Your most creative leftovers

[Renee]

What is your most creative leftovers? I am newly trying to not throw out things and to freeze what isn't eaten or use it in another meal. I will admit I'm not all that creative. I made pork fried rice the other week and turned one leftover pork chop into dinner for two. Tomarrow we are having chilli made with two leftover hamburgers and a small bit of homemade pizza sauce that wasn't all that good. (You know that "Wendy's" chilli is made from leftover hamburgers.) My all time most creative was creamed chicken from one BBQ grilled chicken breast and some chicken taco meat. It was nice and spicy.

We could have a creative leftover challenge!!

[Sew4heaven]

For left over pancakes we make them into peanutnut or almond butter and jelly sandwiches. (I have two kids allergic to peanuts.)

Left over baked or mashed potatoes we make into hash browns or
mash them up and scramble them into eggs with some spices.

Left over rice can be made into rice pudding if it doesn't have hot spices in it.

Left over vegetables we use in omlettes, scrambled eggs, a casserole or soup.

Left over meat can be made into sandwiches with either of these on the sandwich(ketchup , mustard, or relish.) and of course lettuce or alfalfa sprouts.

In a magazine one time I saw some uses for left over oat meal, or cream of wheat. The suggestion was to make them into
"sundaes" put on raisens, chocolate chips, dried fruit, syrup or anything that you would put on sundaes. We cann't do most of this because I have a few children that are allergic to refined sugar.

Hope these ideas help.

[Abear]

You indicate that you use almond butter because you have two children allergic to peanuts. These children can still have the almond butter??? Are they deathly allergic to peanuts?

I am just asking becuase my # 1 DS is deathly allergic to peanuts & soy. So much so that the doctor highly advised me to avoid ALL nut products. Just wondering if that is one thing my son could possibly have as he still remembers what peanut butter tastes like and still misses it! Its a wonder we didn't kill him before we knew of his allergy!!! It took several doctors before one finally made the connection & diagnosis!!

Depending on your response, I may make it a point to ask about almond butter next time my son goes in for his allergy shots!

[Sew4heaven]

My two boys that are allergic to peanuts were allergic as babies when I was breast feeding them. One would scream for 4 hours 8 hours after I ate peanut butter. Then when he got older and I for got about it. When he at peanut butter, he would get syptoms of a cold but over and about that when he eats peanuts and can not hear.

My other child that is allergic to peanuts when I breast feed him as a baby he would have problems breathing.

Both now to this day think that peanuts and peanut butter stinks.

They are not deathly allergic to it but I'm nut willing to try. I have not had problems with them eating chocolate and some people say that you should be careful about chocolates and fried foods away from home. I haven't had to be that careful.

With almond butter you need to read all labels because not all almond butters are just almonds. Of course you could buy almonds and make your own butter.

I don't know if this helps any?

[anngj]

I'm no leftover queen, but I do use leftover cooked chicken a lot. I either bake way more than I need when I'm baking it, or I just stew a whole bunch at one time, cool it, cut it into pieces, and freeze it in two-cup portions. (That's the size most of my recipes use when they call for pre-cooked chicken or turkey.) Also, this provides a good amount of broth, which I also freeze in 8 ounce portions and some in ice cube trays (about 1 ounce per cube). People think you're really gourmet when you use homemade broth!

[MauraM]

My mom used to make "Leftover Casserole" just by adding a can of chili to the variety of leftovers, and 9 out of 10 times it was very tasty! Its different every time, but there's something about chili that can pull it all together into a yummy dish. Even us picky kids looked forward to it

Good luck!

[momof4]

I haven't actually tried this yet, but I have read several things that suggest keeping a bowl in the freezer for the last little spoonfuls of things that aren't worth keeping, like a few green beans, 1 small piece of meat, etc. Once it gets "full" add broth (like chicken or vegetable) and turn it into a soup. I have to admit this sounds strange to me, but I've read it turns out very good. I have put some leftover pasta, rice, veggies, into my bag(I use a freezer bag) and I now have enough to try it out.

I think that will be my goal tomorrow. I'll let you know how it turns out!!

Angela

[Renee]

DH Gram makes "Friday Soup" with the weeks leftovers. She adds pasta and a can of other veggies if she is running low. You can also save the water you cook veggies in and keep it as "veggie broth" for soups. Many of the vitamins end up in the water.

I am thinking about making a box of mac & cheese and adding the leftover sloppy joe meat to it. I am wondering if it will be like a Hamburger Helper meal. I think I just may try it!

I'll let you know how it turns out!

[OmommyO]

I'm boring. Left overs are tomorrows lunch around here. My husband takes all leftovers for his lunch. If there are still some left after our supper and his lunch, then I freeze and take out for a lunch some where down the road. The only exception is when I have left over pork chops. I cut the left overs up, mix with stuffing and cream of mushroom soup and bake until hot. Easy supper but also enough left for lunch athe next day.

[Renee]

I did the Mac&Cheese and left-over sloppy joe meat. DH said it was fine. He is easy to please. Now I have leftovers of that for my lunch today!