Two days before a recent last-minute vacation, one foot and half my brain were already out the door. One little problem for a thrifty cook: a still-packed fridge, an eggplant, some Italian pole beans, a beautiful melon, all likely to go to waste unless I figured something out, fast.

So I delivered the eggplant and beans to the neighbors, then hunted up quick 'n' easy cantaloupe recipes made from pantry ingredients. (No grocery shopping allowed!) Well yes, I could have just sliced melon wedges or made smoothies. But where would be the foodie-fun in that, let alone a post for BlogHer scheduled for while I was away?

(photo courtesy of Dishing Up)

You won't believe the treasures I found. Just look --

CANTALOUPE SOUPS
Gracious Bowl ~ Grilled Cantaloupe Soup with green grape, melon & mint salsa
Cheap Healthy Good ~ Cantaloupe Soup with orange juice
CookThink ~ Chilled Cantaloupe Soup with chives & proscuitto

CANTALOUPE SALADS

Columbus Foodie ~ Cantaloupe & Bocconcini Salad with Mint (pictured)
A Mingling of Tastes ~ Thai Cantaloupe Salad
Food Blogga ~ Wild Arugula, Cantaloupe, and Watermelon Salad with Prosciutto and Blue Cheese

CANTALOUPE DESSERTS
Straight from the Farm ~ Cantaloups Gelato
The Best Soup Ever ~ Cantaloupe & Black Pepper Sorbet
Bake My Day ~ Cantaloupe Ice Cream

So. Can you guess? Which one did I make? Better yet, which one is now on your list?

if BlogHer food editor Alanna Kellogg had had any peaches, she'd have made her favorite Peach & Cantaloupe Soup.