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Leftover Dinner Magic

What do you do when a meal is finished?  Most of us wash the dishes and wrap up the leftovers, but what happens to the leftover portions not eaten?  Do they get consumed later or do they sit in the refrigerator until they start to smell and you finally throw them out?  If you tend to do the latter, how about saving some time and money by learning how to use those leftovers in new ways to surprise your family at dinner time.

Some people like leftovers and some do not. Still then, many will eat them one day out, but quickly get tired of eating the same thing over and over.  Here’s a way to fix the problem if you or someone in your family is the same way. Let’s start with an example.

You prepare a roasted pork loin and rice for dinner one night.  The family wants something else for dinner the following night so the pork loin gets pushed to the back of the refrigerator.  Normally, that’s where it will stay until you clean out the fridge, right?  Not anymore.  Let’s do something to keep that pork loin from going to waste.

Eating leftovers the way they were originally served, is probably what’s turning family members off from wanting it again the next night.  Your family doesn’t have to eat the pork loin as is.  So, chop that pork loin up into bite size pieces.  

Now you’re probably thinking, ok that’s great, but what do I do with it now?  In a large skillet or wok, stir fry the leftover rice with a bag of frozen veggies, an egg, and some of the chopped pork loin to make pork fried rice. Add a little soy sauce and you’ve got a whole new dinner for your hungry family.

This is just one way that leftovers can be turned into a new dish with a new flavor. The same can also be done using chicken, seafood, or beef.  Let’s take a look at beef.

If you have hamburgers left from dinner, chop them up until they resemble ground beef again. The meat can be combined with chili powder and taco sauce to make beef tacos.  Or, add some beans, chopped peppers and tomatoes, and sauce to create a pot of chili.  If you have the imagination, there are an unlimited number of possibilities of what you can do with meats and side dishes from a previous night’s dinner.

Using a little leftover magic can make one meal last for two, three, or even four more days.  But, you don’t have to eat it all in the same week.  Fix a new meal with the leftovers and freeze it until you are ready to have that particular meat again. On that day, dinner will already be made, all you’ll need to do is heat it up.  Yes, it really can be just that simple.

Your family will be amazed at your ability to transform any meal into a new creation they will enjoy.  Besides that, you will save money on your grocery bill and won’t be throwing it away in the trash can as spoiled leftovers.  Try these and similar ideas to expand your family’s palate.

Christmas Dinner Leftovers

One of the best parts of Christmas dinner is the leftovers. The food always seen to taste better the second or third time you eat it. Here are uses and guidelines for handling Christmas dinner leftovers.

1.      Clean out the refrigerator prior to dinner. You’ll need room for those platters and bowls of leftovers. Anything that can be removed should be removed to make room for the remnants of the Christmas dinner.  

2.      Buy plastic storage bags and containers. Storing food in the original pot or dish is not a good idea. For one, it takes up extra space. Secondly, it leaves too much dead space for liquid to collect. Food keeps better and longer in containers where the leftovers are packed tightly.

3.      Never pack up warm foods. Wait until the meats and side dishes are completely cool before placing them containers to go in the refrigerator. This is another reason why it is better to serve food in bowls on the Christmas dinner table or have everyone heat their own plates at dinner time.

4.      Slice any meat off of the bone before storing. It is easier to handle and produces less mess. The turkey carcass and the ham bone can be frozen for later use in soups and stews. Turkey legs and thigh meat can be sliced off the bone and diced up for turkey salad. Add a little chopped celery, seasonings, and mayonnaise for a lunch treat on bread or crackers.

5.      Create a casserole dish with leftover Christmas dinner rice. Whether it is white rice or wild rice, add some chopped chicken or turkey, a can of cream of mushroom soup, and some shredded cheese. Bake at 325 degrees for about twenty minutes or until soup is bubbly and you have dinner for the next night.

6.      Buy sectioned plate containers and fix meals. This avoids people dipping into leftover bowls over and over. Label each container with the type of food inside. If someone wants turkey and potatoes, they can grab that plate and heat it up without bothering any other leftovers.

7.      Avoid wrapping any leftovers in aluminum foil. Foil is good for cooking but for Christmas dinner leftovers, it will begin to break down as it is opened and reopened by hungry people. If you must wrap something in foil, purchase heavy duty foil for that purpose.

Leftovers are great. They can be used for soups, sandwiches, dips, and more throughout the Christmas holiday. Remember that leftovers in the refrigerator should not be eaten after the fourth day. If you want to keep something longer, freeze it. These are only a few of the ideas and tips that can be used when working with Christmas dinner leftovers.