Use it Up

[euphrasyne]

Tonight's Dinner to clean out the fridge:

 

Cheesy Southwest Soup

1/2 brick Velveeta (off brand)

2 c shredded Mexican cheese

1 qt chicken broth

leftover chicken soup homemade (*1.5c)

* 1/2 c black beans cooked

*1/4 c leftover field peas

leftover chicken fajitas diced (chicken, onions, peppers)

leftover roasted veggies (carrots, onions, peppers)

1 leftover chicken apple sausage cooked and sliced up

Fajita and Cajun seasoning

Crockpot all till done.  * 6 hours on low.  

 

Oriental Salad 

lettuce chopped

leftover small 1/2 side salad

mandarin oranges

leftover beef fajita meat cut in half

chow mein noodles

 

Oriental Salad Dressing

toasted sesame oil

apple cider vinegar (out of mirin)

soy sauce

minced candied ginger

lemon juice

brown sugar

honey

maple syrup

minced garlic

Eyeball all amounts into a mason jar and shake, shake, shake.  Refrigerate 2h+ before using

 

Homemade Garlic Breadsticks

I'm having issues shaping because of my bad wrist, but they tasted good.  

 

 

Edited March 15, 2023 by euphrasyne

[Littlesister]

That is a lot of leftovers but you had the right idea. Bet it turned out well.  As for the bread that looks really great. Doesn't have to be shaped that well. I am sure it tasted really great and went really well with the leftovers. When my GS gets home from work in the middle of the night, I have no leftovers anymore. He pulls whatever is in the fridge and heats it up. Eats that and then hits the junk food. What can I say? He's a junk food fanatic.

tonight I cooked steak, corn on the cob, and for him fries that he will cook in the oven when he comes home in the morning.  I had a baked potato. Steak and corn he can just heat up. He's like a human garbage disposal. 

[kappydell]

One of my favorite use it up meals is fried rice.  I often eat it for breakfast with just egg as the protein, but it will take any leftover meat or veggies, or even the stuff getting old in the crisper.

 

SIMPLE FRIED RICE

1-2 cups left over rice, either refrigerated or room temperature per person

some cooking fat - I have used bacon grease, margarine, oil...whatever you have enough to saute everything.  Usually 2-3 TB per person

1 egg per diner, 2 if no additional meat is being used

leftover veggies, aboujt 1 cup per person.  If no leftovers, frozen peas and carrots or mixed veggies are my go-tos.  I also use up any soft celery, green pepper, or carrots that might need using up. Chopped green peppers add nice color and flavor

any kind of onions you have on hand....green ones use the green part too, cut in 1 inch pieces, chop big ones, onion powder if no fresh available

any leftover meats, diced.  Mixed makes it more interesting. For breakfast, bacon, bacon bits, or ham goes nice with the eggs.

optional: I like to shred some kind of greens, either a collard leaf or the outer leaves of cabbage, broccoli or other brassica, or foraged greens for a little extra color.  I have shredded up a wilted radish or two which surprised me by its mildness.  

soy sauce

sugar

vinegar 

hot sauce

Saute onions if using in fat.  Add any fresh vegetables to get them softened up.  Separately scramble egg, cook and chop fine; if you like a creamier fried rice, just scramble it and set aside.  Throw if frozen veggies, if using, then leftovers/precooked meats and veggies to warm them through.  When everything is cooked the way you like it, toss in the rice and the eggs.  Precooked and chopped eggs make a drier fried rice, if you add the raw scrambled eggs with the rice keep stirring until the egg ccoats the rice.  This makes a moister dish.  Season using equal parts of sugar and vinegar (1 TB) for a sweet sour base, then add soy sauce to taste, and hot sauce if you want it spicy.  Stir to mix everything well.  The combination makes it taste more like carry out.  When everything is heated through, and egg is set, pile it on a plate and dig in.

 

I like this with eggs for breakfast or for a lenten meatless dish.  The meat version is a tasty way to use smaller pieces of meats, separately or in combination.  Vegetables can be easily varied to fit what you have on hand, be they fresh, cooked, foraged, or ???  I do not add more salt, as the soy sauce (I use a low sodium version, and dilte it further with a little water to get the sodium DOWN) has enough salt for me.  If you need more salt, use bouillion powder or crush up a cube, so you get more flavor than just "salty", OK?  Other optional seasonings: garlic powder, ginger, hot peppers if you like it hot.  

 

 

 

 

Edited March 17, 2023 by kappydell

[euphrasyne]

I make my fried rice in a very similar manner.  We have it about 2-3 times a month with stirfry for dinner.   I usually add in garlic and MSG instead of salt and I omit the sugar.   I had not thought to add hot sauce to it.  I will have to try it your way and see how the teen likes it.  

 

I love my hot sauces.  

 

I have an asian crunch chili sauce that is super spicey called momofuku chili crunch.  It is toasted sesame seeds in a spicy chili oil base.  I add a baby spoon of it to my meals that need spicy and crunchy.  If it just needs spice, I use  korean gochujang for asian dishes or cayenne based hot sauce for american dishes.  For vegetables, I serve with a spiced pepper vinegar.   I have several types including homemade.  My Papaw always made his homemade and his was so much better than mine, but he died without passing on that recipe.  If anyone has a great recipe for homemade pepper vinegar (spicy type) please pass it along!  I remember that the peppers Papaw used were small and green and he grew them, but I don't remember what type they were.  He also added other things than vinegar but I'm not sure what he used to make his so delicious.  

Edited March 17, 2023 by euphrasyne