Category: New Life for Old Food

There is no need to throw away perfectly good food, when you can get an entirely new exciting recipe using those ingredients. This book gives you recipes and tips for using this food, saving money, and enjoying life.

Olive Garden sliders

If you’ve ever eaten at Olive Garden, you are familiar with their buttery garlic breadsticks.  They just keep coming.  If you ask for some near the end of your meal to take home, they always oblige.

 

You can create tasty little sliders with the left-over bread sticks.

For Grandma, I used some thinly sliced chicken with some cheddar cheese.  For me, I used ham and cheddar.  Put both open faced in the oven at 350º for about 8 minutes and that’s it.  A little spread of mustard or mayo and they are ready for your mouth.

Pizza Scrap Frittata

INGREDIENTS

  • Left over pizza crusts – about 3 cups
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 C milk
  • 1 C shredded cheese (Mexican mix) yellow and white
  • 1 can Crushed tomatoes (drained)
  • Basil
  • 2 chopped cloves of garlic

STEP BY STEP

  1. Beat together your milk, eggs and cheese in a large mixing bowl
  2. Cut or tear your crusts into 1/2 inch pieces
  3. Combine pieces of pizza with tomato, garlic, basil and toss into the milk mixture
  4. Pour it all into a greased baking dish
  5. Bake at 350º for 40 minutes

Frittata – New Life for Old Food

A frittata is just a fancy way to say casserole.  You can really put just about anything in your frittata.  Here is something that I made that turned out very well.

INGREDIENTS

  • Left-over breakfast ham
  • Left-over French Fries
  • Left-over peas
  • 1/4 C left-over cottage cheese
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 C milk
  • Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
  • Basil leaves
  • 1/4 C frozen/thawed spinach

STEP BY STEP

  1. Oil your eight inch cast iron skillet or individual ramekins
  2. Heat your meat and your french fries (both cut up) in a skillet
  3. Pour into mixing bowl with peas, milk, eggs and shredded cheese
  4. Move to ramekins and bake in oven at 350º for about 15-20 minutes

Mini French Toast Medallions

Olive Garden BreadsticksIf you eat at Olive Garden, you know that you receive an unlimited supply of breadsticks.

Take them home and you will have a great breakfast surprise.

INGREDIENTS for preparing two breadsticks

  • Take-home left over breadsticks
  • One egg
  • 2-3 TBL buttermilk (or whole milk)
  • 2-3 TBL of melted butter
  • 2-3 TBL of canola oil2016-04-24 08.59.18
  • 2-3 TBL granulated sugar
  • 1 TBL Grandpa’s CinnaSugar®

 

STEP BY STEP

  1. Using a dry paper towel, brush the outside of the breadsticks.  Most of the butter will remain, but most of the garlic will be brushed away.
  2. Cut medallions about 1/4 inch thick – discard the tips
  3. Mix all of the above ingredients (except the breadsticks) together in a large mixing bowl
    – when adding your milk, melted butter and canola oil, whisk continually to emulsify the fats
  4. Toss the bread medallions in the mixture
  5. Allow to soak for about five minutes
  6. Toss again and soak for five minutes2016-04-24 09.02.02
  7. Toss again and soak for five minutes
  8. Lightly grease your skillet
  9. Place each soaked medallion in the skillet
  10. Let cook about 5 minutes then flip each one
  11. Let cook about 4 minutes then flip back to the original side
  12. Let cook about 2 minutes, then place on plates
  13. There is no need for butter because we added it into the batter2016-04-24 09.05.37
  14. Simply serve with hot mashed fruit, syrup or honey – depending on your tastes.

 

 

Spaghetti Pie

INGREDIENTS
Per 1 C of (not compacted) cooked pasta
(eg) 2 cups = 2x the ingredients below

1/2 C shredded mozzarella or Provalone cheese

  • Leftover spaghetti pasta strings
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 C marinara sauce
  • 1/4 C sweated onion (diced)
  • 1/4 C Ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 C grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 C ground beef (browned)
  • parsley to taste
  • Tomato sauce – only if needed to thin mixture

STEP BY STEP

  1. Dump each ingredient into a large mixing bowl
  2. Toss well
  3. Place into cake pan
  4. Top with a extra sauce
  5. Top with mozzarella cheese
  6. Sprinkle with a bit of extra Parmesan
  7. Bake 25 minutes @ 350º
  8. Stop with Parmesan and basil chiffonade

 

Beef Carbonara

Use Braised Beef (or any slow-cooked shredded meat) from a previous dinner.

