After several months of big meals, many folks run out of ideas for eating the many dishes of leftovers piling up in the refrigerator. I am guilty of forcing my family to eat endless repeats of the same old plates filled with the same old food. Chances are you'll be throwing out food if you try to present that same plate a third time.
Being creative when serving leftovers is tricky. You have to think about the ingredients that went into the dish in the first place, and think about what other dishes incorporate those same food items.
1) Creamy Potato Soup
Mashed potatoes are a good basis for most creamy soups. In your big soup pot, brown up some diced bacon, about three or four strips. Then, in the same pot, add some cut up celery and carrots, as much as you like. Once they are soft, add diced onion. When the onion is soft, add 1 tbsp. oil, 1 tbsp. flour, and 1 1/2 cups milk and stir until thick. Now add your potatoes and bacon pieces and cook very slowly until nice and warm. This is a simple and filling meal with a little crusty bread alongside.
2) Turkey And Gravy Barbeque Style
Take white and dark turkey meat and dice into small pieces or shred up. In a big, heavy skillet, saute some bacon pieces until soft. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, simmering until just fragrant. Now put the cut up turkey in the skillet, and pour over enough leftover gravy to make the turkey a little soupy. Then just flavor the gravy with a little bit of barbeque sauce or dry grilling rub spice, using only enough to make the gravy taste tangy. Cook slowly until nice and hot and pungent. Serve on crusty bread or any bun.
3) Creamy Cauliflower Curry Soup
Place cooked cauliflower into a food processor and blend until smooth, drizzling in milk until you reach a smooth, soupy consistency. Put about 2 teaspoons of curry in as you blend. You may want more or less curry, so start slowly. In a heavy pot, drizzle a little oil and cook some chopped carrots and onion until just tender. Add your creamy cauliflower mixture to pot. You may now add some cut up turkey that you have leftover. Cook the soup slowly until heated through.
4) Cheesy Green Bean Tomato Soup
If you have leftover green bean casserole, you're in luck. It makes the perfect start for a cheese soup. Adding some diced tomatoes gives this soup a fresh flavor. Get out your big soup pot and saute up some bite size pieces of celery until just soft. Add several big chunks of onion, cooking until transparent, and then add a little minced garlic. Pour in a can of diced tomatoes. You may want a little extra seasoning, like a grill seasoning or dry rub. Put in your green bean casserole, slowly mixing in all the ingredients. If it seems a little thick, add a bit of chicken broth. Now just heat, stirring often, until the soup is all creamy and hot.
5) Egg And Stuffing Breakfast
Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray or brush with butter or oil. Spoon enough stuffing in each muffin cup to form a little cup with room for one egg. Break one egg into each cup and top with enough shredded cheese to cover egg. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the egg is done and cheese is melted. Let stand a few minutes before removing egg and stuffing from muffin tin.
Using up leftovers is always a challenge. No one wants to look at the same dishes being served time and time again. If you give some thought to the ingredients that went in to creating the dish in the first place, you'll no doubt be able to add complimentary food items to build a whole new dish out of the old one. - 16003
Being creative when serving leftovers is tricky. You have to think about the ingredients that went into the dish in the first place, and think about what other dishes incorporate those same food items.
1) Creamy Potato Soup
Mashed potatoes are a good basis for most creamy soups. In your big soup pot, brown up some diced bacon, about three or four strips. Then, in the same pot, add some cut up celery and carrots, as much as you like. Once they are soft, add diced onion. When the onion is soft, add 1 tbsp. oil, 1 tbsp. flour, and 1 1/2 cups milk and stir until thick. Now add your potatoes and bacon pieces and cook very slowly until nice and warm. This is a simple and filling meal with a little crusty bread alongside.
2) Turkey And Gravy Barbeque Style
Take white and dark turkey meat and dice into small pieces or shred up. In a big, heavy skillet, saute some bacon pieces until soft. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, simmering until just fragrant. Now put the cut up turkey in the skillet, and pour over enough leftover gravy to make the turkey a little soupy. Then just flavor the gravy with a little bit of barbeque sauce or dry grilling rub spice, using only enough to make the gravy taste tangy. Cook slowly until nice and hot and pungent. Serve on crusty bread or any bun.
3) Creamy Cauliflower Curry Soup
Place cooked cauliflower into a food processor and blend until smooth, drizzling in milk until you reach a smooth, soupy consistency. Put about 2 teaspoons of curry in as you blend. You may want more or less curry, so start slowly. In a heavy pot, drizzle a little oil and cook some chopped carrots and onion until just tender. Add your creamy cauliflower mixture to pot. You may now add some cut up turkey that you have leftover. Cook the soup slowly until heated through.
4) Cheesy Green Bean Tomato Soup
If you have leftover green bean casserole, you're in luck. It makes the perfect start for a cheese soup. Adding some diced tomatoes gives this soup a fresh flavor. Get out your big soup pot and saute up some bite size pieces of celery until just soft. Add several big chunks of onion, cooking until transparent, and then add a little minced garlic. Pour in a can of diced tomatoes. You may want a little extra seasoning, like a grill seasoning or dry rub. Put in your green bean casserole, slowly mixing in all the ingredients. If it seems a little thick, add a bit of chicken broth. Now just heat, stirring often, until the soup is all creamy and hot.
5) Egg And Stuffing Breakfast
Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray or brush with butter or oil. Spoon enough stuffing in each muffin cup to form a little cup with room for one egg. Break one egg into each cup and top with enough shredded cheese to cover egg. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the egg is done and cheese is melted. Let stand a few minutes before removing egg and stuffing from muffin tin.
Using up leftovers is always a challenge. No one wants to look at the same dishes being served time and time again. If you give some thought to the ingredients that went in to creating the dish in the first place, you'll no doubt be able to add complimentary food items to build a whole new dish out of the old one. - 16003
About the Author:
Nicole Dean is the mostly-sane mom and owner of ShowMomtheMoney.com - a fun and informative website to help moms achieve success working from home. She welcomes you to learn more ways to save money in her Frugal Cooking Ideas section. Be sure to sign up for her free lessons for work at home moms.
