#KitchenClearout November roundup and December linky

It's totally mindblowing to think that the next #KitchenClearout roundup will probably be full of ways of using up the leftover Christmas turkey and mincemeat ! Before we get ahead of ourselves, this month's collection is a very mixed bunch, just the way I like it, and it's full of warming autumnal flavours. We're getting good at this #KitchenClearout lark, using seasonal produce and rescuing things that could easily have ended up in the bin !

Without further ado, here's what we made this month :

These Mini Lemon Meringue Pie Bites were made to use up some egg whites, but they were so delicious that I had to make another batch shortly afterwards ... using the egg yolks to make mini custard tarts. Nothing goes to waste !

There was actually too much meringue mix so I let the kids loose with the rest and the result was these Homemade "Marshmallow Fluff" Ghosts (they tasted just like the jars of fluff, which the kids were very impressed with !)

You can't beat a bowl of soup on a cold night and Galina from Chez Maximka's Pea Shoots, Pea & Leek Soup for Bonfire Night looks beautifully rich and warming.

These utterly delicious Double Choc Cookie Cups were gobbled up in minutes but they were actually resurrected from a totally failed attempt to recreate an American cookie recipe !

Galina was back with a delicious dessert this time - her Marbled Bundt Cake was an inspired way to use up a jar of chocolate spread.

#KitchenClearout is all about rummaging through the cupboards to find out what's lurking at the back and Pierre was delighted when we unearthed this inside out cupcake kit. I love the idea of hiding mini Smarties inside cupcakes - definitely an idea we'll be using again.

I always love Jane from Onions and Paper's creations because they invariably use things that I have in my own kitchen. Her Chorizo and Chickpea Spanish Rice is a great dish using store-cupboard basics.

Kuku choma with kachumbari is a Kenyan dish that sounds wildly exotic but it is a simple grilled chicken dish with red onion and tomato salad. It was perfect for using up the end of a pack of tortilla wraps and some squishy tomatoes.

Galina had a good clearout in her baking cupboard and the result was these lovely Marmalade Cookies. I have half a jar of marmalade in the cupboard so I know what to make now !

Sri Lankan red lentils with wild boar haggis was a crazy fusion of exotic cuisines that resulted from a rummage through the cupboard and freezer ! It was OK but I'm not really a fan of haggis.

I wasn't the only one playing around with lentils this month - Alison from Dragons & Fairy Dust made a lovely Green Lentil Salad, to go with some rather tasty looking chicken snacks.

When I saw a pack of hollandaise sauce in this month's Degustabox, I decided to try bacon-wrapped leeks with hollandaise sauce, using up some wilted leeks that were past their best. It was lovely and I'll be trying this again with cheese sauce next time.

The final recipe, banana ketchup from a Philippines-themed Kitchen Trotter box, was totally weird and not-quite-wonderful but it did use up a couple of over-ripe bananas !

Well, that's a lot of odds and ends rescued from the bin again this month - I wonder what next month will bring. I predict lots of recipes using up leftover festive fayre.

Fancy joining in? Have a rummage through your kitchen cupboards, spice rack, freezer or fridge and see if there's anything that needs using up then come and share your creations with us. Or if it's way past its sell-by date, throw it in the bin and come and tell us what you found ! It would be great if you could add my badge and a link to this post for anyone else who wants to get involved.