What's on hand. waste not, want not

When it comes to using up the food in my fridge before it spoils, I'd earn an "f." A big "F." My problem is over-buying & new recipes. That produce looked mighty tasty last week and was a fantastic price, so I bought twice as much as I needed. The leftovers were pushed to the back of the fridge and were forgotten. I actually had meat that I bought 2 years ago sitting in my freezer. Gross, gross. (Did I really just admit that??) I cleaned out my fridge this week. All the nasty old stuff was tossed and I felt horrible. What a waste of money! One of my goals for the month is to not waste food.

And then...I have a problem with recipes. I collect cookbooks; not officially, but my cookbook shelf seems to deem me a collector. And I read them for fun. And I want to make everything. It is an expensive hobby. I buy way to many ingredients and the recipes often don't use what I already have on hand. Another goal: limit the new recipes to one day a week.

Last night, I was trying to figure out how to use the kale, red peppers, pork and parmesan in my fridge. This is what I came up with. (After all the unappetizing talk of spoiled food...can you possibly be ready for a recipe?)

Hannah's Clean-out-the-Fridge Pork
1 pork tenderloin, sliced into 3/4 inch think pieces and slightly flattened with mallet
1 tbsp olive oil
1 smallish white onion
1 small bunch kale
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper

Season pork with salt and pepper. Cook on skillet with 1 tsp olive oil until browned and yummy looking. Remove from heat and keep warm. Add remaining oil to skillet with onions, kale and chopped red pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes and then add vinegar and chicken broth. Cook at a high temperature until liquid is almost gone. Serve with polenta and parmesan.