Cooking with Odds & Ends

Starting the year with a bunch of odds and ends in your pantry? Artist Robin Gilmore of Bridgeport recommends downloading the SuperCook App to see what you can make without going to the store. "You plug in all the ingredients you already have, and it tells you tons of meals you can make," Gilmore exclaims. (When she's not cooking at home, she is running a shop called City Lights Vintage, piloting new ways to earn revenue for community programs while adding an eclectic shopping venue to her downtown.)

Another idea is to see what your neighbors are cooking. West Haven has a public Facebook group What's Cooking West Haven? where members swap ideas.

For example, Roberta Garlock shared her recipe for beef tamales (see image), which reminds her of growing up in Southern California: "My mom sends me chiles from Arizona where she lives, so I can make the red sauce. Chuck roast goes in the crockpot with salt, cumin, garlic, onion powder, and bay leaves. For the masa, I follow the recipe on the bag."

Another neighbor shared her favorite source for recipes after the City's public Menorah Lighting on December 10th. "I'm from the Ashkenazi Jewish tradition and Tori Avey has really perfected it. She has a great website for learning how to do a lot with whatever's on hand."

Source: West Haven Artists news + opportunities - vol7