HOME & GARDEN CONSUMER GUIDE
Frugal Ways With Leftovers
These tried-and-true tricks for leftovers are real family pleasers!
1. Add an egg to about 1 cup leftover mashed potatoes. Shape into patties and fry in butter until brown on both sides.
For a little different taste, add a little bit of grated onion or grated cheddar cheese.
2. Did you know you can freeze cooked rice? Just freeze it in plastic bags and when you're ready to use it, pour rice into a colander and run hot water over.
3. Reroll leftover pieces of piecrust. Cut into any shapes. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and bake till browned at 475 degrees.
4. Have leftover chili? Make nachos! Place tortilla chips on a plate, drizzle with chili, sprinkle with shredded cheese and whatever else you like. Warm in the microwave for a few seconds and top with sour cream. Delicious!
5. Do you always have the heels left when the rest of the loaf of bread is eaten? Put them in a bag in the freezer. When you have enough saved, you can use them to make -
Bread Pudding:
- 3 cups bread crumbs
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Put bread crumbs in 1 1/2 quart oven-proof dish. Mix remaining ingredients and stir into bread crumbs. Place dish in pan of hot water about 1 inch deep. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
This is a nice dessert that is not too sweet.
Or you can cube the heels and add melted butter, sprinkle with garlic powder, spread them on a cookie sheet and bake until brown. Now you have your own homemade croutons! Use them as a snack, on salads or as toppings on your favorite casserole.
6. Leftover roast chicken can be chopped up and used to make any casserole that uses chopped chicken. Either use it the next night or chop the leftover chicken and freeze. This recipe for chicken spaghetti is one of our favorites:
Cook 8 ounces of spaghetti or noodles of your choice as directed on package. Drain and add 1 - 2 cups diced cooked chicken, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 can cream of celery soup, and 1 can cream of mushroom soup. Put into oven- proof dish and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted.
The purest form of frugality is to always use everything up; and what better way to start than by learning to use up all those leftovers!
Cyndi Roberts, Hamilton, TX USA
frugal_friend1@yahoo.com
http://www.cynroberts.com
Cyndi Roberts has been happily married to her best friend for 34 years and is the mother of 3. In her newsletter, "1 Frugal Friend 2 Another" she uses her years of experience as a wife, mother and chief budget officer to help others learn how to "live the good life...on a budget!"
