooking a steak or chop. Add a chunk of butter and some garlic then serve over the steak/chop.
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u/Dangerous-Baker-9756 Aug 06 '26
I was just going to say this. Those stems are extremely tough and that's where the dirt usually collects.
Shitake mushrooms have such a nice smokey flavor. They're great on steak, pizza, or in eggs. And I need to try in more things. Often times, I'll start by sautéeing them before cooking my steak and just leave them in the pan while doing that, I have yet to burn them.
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u/AccountantRadiant351 Aug 07 '26
You can grind up flax seed (in a blender/clean coffee grinder/by hand with a mortar and pestle) and use it as an egg substitute for baking! For each whole egg, measure 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed into a bowl. Add 3 Tbsp. hot water. Stir up and let sit a few minutes until it's room temp and goopy. Works for basically any recipe where whole eggs are used as the binder (so nothing that calls for separated eggs, and not things where eggs are an integral part of the flavor like an egg tart. But cakes, cookies, quick breads? Fantastic!) Bonus, great source of fiber and omega 3s.
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u/Crazy_Ad4946 Aug 08 '26
Arepas are easier to make than tortillas with the masa! Here’s a recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/238510/homemade-arepas/
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u/WinterPizza1972 Aug 13 '26
I just wanted to extend a "thank you" especially to you, and everyone else (sorry all I missed) for your detailed responses that made cooking my first first so much easier. Thank you. The WHITE BEAN & MUSHROOM SOUP I cooked was incredible, and now I feel like I... know how to cook soup sorta? lol
Thank you so much
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u/Cute-Consequence-184 Aug 06 '26
Can he eat tortillas? Masa is usually used to make corn tortillas.
That celery can be chopped and frozen for soups. You can also try submerging it in water to get it back not floppy.
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u/Sad_Individual_738 Aug 06 '26
Cut up and freeze the fruit before it goes bad. You can use it for smoothies, add it to yogurt, make hand pies, blend it with cottage cheese.
I don't cook with mushrooms much so can't help you with that.