How do you use your leftovers and turn them into something good?

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Uhoh...that sounds bad...thanks for the info. We are getting one soon and I would have done it...WHEW!
 
Re: Now that you've made it, what do you do with it?

AllenMI said:
Yes, I'm talking about leftovers. This usually doesn't matter to me, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm really looking for ideas of what other people turn they're leftover into, not just eating leftover turkey sandwiches. I'm looking for things to do with leftover mashed potatoes, different ways to use the meat, things to do with rice, etc.

I do not do leftovers. What is not eaten at holiday dinners gets sent home with my guests. One year, I made plates of dinner including the rolls, desert and a soda placed on sturdy throw-aways plates and my cousins took and distributed them out to the homeless around town. Got rid of the leftovers, made a lot of people happy, including ourselves.


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:roll: GO DUCKS
 
In regards to turkey, I freeze the leftovers. They freeze really well. Turkey pot pie is one of my favorite leftover turkey meals.

We usually eat a late lunch/early dinner, so we're usually snacking on leftovers in the early evening.

The mashed potatoes can be used as a base for corned beef hash patties. Good breakfast food.
 
If I have leftover roast chicken , or turkey, I rely on good old Campbell's crream of soup.. could be mushroom, chicken, celery, asparagus...
and I cook up some egg noodles and mix it all together. Nothing fancy but hubby likes it. Sometimes I will add some veggie to it.
 
Boy, how times change!

I saw this thread, and thought, "I didn't make that post!". Then I saw the date. Wow! Over three years ago!

When I made that post, my daughter was only a couple months old. Now, she's a happy, healthy 3-y.o. My twins are 5, and the oldest boy is now a teenager.

Holiday leftovers? They don't last long. Maybe 36 hours, and that's pushing it.
 
Most things that are good the first time are good leftover in soup. We like soup from leftovers better than made fresh - more variety in flavor.
 
The only thing I can't eat left over is fish.

I use leftover salmon to make salmon patties or seafood pasta. Leftover shrimp also goes into seafood pasta, or Zatarain's gumbo.

DH slices leftover baked potatoes into wedges and browns them in a little oil in a skillet.
We also sometimes spread them out on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic/herb seasoning. They then go into a 375 oven until golden on one side...then flip them with a spatula and do the other.

Other leftover vegetables, besides being good for soups, rice and pasta dishes, are good for topping baked potatoes.
You can also use them to make a good impromptu dip. Broccoli or spinach are especially good.

Has anyone mentioned using assorted leftovers as fillings for calzones? In fact, they can be used for all sorts of fillings.

I like to slice a French loaf in half lengthwise, pull out most of the inside, and fill it up with whatever I have plus cheese and mayo (Miracle Whip),
set halves on foil-covered baking sheet, cover loosely with foil (so foil doesn't stick), and put in 350 oven until filling is hot and bubbly. Then take foil off and let the top brown a little if you want. It's good either way.
Let it set a few minutes, then slice and serve. It's even good cold the next morning.
 
I've been able to plan our menus well enough that we rarely have leftovers. When we do, they are quite modest and they usually get eaten at lunch a day or two later.

When we have lots of soup/stew leftover, I just put them in a large container and put in the freezer for a busy day or when I don't feel like cooking.

When all 5 of the children were still at home, there was no such thing as leftovers!!:ohmy:
 
make a stew with meat and veggies any gravy or broth and roux, use potatoes to make dumplings or a mashed potato topping (ala shepherds pie)

make soup

make "chili"

make w/ noodle casserole

a lot of the fun of cooking is using leftover creatively. Also you become economical turning that roast into a soup or stew or meat pie.
 
bubble and squeak

that's what we call it... throw all the leftovers into a frying pan, add some worchestshire sauce, bbq or tomato sauce (ketchup) and fry up resulting in the above. Throw a couple of pieces of bread in the toaster and serve with B & S. Great for the night after the party the night before, if that makes sense. My grandmother was English so I think that is where we got the name for it.:cool:
 
One cook's leftovers are another cook's "prep".

What is left over from Sunday's "pot roast" is the foundation for Wednesday's stew, soup or diced/shreaded roast meat and dumplings, or even a hash.

Speaking of hash - I always bake 1-2 more 'taters than I need just for that! You can also grate or cube one for hash-browned potatoes, dice and brown for a fritatta, turn into potatoes O'Brian ...

Leftover baked/boiled/broiled chicken can be turned into chicken with long grain and wild rice with mushrooms.

I've taken leftover grilled hamburger patties - chopped them up (actually, I just crumbled them up in my hands), added them to sauteed onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms, a splash of tomatoe sauce and/or a tetch of Worcestershire and/or steak/chop sauce and used them for a topping for baked potatoes with a little grated cheddar and a dollop of sour cream.

And, that is just a few ideas.

Leftovers doesn't have to be a nasty word .... or a bland meal.
 
Leftovers doesn't have to be a nasty word .... or a bland meal.

Exactly :)

I cook wayyyy too much just for the two of us, so YES we like leftovers. If it's a lot, we'll save it for another meal or FoodSaver it into lunch size portions for weekday 'no cook' lunches. If it's a small amount, and depending on what it is, it goes into a freezer bag for soups and/or future casseroles.
 
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