Using leftovers to create another meal has been part of my food management for as long as I can remember. One of our favourite meals is corned beef hash and I made it this week with the leftovers of a meal of corned beef, fried cabbage, mashed potatoes and mustard and parsley sauce.
I needed to add more vegetables because there are five of us eating here nowadays and the leftovers just wouldn't stretch that far. So I peeled more potatoes, one and a half sweet potatoes, a large onion and some cabbage. It's easier to develop that nice brown crispy coating on the hash if the potatoes and sweet potatoes you use are cold so cook then well before you cook the meal so they have time to cool down. The leftovers were a large cup of mashed potatoes, half a cup of cooked cabbage, half a cup of mustard and parsley sauce and about 300 grams of cooked corned beef.
In a large frying pan, I cooked the uncooked vegetables first, when they were softened I added the cooked vegetables and the diced corned beef. These cooked slowly on a low heat to develop brown crispy bits. This took about 30 minutes and during that time I turned the mix a few times. Some of us had a fried egg with our hash, some didn't but everyone enjoyed it.
So, another easy meal without adding too much strain to the food budget. This is my favourite leftovers meal. What's yours?
That’s interesting about the potatoes browning better if precooked and cold. I have stored that in the memory bank. I tend to use leftovers by reheating and adding sides. My imagination for creating a dish out of it needs work if that makes sense. Leftovers are also heated for the kids after school to keep them going until dinner.
ReplyDeleteWithout a doubt my favourite leftover meal would have to be bubble and squeak.
ReplyDeleteI love leftovers and so does my DIL with whom I lived for three years before moving to this apartment by myself. We often deliberately planned to have leftovers to use the next day or so. We both like the challenge of creating a totally different meal from them. I succeeded once with a very picky eater who had absolutely no idea that the meal he wa s delighted with were leftovers from the meal two days earlier which he had complanied much about. Complaining about food is an entirely different subject, but we were surprised at his reaction . After praisng the meal, he asked what it was made of. Much embarrassment when he found out.
ReplyDeleteCorn beef hash is good and my sons also fondly remember bubble and squeak fromleftover vegetables. They loved it for a weekend breakfast .
Oh hash is one of my favorites too. I use left over pot roast and vegetables: just regular beef, potatoes, onions, carrots, and cabbage with any left over gravy from the pot roast. With cornbread and butter. Ummmm, Yummy!
ReplyDeleteRoast sweet potatoes are my favourite. Its not too difficult thinking out the box is it when you make it a habit. I'm doing the same, trying to use left over chicken for curries or stews, or adding more veggies, a tin of tomatoes etc to make food stretch for another meal. We are going camping this weekend so thinking of easy meals with what we have in the house so have come up with sausages, corn and baked beans, then veggie, cheesy pancakes. You feel like you're going against the grain sometime thinking, 'what have i got in the pantry, fridge?' instead of most people, what do i want for dinner? lets go to the supermarket.' But I definitely think it is one of the best ways to save money and eat more healthily. Thanks for sharing Rhonda. Hope you're enjoying your newly expanded family, Clare x
ReplyDeleteLeftovers are always considered here even before beginning to cook the original meal! Throw me an egg or 2 with any leftovers sprinkled with some good cheese, grill the top or not, life is good methinks.
ReplyDeleteThey're not leftovers, they're back by popular demand!!
ReplyDeleteThat is a good way to think of it Iris!!
DeleteI haven't had corned beef since I was a child. Your meal sounds delicious. I love leftover beef stew. I also adore meatloaf sandwiches on no knead bread. Delicious! Since I am cooking for one, I eat leftovers all week. It gives me time to do all the other work in the home and garden...
ReplyDeleteThinking of you today, with love, as cricket/knitting season opens. I'm working on another zig zag blanket...what's on your needles?
ReplyDeleteDinner looks splendid and so thrifty too...we love bubble and squeak as well as hash
xox
Hi Susie Q. Lovely to see you here. I watched the first few overs and did something else but I will settle into some cricket knitting soon. I have some hemp here and I want to try something with that but on my needles at the moment are another shawl, dish clothes and I'm looking for a pattern for a winter cardigan for Eve. xxx
DeleteStir fry spring onions and mushrooms with sesame oil then add leftover noodles and broccoli and a splash of soy sauce. Then throw an egg in and stir like crazy until it all gets a bit crunchy. Love it for lunch!
ReplyDeleteKaren (Scotland)
Yum! I love creative ways to use up leftovers!
ReplyDeleteThat looks delicious Rhonda. We eat a lot of leftovers too. I try to cook meals that will last us 2 nights or at least give us delicious meals for breakfast and lunch. Left over roasted or steamed veg often goes into omelettes for breakfast the next morning. And leftover mince is a one that I can make so many other meals from - tacos, baked potatoes, risotto, pasta, toasted sandwiches. Everyone loves it and I pack lots of hidden veg into it. So versatile and nutritious.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite was always 'shepherd's pie' when my family was young. I often cooked a large roast, or a couple of chickens on Sunday and, as I was cleaning up that meal, any leftover gravy, vegetables, some of the meat were put in a casserole dish with leftover mashed potatoes on top. Grated some cheese for the top and it was ready to throw in the oven Monday evening.
ReplyDeleteI too have several recipes that come together when we have leftovers. Potatoes with other veggies Au Gratin and massive omelets are two of our favourites.
ReplyDeleteWe also have left overs in a meal that my Mom invented called a Cafe Complet or Diner Complet. This is made up of all the little bits of dishes that end up as leftovers but are not enough to feed more than one person. So we all get to choose (and sometimes have to flip
a coin) whether we want the macaroni and cheese, the beef stew, the chicken paprika. Everyone ends up with a different meal and if you add a salad or a bowl of rice no one ever seems to complain but you have to remember who got what at the last Complet because that can cause some arguments.
SunnyMidnight
Bubble and squeak or fried rice using all sorts of bits and bobs mixed in or a pie using leftover meat,veggies,gravy etc.
ReplyDeleteI like to make a big pot of stew....either beef, chicken, or venison stew and with the leftovers I place a thinly rolled baking powder biscuit (tea biscuit) crust on top.....yum... with homemade pickes. 😊 Having leftovers allow the flavors to really seep through and seem to taste so much better. 😀
ReplyDeleteThis looks so wonderful. I think I like leftovers even more than the first meal.
ReplyDeletecheers, parsnip and mandibles
Looks delicious Rhonda. Noodles similar to 2 minute noodles are also great to bulk up a left over stir fry. Next time we have silverside I will be making your recipe.
ReplyDeleteYMCA Yesterdays meal cooked again as our family knows it. As well as bubble and squeak, a family favourite is liver and bacon hash. First night very thinly sliced liver with bacon and gravy served with mashed potato and pumpkin and zucchini. Second night leftovers with extra cooked vegies added into one pot.
ReplyDelete