Got Leftovers???

Don't waste money by letting those leftovers sit in the fridge uneaten. Here are some ideas on how to use some of those leftovers up. As a matter of fact when I'm planning my meals I plan on using leftovers later in the week. Proteins are one of the most expensive items on my grocery bill so I'm saving money by making sure there is no waste. Also, by using a meat that has already been cooked, I'm saving time in the kitchen at least a couple of times a week, so many times I'll purposely make sure I have that leftover meat. These ideas will make completely different meals out of the leftovers and your family will love them.

Chicken - A little bit of chicken goes a long way in chicken and dumplings or even chicken noodle soup, my favorite thing to do is completely pick over a roasted chicken for meat to make these two family favorites. Use leftover chicken breasts to make a chicken salad (chicken, grapes,green onion, cilantro, nonfat yogurt, mayo, curry powder, salt and pepper) place on lettuce tossed with some lemon juice and olive oil. Try chicken quesadillas with your leftovers, change them up a bit by adding thinly sliced granny smith apples.

Mashed Potatos - Make a complete meal using those leftover mashed potatos. Spread mashed potatos in a baking dish and top with cooked seasoned ground beef, drained canned corn, and shredded cheddar cheese to make a yummy and easy shephard's pie (have leftover meatloaf along with your mashed potatos? Crumple it up and add it instead of cooking up more ground beef). Or you can make a completely different side dish by making mashed potato pancakes...try this link for a yummy recipe: http://natashaskitchen.com/2012/03/23/easy-mashed-potato-pancakes/.

Pork or Beef Roasts - Everyone knows that leftover roasts make a fabulous BBQ sandwich the next night, which my 7 year old loves, but you can try one of these ideas too. Shred up your roast like you normally would for sandwiches but instead of adding BBQ sauce add green chili salsa and warm up, add to your tacos or burritos. Make a soup by cooking egg noodles in beef broth and top with the shredded roast.

Pork Chops - Create breakfast for dinner by reheating those chops placing over hashbrowns and then placing a over medium fried egg on top.  Or cut pork chops up into to tiny bites and place in egg fried rice. Cook rice according to directions on package, in another pan scramble an egg up in some canola oil and remove from pan. Remove egg and add more oil...add some sliced green onion and garlic for about a minute, add rice and egg, add a little soy sauce.