leftover dinners

Leftovers get such a bad rap and I’ve been able to figure out exactly why that is. I suppose the thought of re-heating precisely the same dinner you had the night before isn’t particularly appealing, but the reality is, leftovers can form the foundation for an amazingly simple and delicious meal. Since they act as the ‘prepping’ station, leftovers make mealtime uncomplicated and stress-free and given that most of the groundwork is done, all you have to do is let your creativity take over and allow yourself to experiment. Last week I made three meals for my family, and those three meals actually produced six meals. Six fantastic meals that were made from the same dinner we enjoyed the night before.

The idea that one can take a dish savored the previous day, and alter it to produce something altogher new and exciting is such a brilliant concept. I for one, am a huge advocate of this practice and for busy families, active career-folk and those of us who constantly seem to have a million things on the go, the notion that life can be made simpler somehow (even on a small scale) is wonderfully appealing to me.

My parents were masterminds at crafting original recipes using leftovers, and they were able to transform those dishes into flavorful and aromatic new meals. I have vivid memories of my father using leftovers to create delectable soups and stews. By adding fresh herbs, spices, beans and vegetables, the dishes tasted completely different and dinner was ready in absolutely no time at all. My mom often used potatoes from prior meals to make tantalizing egg and potato breakfast sautés. It’s still a family favorite. Here are a few excerpts from last week’s dinners. I hope they inspire you to use your leftovers to generate a tasty new meal (and I’d love if you would share your new creations with me.) 

flank steak dinner / steak + asparagus pizza with bechamel + romano

sesame crusted salmon / potato salad with peas, dill, lemon + salmon

roasted chickpeas with thyme / hummus with thyme, lemon + onion