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.
How can you create a meal that isn't a repeat of the same old plate? The trick to creating a new dish is to think about what ingredients you are working with, not just the finished dish.
1) Creamy Potato Soup
Leftover mashed potatoes make good thick and creamy soups because the basic creamy soup ingredients are already there. In a soup pot, put three or four diced slices of bacon and cook until just crispy and remove. In the bacon drippings, saute diced celery and carrots until soft, add some diced onion and saute until transparent. In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon butter or oil, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1 1/2 cups milk, simmering until just starting to thicken. Then add your leftover potatoes a little bit at a time until it looks like potato soup. Stir in the bacon and let simmer together slowly. You now have a nice, flavorful and creamy Potato Soup.
2) Turkey And Gravy Sloppy Joe's
Cut up or fork-shred some turkey, both white meat and dark will do. In a large skillet, brown a little diced up bacon. Add some diced onion and minced garlic if you like. Put the cut up turkey in the skillet and top with enough leftover gravy to cover the turkey pieces. Now add just enough of a good barbeque sauce or grill flavoring or dry rub to flavor your gravy and turkey mix to give it that Sloppy Joe flavor. Scoop on top of a hamburger bun or crusty bread.
3) Curry Turkey Cauliflower 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
Green bean casserole already makes a great start to a creamy and cheesy soup. Tomatoes help brighten this cheesy soup just a touch. Begin by cooking some big pieces of celery in a soup pot, adding coarse diced onions and some minced garlic, cooking until just fragrant. Add a can of diced tomatoes, either fire roasted or regular. Add a little grill seasoning for extra flavor. Now put your leftover green bean casserole in the pot, stirring until it looks like soup. You might add a bit of turkey or chicken broth if you want the soup thinner. Cook slowly together until the soup is all hot and bubbly.
5) Breakfast Stuffing Cups
Prepare a muffin tin by spraying with non-stick spray or rubbing each muffin cup with butter or oil. Spoon stuffing into muffin cups and push up the sides to form little stuffing cups. Break one egg into each cup. Then top with shredded cheese, either cheddar or Parmesan. Cook in a 350 degree oven for around 15 to 20 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and golden brown and the egg is cooked. Be sure to let the muffin tin cool a little after you take it out of the oven before you remove the egg dish.
There are many more ways to create a new meal out of leftover dishes. Rethink the leftovers you have on hand, keeping in mind the ingredients that are in that particular dish. Then you'll be able to add just a few ingredients to come up with a new and unique meal. - 16459
How can you create a meal that isn't a repeat of the same old plate? The trick to creating a new dish is to think about what ingredients you are working with, not just the finished dish.
1) Creamy Potato Soup
Leftover mashed potatoes make good thick and creamy soups because the basic creamy soup ingredients are already there. In a soup pot, put three or four diced slices of bacon and cook until just crispy and remove. In the bacon drippings, saute diced celery and carrots until soft, add some diced onion and saute until transparent. In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon butter or oil, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1 1/2 cups milk, simmering until just starting to thicken. Then add your leftover potatoes a little bit at a time until it looks like potato soup. Stir in the bacon and let simmer together slowly. You now have a nice, flavorful and creamy Potato Soup.
2) Turkey And Gravy Sloppy Joe's
Cut up or fork-shred some turkey, both white meat and dark will do. In a large skillet, brown a little diced up bacon. Add some diced onion and minced garlic if you like. Put the cut up turkey in the skillet and top with enough leftover gravy to cover the turkey pieces. Now add just enough of a good barbeque sauce or grill flavoring or dry rub to flavor your gravy and turkey mix to give it that Sloppy Joe flavor. Scoop on top of a hamburger bun or crusty bread.
3) Curry Turkey Cauliflower 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
Green bean casserole already makes a great start to a creamy and cheesy soup. Tomatoes help brighten this cheesy soup just a touch. Begin by cooking some big pieces of celery in a soup pot, adding coarse diced onions and some minced garlic, cooking until just fragrant. Add a can of diced tomatoes, either fire roasted or regular. Add a little grill seasoning for extra flavor. Now put your leftover green bean casserole in the pot, stirring until it looks like soup. You might add a bit of turkey or chicken broth if you want the soup thinner. Cook slowly together until the soup is all hot and bubbly.
5) Breakfast Stuffing Cups
Prepare a muffin tin by spraying with non-stick spray or rubbing each muffin cup with butter or oil. Spoon stuffing into muffin cups and push up the sides to form little stuffing cups. Break one egg into each cup. Then top with shredded cheese, either cheddar or Parmesan. Cook in a 350 degree oven for around 15 to 20 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and golden brown and the egg is cooked. Be sure to let the muffin tin cool a little after you take it out of the oven before you remove the egg dish.
There are many more ways to create a new meal out of leftover dishes. Rethink the leftovers you have on hand, keeping in mind the ingredients that are in that particular dish. Then you'll be able to add just a few ingredients to come up with a new and unique meal. - 16459
About the Author:
Nicole Dean is the mostly-sane mom behind 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 tutorial for work at home moms.
