Every time I post about using leftovers, someone will tell me they don’t like leftovers or their husband doesn’t like leftovers. You may not believe this but I don’t like leftovers if it’s “just” leftovers. Take roast beef for example. I don’t like reheated roast beef as far as sliced or chunks over rice or potatoes. I love it the first day but if I take that roast and chop it, add potatoes, onions, peppers and make a hash of sorts, I love that. Or if I shred it, add enchilada sauce and make it into enchiladas, that’s fine. I can chunk it up and make a vegetable beef soup and I’ll eat that. Vince, on the other hand, would eat roast beef as it was originally cooked til it’s gone and be happy. I am very lucky in that regard.
I’ve gotten very good at changing up leftovers into something I love.
Sunday we had steamed broccoli and had a lot left over. Monday we had chicken piccata. Saturday I made a big container of pimiento & cheese.
This morning I cooked a pot of rice. I used chicken broth instead of water and added butter. I chopped some of the leftover chicken and the leftover broccoli, heated it up with some of the lemony piccata liquid, added it to the cooked rice and stirred in quite a bit of pimiento cheese. I put buttered crushed saltine crackers on top and baked it til all the cheese was melted. We both said that was the best chicken, broccoli and rice I’ve ever made.
Even with that being leftovers, there was enough left for another meal for both of us. I froze that. There’s enough left for me to have it tomorrow when Vince has meatballs and spaghetti.
I used half of a package of 6 chicken breasts that was $12. So, for 6 meals, we had chicken piccata, then chicken, broccoli and rice. There’s enough for another whole meal of chicken, broccoli and rice and enough chicken for us to have chicken sandwiches. That’s at least 4 meals from $6 of chicken. Yes, I added other ingredients but any time we can have a delicious meal and the protein was only $1.50, these days . . I’m happy.
Diana G says
That is how we like to do our leftovers ; and we come up with some of the best yummy meals.
Twyla K Starr says
Leftover rice in our scrambled eggs is so good. Especially with a few other add ins. I love leftover roast into hash. Pinto beans into nachos. With all your herbs I could think of a lot of leftovers into something new to eat.
I do not care for leftovers warmed over. My mother was a warmer over cook. And over and over.
marcie says
My mother always served leftovers so I never thought anything about it. I’ve done the same thing for over 51 years, LOL. Mom sometimes called them “planned overs” but I just call them leftovers. And if there are small amounts of several things that have accumulated, we help ourselves and call it smorgasbord or grazing or fend-for-yourself! And since I now have Covid for the first time, I’m very glad to have leftover soup for tonight!