For HLN, I shared my secret to using up the meats, poultry, fish and spices that we bought last year and stored in our freezers and pantry when the pandemic began. I call it “Pantry Pilaf.”

Foods should only be kept in our freezers for one year. Spices, especially ground ones, and dried herbs begin to lose their potency after about a year, so we should use them up right about now.

My Panty Pilaf is an easy way to use it all. It’s a “Choose Your Own Adventure” approach to a simple, but big-in-flavor, one pot meal that feeds a family of four. You can use up beef, those frozen chicken breasts sitting on the bottom of the shelf, salmon or white fish fillets, tofu blocks and more.

I provide “spices in threes” combinations to use for this pilaf depending on your mood and taste preference - Mexican, Italian and Middleeastern.

My Pantry Pilaf is a base. Once you get the hang of it, you can make it completely your own. Adjust whatever spices you prefer. Add more heat or dial it down. But have fun and eat well while using up all that good food and spices that we’ve stored for a year.

SERVING SIZE: 4 PREP TIME: 10 mins COOKING TIME: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup sweet onion, diced

• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon of each of these three spices

  • Mexican: ground cumin, chili powder, ground coriander

  • Italian: dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme

  • Middleeastern: ground cinnamon, ground cumin, turmeric

• 1½ teaspoons salt

• 1 cup rice, quinoa, wheat berries, pasta

• 1-1½ lbs chicken, pork, beef, tofu, seafood, thawed and cut into ½-inch cubes. If using shrimp, keep it whole

• 2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

• 3-4 tablespoons freshly chopped herbs - Italian parsley, cilantro, basil, rosemary, thyme

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet on medium-high. Add the onion, garlic, spice combination of your choosing and salt. Stir until the onion and garlic are coated with the spices. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.

2. Place your cubed protein in the skillet with the onions. **If using salmon or whitefish, add 6 minutes before rice is done; add shrimp 3 minutes before rice is done**. 

3. Add the rice (or other grain of your choice) to the skillet along with the broth. Stir well with a wooden spoon. Bring the liquid to a low boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cover. Cook 20 minutes, or until the rice (or grain) is tender and the protein is cooked.

4. Remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh herbs.

5. Serve.

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