Here are some useful household ideas for using leftover food or recipe ingredients to make new dishes – – don’t waste those leftovers, instead cook and bake and make and create into a whole new dish, quick and easy.
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Flour Tortillas
Create a tasty treat by cutting the tortillas into triangles or strips and frying in hot oil (375°) until crispy. Dry on paper towels. Then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
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Bread
It’s always good to have some stale bread on hand. Freshly grated bread crumbs are way better than the store variety. If the bread hasn’t gotten too stale, it is also still good for making Croutons : just cut into cubes, spread on a baking sheet and sprinkle with oil and any desired seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc.) Pop into a hot (400°) oven for 7-10 minutes.
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Potato Salad
Here’s a great idea if you don’t fancy having those potato salad leftovers again and again (you know, from that big bowl you served at your last outdoor BBQ!): make them into potato pancakes. Just chop finely and fry up in a little oil or butter. You can use them “as is” or add some new ingredients or spices to liven them up a bit!
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Dill Pickle Juice
This makes an excellent ingredient in salad dressings. Think of it as a flavored vinegar.
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Help! What do I do with that extra Hot Dog Bun ??
Here’s what you can do with it — cut the bun in half, butter or brush a little oil on each half, sprinkle with garlic powder and maybe a little Parmesan cheese and bake to make a quick garlic bread.
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Meat and Potatoes
If you have leftover meat, of just about any variety, along with some potatoes, why not finely chop them in roughly equal amounts, add a like amount of chopped onion, and make a hash? Just season with salt and pepper and saute in a hot skillet. You can add a bit of milk to make a darker, more burnt crust.
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Tomato Paste
Tomato paste is said to be very good for you. Add a bit to savory stews, sauces, or anywhere that seems like a good fit.
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Fish Fillet
Crumble, add some bread crumbs, chopped onion, seasonings. Add a beaten egg, form patties, and saute up some fish cakes!
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Baked Potatoes
Make Gnocchi. Scoop out the white of the potato and combine with about double the amount of flour. Add enough beaten egg to make a workable dough that can be rolled into a long, snakelike cylinder. Cut into one inch pieces. Cook in boiling, salted water; when they rise to the top, they’re done. Serve with your favorite pasta sauce.
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Shredded Cheese
What to do with all that pre-grated cheese you have left? Grilled Cheese Sandwich; Quesadilla; Nachos, cheesy Garlic Toast, or use as a quick and easy topping for a baked potato or green salad.
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Chicken necks, giblets, etc.
Save these in the freezer to make delicious, rich chicken stock, which will improve the quality of countless dishes.
To make stock: Put the chicken pieces in a large stock pot. Add a halved onion; a couple carrots and celery stalks, broken in two; a few cloves of garlic, smashed; and a couple of whole cloves. Cover completely with water, and add a teaspoon of pepper, and a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for an hour or two. Strain through a fine sieve into various sized containers that you can freeze and use as needed.
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Buttermilk
If you have buttermilk left over from a recipe, make buttermilk biscuits or pancakes.
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Corned Beef and Cabbage
Of course, Corned Beef or Reuben Sandwiches are obvious ideas for the meat, but don’t forget about the vegetables and cooking liquid. Skim off excess fat, chop the vegetables into smaller pieces (a spring-action vertical chopping device is perfect for this – you can do it without even removing the veggies from the liquid) and heat up for a delicious, hearty soup!
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