Leftover Magic Tricks-7 Tips To Use Them Up! {Guest Post}

Today’s post is a guest post from Brandie over at SpoonAndSaucer. I’m excited to have her here today because she’s sharing her top 7 tips for using up and repurposing leftovers. I know I can use some ideas for that and she’s got a few I haven’t thought of before. Welcome Brandie!

Let’s face it, we all have them: leftovers. Even when planning out meals for the week, we still have tidbits of nummy goodness lurking in the dark corners of the kitchen. I love a good leftover night, as I know you readers to too (link to the Leftover category/tag?). I also enjoy mixing it up by reusing those little morsels in other ways, and once in a while, hit a tasty leftover lottery!

It’s simple to do, with a little creativity:

1. Gather together, or list, what is there in the fridge or on the counter (i.e. bread.)

2. Take two ingredients that relate to each other, and see if you can visualize them making beautiful music together.

OR

Use the Google Food Blog Search with those two ingredients to see what the highly creative food blogs are doing with those two leftover treasures. There’s some good things to be discovered in there!

Wait, my brain hurts… Still befuddled and overwhelmed? If you’re not feelin’ it, or suffering from weeknight creativity slumps, here’s some ways you can retool those leftovers (and no one will be the wiser):

1. Leftover chicken carcass = slow cooker stock: I saw this on 100DaysofRealFood.com, and I haven’t made stock any other way since. Look it up – I know you’ll love it, and you may never buy canned stock again. (Bonus points if you use the slow cooker chicken recipe beforehand [link].)

2. Leftover veggies = soup booster: Once you’ve made that stock, use your leftover veggies and any chicken from the carcass to make soup, add a grain or two and watch the magic happen. Even better, put it in the slow cooker!

3. Leftover veggies = “Mixed Bag Salad”: Take 2+ veggies, mix in some leftover meat, and leafy greens (lettuce, kale, spinache, etc.) and add your favorite salad dressing. Better still: Make a “salad bar” for the family, and let them get their own creativity on.

4. “Mixed Bag Salad” Wraps: Take #3 and put it in a leftover tortilla, wrap or between two slices of bread.

5. Leftover veggies + eggs = Breakfast Easy Button: Toss leftover veg into soft scrambled eggs, or omelette.

6. Leftovers = Bento: Use leftover pasta, veggies, fruit or whatever else is laying around. Arrange it in a storage container for easy bento. Your family will worship you. Really. (If creativity eludes you, search on Pinterest for “bento ideas”… and set a timer!)

7. Leftover Grilled Cheese: I usually have a tomato, apple, pear, bell pepper, or other straggling plant life needing to be used up. Slice them up thinly and add to your grilled cheese. The possibilities are endless on this… and delicious.

I hope this helps you view your leftovers in a different light. You might surprise yourself with the options you come up with. Now, go retrieve those tidbits from the dark corners of the fridge, and get your creativity on!