Have you been eating leftovers a lot lately? While leftovers can be a great way to reduce waste and save some money, eating the same thing every single night can get boring fast. But, with a little ingenuity and a couple spices, you can easily transform your sad leftovers into a special dish.
Here are three easy ways to make the most out of your leftovers.
1. Make a Frittata for the Family
You can make a frittata with virtually anything. From tomatoes and peppers to pasta and sausage, it can use up a lot of your leftovers. To make a frittata, all you need to do is dice your leftovers, whisk some eggs and cream together, and cook it in a cast iron skillet. Then, add a bit of cheese and bake it in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 20–25 minutes. Plus, don’t forget to add some spice for even more flavor! Bell Pepper Herb Rub works well in meatier frittatas while Seasoning Salt complements most veggies.
2. Build Your Own Bowl Meals
What do you do if you have leftover meat, cooked veggies, and/or rice? Make bowl meals, of course! Depending on what you have on hand, you can customize your bowls so they’ll please even the pickiest eaters. Shred your leftover meat, season your veggies with Tex-Mex Rub or Southwestern Seasoning Mix, and warm up your choice of rice and beans. And, to make serving even easier, set up your toppings station-style so everyone can personalize their bowls their own way.
3. Bring on the Loaded Baked Potatoes
There’s nothing better than a warm baked potato covered in your favorite toppings. So, put your leftovers to good use by making loaded baked potatoes. They’re fresh, filling, and fun to make with the family. And, depending on what ingredients you have in your fridge and your pantry, you can come up with delicious, new flavor combinations! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Sour Cream + Chives + Cheddar Cheese
You can never go wrong with this classic combination. But if you want to spice things up a bit, sprinkle some Crushed Peppercorn & Garlic Rub on your spuds for a surprising kick.
Chili + Green Onions + Shredded Cheese
Make this quick yet hearty meal by loading your baked potatoes with Easy Weeknight Chili, green onions, shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. Oh, and a little Smoky Applewood Rub wouldn’t hurt.
Pulled Pork + Sweet Potatoes + BBQ Sauce
Looking for a sweeter take? Substitute regular potatoes for sweet potatoes. Then, pile on the pulled pork, add some corn, and slather it in BBQ sauce to make a satisfying meal the whole family will love.
Shredded Chicken + Broccoli + Cheddar Cheese
For a cozy and comforting meal, load up your potatoes with shredded chicken, broccoli florets, and a generous amount of cheddar cheese. As the cheese melts, your potatoes will overflow with ooey-gooey goodness.
How do you repurpose your leftovers? Tell us in the comments below.
So excited to get started!
Use leftover meatloaf to make stuffed peppers.
I also used extra homemade alfredo sauce (made in the cooking blender) as the sauce to make white pizza. So delicious
Great idea for the meat loaf!!
Not a fan of meatloaf 🤮
Sonya, great ideas!!!
I make Salsa chicken nave burritos & tacos one night then take the left over mean make enchiladas and freeze them for another night or make chicken pizza with the left overs
When I have little bits of left over chicken, or hamburger, and vegetables; I add a a broth (chicken or beef) and make a pot of soup.
Yum!!!!!
I love anything that is Mexican Food!
I repurpose leftover chicken with our sauces to make a handy skillet and serve over rice. I repurpose Pork Roasts/chops as Verde Enchilada casserole (add green enchilada sauce to cooked pork.Make a lasagna typ item this way: corn tortilla layer, meat and sauce layer, cheddar cheese layer (use what you have I just like cheddar) repeat until pan is full and top with cheese. I serve with Sour Cream on the side (in a 1 cup prep bowl).
Also Beef is usually repurposed into taco meat or chili
Make fried rice with leftover rice-a-roni.
If I have leftover spaghetti with meat sauce I will make a favorite dish from my childhood called hamburger hash. Made with the leftover sauce, cooked rice, cheeses, and corn.
I use left over rotisserie chicken to make tacos and burritos. The Chimi Lime seasoning is fantastic in these.
I use left over ham to make scallop potatoes in the stoneware or cast iron Dutch oven, both work very well.
Left over steak I use to make a steak and egg Sandwich, seasoning the steak with Southwestern seasoning mk
Akes this very tasty. And yes cheese!!!