INGREDIENTS

  • Leftover Braised Beef
  • 2 eggs
  • Ham
  • Parm cheese
  • Bacon pieces
  • Hot Pasta

STEP BY STEP

  1. In bottom of small cast iron skillet, melt 2 TBL butter and spread evenly over bottom
  2. Add pieces of uncooked bacon
  3. Spread shredded beef over bottom of the skillet, covering bacon
  4. Crack eggs and put whole on the beef
  5. Add seasoning (Salt, pepper, coriander, cayenne)
  6. Start on stove top until edges start to cook
  7. Grate Parmesan cheese
  8. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar/mozzarella mix
  9. Put in oven at 300° for 20 minutes
  10. Turn out of the skillet and serve “upside down” with bread, tortilla or drop biscuits

 

Shepherd’s Pie

Use Braised Beef (or any slow-cooked shredded meat) from a previous dinner.

shep-pieINGREDIENTS – FILLING

  • Leftover shredded beef or (traditional) ground lamb
  • 4 TBL butter
  • 1/4 C AP flour
  • 1-1/2 C chicken broth
    IN A SEPARATE MIXING BOWL, COMBINE
  • 1 small carrot – diced small
  • 1/2 C baby peas
  • 1 small stalk celery – diced small
  • 1/2 C shredded cheese
  • 4-6 black olives – diced
  • 1/4 C grated onion

INGREDIENTS – TOPPING

  • 2 C mashed potatoes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 TBL cold butter
  • 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 C cream cheese

STEP BY STEP

  1. Bring sauce pan up to medium heat
    FILLING – – – –
  2. Add butter to hot pan
  3. As soon as butter is melted, add flour
  4. As soon as flour starts to ball, add half your broth
  5. Stir until it starts to turn smooth
  6. Add the rest of your broth
  7. Stir until it starts to thicken
  8. When it has thickened (per video below) add it to the mixing bowl with your chopped veggies
    TOPPING
  9. Mix potatoes with salt, butter and cheeses
  10. Separate into 4 pieces and let rest five minutes
  11. Meanwhile, spoon your filling into ramekins for cooking
  12. Carefully spoon potato topping onto filling
  13. Gently spread it out covering the filling
  14. Drag fork tines across the top making a pattern
  15. Poke holes in the top so that steam can escape, otherwise the top may fail.
  16. Bake at 350º for 25-35 minutes until browned
  17. Let rest five minutes before serving, or cool on counter and refrigerate for reheating later.

Photo from The Little GSP.

NLOF Bolonaise Sauce

Use Braised Beef (or any slow-cooked shredded meat) from a previous dinner.

INGREDIENTS

  • Mirpoix vegetables (1/2 C each of carrot, celery, onion)
  • Bell pepper
  • Garlic
  • Diced tomato
  • Red wine
  • Salt and pepper

STEP BY STEP

  1. Sauté mirpoix vegetables in 1 TSP olive oil
  2. Add diced pepper and garlic
  3. Add diced tomato, red wine, salt and pepper
  4. Add leftover meat
  5. Add Parmesan rind if you have it
  6. Simmer until reduced and the meat is broken down

Serve over cooked spaghetti pasta

 

Braised Beef Sandwich

Use Braised Beef (or any slow-cooked shredded meat) from a previous dinner.

INGREDIENTS

  • Roma tomato – halved
  • Leftover meat – shredded
  • Tomato – sliced
  • Spinach leaves
  • Creamy cheese – Brie consistency
  • Butter

STEP BY STEP

  1. Sprinkle roma tomato with olive oill
  2. Season roma tomato with salt and pepper
  3. Bake roma tomato at 350º for about 20 minutes
  4. While it is baking, shred your meat and toss it in 1 TBL melted butter
  5. Spread mayonnaise lightly over two pieces of sandwich bread
  6. Slice a beefsteak or other hearty tomato for dressing your sandwich
  7. Lay spinach leaves on top of the tomato
  8. Place your meat over the spinach
  9. Lay thin chunks of creamy cheese on top . Brie consistency
  10. Cook in hot buttered skillet until browned

 

Mashed Potato Hash Browns

2016-04-09 08.03.40INGREDIENTS

  • Old mashed potatoes
  • Butter and EVOO (for frying)
  • 1-2 eggs per person

REMINDER: Keep the handle of your pan pointed to the back of the stove to avoid an accidental spill or burn.

This recipe will actually work with old scalloped potatoes, hashed browns from another morning, and baked potatoes. I would probably draw the line at potato salad.

