For tasty leftovers, pasta dishes are much like soups in that you
can combine just about anything to make a hearty meal
By Eve Victory
With so many memes going around about 2020, it is nearly impossible to feel positive about anything some days. That has prompted me to think about how I can do things differently in my own home simply to change the general malaise.
There are all sorts of ways to placate ourselves in this mess: take up hobbies, organize our closets, take online courses, etc. Another way though, will not only spark our creativity but will also save us money. We all know things are on a financial downturn, so why not take the time to use your food more wisely?
I’m not talking about just stretching meatloaf with Quaker Oats, or using less sugar in your baking. I’m talking about making the most of the food you have taken the time to prepare. Leftovers are other meals just waiting to happen.
When restaurants have leftover baked potatoes or meats or custards, they don’t throw them away. They would be crazy to do that – that’s like setting your bank account on fire. You wouldn’t just throw a whole pocket full of change in the trash, or put a wad of singles in the shredder, would you? Then don’t throw out your leftovers.
So how do you use them up without making your family eat the same thing three days in a row? With a little bit of imagination, leftovers can be the pre-made ingredients you can simply toss together and have a lovely meal in no time.
Here are some “leftovers rules” that will help you get started.
- Cook with having leftovers in mind.
- Your time is valuable. If you are going to make a recipe using a whole chicken, think about all the meals you can create after the fact with the leftover meat. Don’t forget to strip down that carcass too. You can do the same by making more than just a few chicken thighs at once. Make a dozen and strip off the meat with plans for future chicken salad sandwiches, chicken burritos, chicken pasta dishes.
- Store leftovers correctly and in a useful way.
- You’ve got all that stripped chicken so now what? Freeze it in portions. Use ziplock bags or small containers and label them well. “2 cups {ingredient}/Date cooked”
- Make a smorgasbord night
- If you’ve got too many leftovers, make dinner a buffet kind of night. Use paper plates, too, and give yourself a break!
- Make freezer meals
- There isn’t a single person who loves to cook who doesn’t ALWAYS want to cook. Buy a few of those partitioned Tupperware containers and make freezer meals. Portion it as you would on a plate and label the container as above. That way, if you’d rather binge-watch Downton Abbey instead of cook, you’re good to go.
- Think sauces, soups, salads, and pastas
- Remember that your leftovers are really just ingredients to make other dishes. If you’ve got small amounts of leftover veggies from two or three nights, puree them with a little bit of cream and broth, or with some tomato puree or canned tomatoes, and now you have sauce. Don’t forget about soups either. You can add just about anything to make lovely bowls of goodness. Make yourself what restaurants call entrée salads and toss in leftovers. And we all know pasta dishes are much like soups in that you can combine just about anything to make a hearty meal.
- Breakfast or appetizers for dinner
- This is my personal favorite. Breakfast for dinner is just silly fun, and omelets and frittatas lend themselves to utilizing all kinds of bits. Appetizers too can be made easily from leftovers. Slice up that leftover baked potato and crisp it in the oven, top it with some pork loin roast and slather on a quick seasoned mayo. Even stale bread can be used – toast it up and make a quick topping to make bruschetta.
Aside from convenience, the best thing about leftovers is seeing your money be put to good use. Get started today – poke around the web and find something tantalizing for that leftover chicken breast. Happy saving!
A native New Yorker, Eve Victory has called Hot Springs home since 2003. Working for years as an event and tradeshow planner and personal chef, Eve is currently the Hospitality and Tourism Instructor at National Park College. For information on how to turn your education into a career in the second largest industry in Hot Springs, contact Eve at evictory@np.edu.
