Addicted to Chopped!

I was a late bloomer when it came to developing a love for the cooking competition show Chopped on the Food Network. I'm not one for food competitions in the first place, with just one or two exceptions (Chopped now being one of them). Then I finally decided to give it a try, as I've been a fan of Ted Allen since his Queer Eye days.

My first phase of being a viewer of Chopped was that of armchair chef. I would watch the competitors try to make sense and a worthy meal out of the wackiest basket ingredients of which they had to include all on their finished plate. I would think to myself "Oh I wouldn't have done that..." and so on.

My second phase evolved into, instead of saying that I wouldn't have done a certain dish the way it was done in the competition, I decided to ask myself, "Ok, what would I do?" and I would try to figure out my own solution to the mystery ingredients. It made me almost giddy when a chef would start a dish that I had thought of at home watching the show.

Now I'm starting my own personal Chopped challenges, only instead of the mystery baskets, it's my fridge, and I get to include pantry and freezer to round out dinner for Nut and myself.

Tonight's mystery ingredients in the 'use it or lose it' category include lettuce, celery, a tomato,
white onion, carrot, and leftover
chicken. I decided these ingredients would be transformed into two different meals. The second I will post on when I make it, probably two days from now. However for tonight, we made a lovely salad (that was a no-brainer decision, I know) but Nut and I have been craving salad for a bit now, and it just sounded good... and it was!

By now, getting through this whole post, you are asking... what does this have to do with the DPS Club. A couple things.

The most important is to introduce a fun way to use up oldies but still goodies in your fridge. Remember we don't waste! So use up those items... make a game out of it... make it fun!

The second, is that, because we are surviving in a dirt poor situation, you have to take your entertainment where you can get it.We at least have tv. We don't go to ball games, we don't go to the movies, heck we sometimes can't even go to the neighboring town to the grocery story because if the gas gauge is low enough, we don't go anywhere, which means that you have to make do with what you have on hand for dinner... hence starting, once again, your own personal Chopped challenge. Don't be stressed about cooking no matter what it is... just put on some tunes, pour your favorite beverage and have fun pulling a wonderful meal out of your culinary hat.

.... and remember, be watching for the part two of what I do with the remainder of ingredients from my mystery fridge Chopped challenge.