First, and foremost, let me again remind you to
please keep those votes coming for my brother! Thank you for your votes already, they're working! He updated you guys in the comments section to let you know he received a call from Murphy-Goode to submit proof of his credentials and eligibility to work in the US, along with some writing samples. He has a 30 minute phone interview tomorrow, too! Keep your fingers crossed!
Next is pretty exciting news, too! Mara at What's for Dinner? featured my
Spaghetti Squash Boats as a "Guest for Dinner" on her blog! Thanks again, Mara! :) Don't forget, she's still having a
give-away for her adorable food blogger charms until June 1st, or you can
purchase them outright for only $7! What a steal! I have the little laptop one en route to me as we speak, I just couldn't resist!
My give-away is still going on, too! Guess the number of pistachios for a chance to win a 1 year subscription to Taste of Home magazine! You have until June 1st!
Finally, remember BSI: Corn ends this Sunday, so get your creative corn recipes into Sophia at
Slurp and Burp! She's giving away adorable funky socks and a cute little case to the winner!
Tonight's dinner was a stir-fry using up a ton of veggies in the fridge and leftover steak from Johnny's parents' house on Monday.
Served over white rice was:
1 large carrot
1 small head of broccoli
1 cup string beans, cut in 1" pieces
1 small green pepper
<1/4 cup chopped onion
1 small zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 stalk of celery
I sauteed these in a stovetop wok with a drizzle of olive oil over high heat for about 4 minutes. Next, I poured in a mixture of about 3 Tbsp each of water, Hoisin sauce, and reduced sodium soy sauce. I let this reduce for about a minute, and then in the final minute threw in slices of 2 leftover steaks and about 1/4 cup of roasted peanuts.
Stir-fries are a great way to use up not only vegetables, but leftover meat. It gives you the freedom to cut the meat in smaller pieces and add it at the end of cooking, so it doesn't get dried out and overdone. Had I used this steak in another method, it would have easily become very tough and dry, but it remained moist and tender heated only a minute with the veggies at the end.
Other great ways to use up leftover meat include:
Stuffed Peppers! Use any pre-cooked meat and mix with veggies or rice. Stir in cheese or spices to make the meal have a different taste each time. Spoon the mixture into a half of a green pepper, and top with sauce or gravy and bake in a 350° oven, covered, until the peppers are tender, usually about 30-45 minutes.
I've made two versions of stuffed acorn squash, found
here and
here. The squash microwaves quickly and you can use literally anything to fill the cavity where you've scooped out the seeds. Couscous, quinoa, small noodles, rice, and any veggies or meat you have on hand. The possibilities are endless!
Pot pies are an excellent way to use up both red meat and poultry. Mix the meat with a gravy and your choice of fresh or frozen veggies. You can buy the frozen pie crusts in the pack of 2 and simply flip the 2nd crust upside down as the "top," and crimp the edges together. Either bake then, or freeze for later! My mom
always makes turkey pot pies with all the Thanksgiving leftovers, killing two birds with one stone!
Soups! I've made way too many to link to, so you can either search (up at the top), or come up with your own ideas! I usually start with my "big ass pot" and fill it with a mixture of veggies on hand. Carrots, celery, onions, potatoes are staples. Then, vegetable stock and sometimes rice, barley, pasta, to bulk it up. I usually use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, but you could use any meat on hand. Just add it to the pot last and let it come up to temperature. This is another post-Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey user-upper.
Sweetie Pie's cabbage nests are fantastic for new flavors and ideas. I've made them
with sausage and I've made them
with chicken. Simply roast the cabbage and any veggies in the oven. Then, assemble, putting the meat of your choice, sauce, gravy, etc. on top and bake. You could add cheese during the second bake, or even top it with a fried egg, which Sweetie has done before, but I've yet to try!
Savory bread pudding is a relatively new introduction to my repertoire of using up leftover meat, but it's a great one! Use up your old bread, use up veggies, and use up meat. Smother it with eggs and cheese - could anything be better, or easier? It also scores bonus points for being a one dish meal and the ability to throw it in the oven and forget about babysitting it!
Throw it on a salad! I've put everything from leftover steak cut in strips, chunked up ham, chicken breast, tuna, shrimp, and Morningstar burgers on a salad. It's so easy to fluctuate the toppings and dressing choice to compliment the extra protein you've thrown on top!
If all else fails - add eggs! You can mix meat with your egg sandwich in the morning, throw it in an
omelette, or make a
skillet frittata for dinner! Eggs are a great way to use up leftovers from breakfast to dinner and everything in between!
What is your favorite way to use up leftover meat, or any other leftovers for that matter!? I'm always looking for new ideas because I get bored of meals very fast. I hate repeats and I can't eat the same thing twice in a row or I get tired of it and have to avoid it for a few weeks (or months).
In the same pan used to cook the corn, add about 1/4" oil for frying and bring up to temperature. Drop batter in 2 Tbsp sized fritters into the oil. Cook for about 2 minutes each side, they will brown and crisp up on the outside, and fluff up a bit from the baking powder. Move to a paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess oil.
These could be dressed up with exotic dipping sauces for an appetizer or side dish. I could see making a tomato based sauce, almost like a salsa or a creamy one using sour cream. They're good just on their own, too!
