WHAT DO YOU DO WITH LEFTOVERS?
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What ever you do with leftovers, don’t throw them away. Be creative! Thing of a new look for them at another upcoming meal. Your family will thing you are a great cook. Well you really are a great cook. You just need to spend sometime thinking of different things you have created in the past. Perhaps something that you have tasted at a meal out at a restaurant, a friends house, your mother or mother-in-laws favorite meal.
“Leftovers” needn’t be a dirty word! If you have a food processor, use it to puree leftover vegetables, meats, and gravies, and then save it to add to the stock the next time you make soup. You’ll be surprised just how tasty this stew or soup will be.
Speaking of soup . . . almost any leftover can be added to soup. You’ll be surprised just how tasty this “mulligan” stew of leftover can be!
If your cheese dries out, don’t throw it away. Just because it’s dry doesn’t mean it’s spoiled. Simply grate and use as an “au gratin” topping.
Leftover chicken? Of course, you can always make chicken salad. But, have you thought of chicken crepes, pureed chicken spread, or saving the bones, skin and fat for chicken soup?
Here’s a great tip for leftover vegetables. Just put the veggies from last night’s meal into a frozen pie crust along with any pre-cooked meats, gravies, or left-over potatoes and you’ll have a delectable shepherd’s pie that the kids will always want seconds of.
Leftovers make a great filler. Just use them in an omelet or crepe, and no one will know. This is an especially good idea for leftover cheese, tomatoes, green veggies and any kind of red meat. Seafood makes an especially tempting filler.
The many lives of meat loaf. Try using a variety of left-over meats to make a meat loaf. Your family will love it, and you’ll love this money-saving tip.
When “recycling” those leftovers, be clever. Meat can easily dry out. Try making a simple sauce to keep them juicy and able to perk the taste-buds of your finicky family.
Old bananas? Don’t pitch them! Why not make banana bread with the over-ripened fruit? And while you’re at it, the skins can be used to polish your silver.
Why buy expensive coatings for chicken or fish? Make them yourself. Save and old flour bag, add a little salt, pepper, flour and other spices to taste. Just drop in the fish or poultry and shake.
An old, mis-matched fork can be a help. Keep it close to you favorite houseplants and use it to rake their soil.
Make your own cookie cutters. Simply cut up old frozen food containers, the aluminum ones, into the shapes you want, keeping the sharp edge down.
Here’s a great tip for old fruit. Instead of throwing away fruit when it gets a little too ripe. (and your family turns its nose up at it) try this. Cut off all the bad spots and peel the fruit. Use it to top ice-cream, or to bake breads, or bet of all to make an old-fashioned cobbler with it.
If none of these ideas thrill you, here’s a really inventive one: again, you cut and clean the fruit. Drop the chunks into a large covered jar with a half can of pineapple juice in it. Let the mixture set, in the refrigerator for a few days, adding leftover fruit. (If you don’t use that much fruit, Place the fruit in the freezer in a container.) (Soon in a couple of days, you have a great dessert topping and crowd pleaser for you next party.)