Still More Leftover Ideas

I have been having fun trying to figure out creative ways to use up leftovers.  The initial rounds of ideas was straightforward, leftover chicken or vegetables can easily go into enchiladas, soups, and stir-frys.  With a blender leftover fruits and vegetables can become smoothies or gazpacho in minutes.  A more challenging thought is to use up leftovers that are not as commonly saved, such as salad, already cut up fruit, and bread, or muffins.  Here are some things that I do:

Leftover salad: Stir fry a mixed green salad(with dressing) until wilted, serve like sauteed spinach.  Chop up leftover salad and add to soups or spaghetti sauces.  Puree with a can of vegetable cocktail drink (like V8) for quick gazpacho.  For leftover coleslaw, rinse off the dressing and add shredded cabbage to soups.

Leftover fruit: the quickest is to add to smoothies, or puree and make popsicles. If you have leftover fruit salad from stone fruit or berries, bake with a quick topping for a fruit crisp.

Leftover bread, muffins: cut into cubes, toast lightly, and make a breakfast strata.  For the strata you can add leftover vegetables and meat (see below).

Leftover leftovers: accumulate savory leftovers in a freezer bag and make clean out the fridge soup.

Clean out the fridge strata

4 eggs, beaten
1 cups milk
3 green onions, sliced
Equivalent of 4 slices of bread, toasted and cubed, stale is fine
1 cup leftover vegetables and meat
1/2 cup cheese
seasoning: tobasco, 1 T mustard, worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a greased casserole dish, place the bread cubes.  In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, green onions, leftovers, and seasonings.  Pour over the bread cubes and let sit for at least half an hour (can make the night before).  when ready to bake, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 30 minutes until puffy and golden brown.  If refrigerated overnight, bake an additional 15 minutes.

shared at Frugal Friday, Pennywise Platter, and Food Renegade