CLICK EITHER IMAGE FOR AN ENLARGEMENT
2016-04-09 08.13.13
STEP BY STEP

      1. Put at least 1 cup of leftover mashed potatoes on a cutting board (or a clean counter)
      2. Cut them into fairly large pieces (about the size of a regular marble)
      3. PREHEAT the butter and oil in your skillet to a medium high heat
        – If you put mashed potatoes into cold oil, they will become greasy
      4. Put mashed potatoes into your skillet and let them brown
      5. Handle or flip them AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE because they will fall apart otherwise
      6. As soon as they are to your liking, plate them and fry your egg
      7. Put 1-2 egg in a skillet and let them cook on the bottom just a bit
      8. Flip them carefully to avoid breaking the yolk
      9. Plate them on top of the potatoes and serve

 

NOTE: You can eliminate steps 7 and 8 if you use an egg poacher or poach the egg in a pan of simmering water

NLOF Veggie Soup Meatballs

Strain the veggies from your soup.
Drink the broth… it’s good for you.

  • For every 1 C of veggie matter, combine the following in a food processor
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 C raw oats
  • 1/2 C flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Pulse all of the above together

  • Add about 1 C stuffing mix or seasoned bread crumbs
  • Mix together by hand
  • Makes 6 nice sized meatballs.
  1. Bake in oven at 350º for 45 minutes
  2. Put into baking ramikens
  3. Top with maranara and provalone cheese
  4. Bake another 15-20 minutes

 

NLOF Hoisin Chicken

hoisin-chickenINGREDIENTS

  • Cooked chicken breast or shredded chicken
  • Hoisin Sauce
  • One orange

NOTE: The word hoisin is from the Chinese word for seafood, although the sauce does not contain any seafood ingredients.

STEP BY STEP

  1. Cube chicken into 1/2 inch pieces, or just make sure it is all shredded
  2. Heat in the microwave or on the stovetop
  3. Add 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  4. Add juice and zest from one orange
  5. Toss together in hot skillet or mixing bowl (if using a microwave)
  6. Plate or top with veggies
  7. If using a microwave, heat for another minute
  8. Serve over rice or udon noodles
  9. Top with toasted sesame seeds

Image from Feast on the Cheap.

Burrito Medallions


INGREDIENTS

  • Leftover burrito
  • Marinara sauce or salsa
  • Provalone cheese

CLICK ON PHOTO FOR AN ENLARGEMENT

STEP BY STEP

  1. Cut burrito into 3/4 inch thick medallions
    NOTE:  Burrito will cut better if it is cold.
  2. Lay flat on baking sheet
  3. Spoon salsa over top
  4. Put cheese on top
  5. Bake at 350º for about 12-15 minutes

Serve with a side of fruit

You will note that sauce was not used on the medallions in the photo.  It was OK, but was a bit dry.  Some sort of sauce would keep it nice and moist.

Huevos Rancheros


INGREDIENTS

  • Corn tortillas
  • Leftover chopped steak (julienne strips)
  • Onion
  • Chili
  • Green chilies
  • Salsa
  • One egg per person
  • Shredded cheese

STEP BY STEP

  1. Put a corn tortilla in a baking dish and cook at 350º it till it just starts to brown
  2. Slivered onion, drizzled with EV00, and then microwave (Separately) for 30 seconds – Set aside
  3. Top browned tortilla with – in order:
  4. Leftover chopped steak Julian strips
  5. Microwaved onion
  6. Leftover chili
  7. Leftover green chilies
  8. One spoon of salsa
  9. Top with a undercooked lightly fried (or poached) egg
  10. Top with cheese and put into oven until cheese melts
  11. Turn out of cooking dish on the plate before serving

 

Horchata From Scratch

INGREDIENTS FOR EASY HORCHATA  ( to make 2 bottles )

  • 1 C cooked white rice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 C hot water
  • 1 C hot milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • just a pinch of salt Ground cinnamon for garnish when serving.

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix rice, cinnamon, sugar and 1 cup hot water
  2. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour
  3. Stir just to mix
  4. Add 1 cup hot milk and stir again just to mix
  5. Let sit for another two hours at room temperature
  6. Strain through a fine sieve into empty bottles
  7. Store in the fridge for up to a week
  8. Shake the bottle before serving
  9. Serve over ice and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon

INGREDIENTS FOR A MORE COMPLEX and AUTHENTIC HORCHATA

  • 1 cup uncooked white long-grain rice
  • 5 cups water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground Mexican cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup white sugar

STEP BY STEP

  1. Put rice into a bowl and fill with water, pour through strainer
  2. Repeat Step 1 until water in bowl is clear
  3. Add the rice to 3 Cups boiling hot water
  4. Let rest for about an hour
  5. Add 2 Cups cooler water and add to a blender
  6. Blend until the rice just begins to break up, no longer than 1 minute
  7. Let rice and water stand at room temperature for at least 3 hours
  8. .Strain the rice water into a pitcher using double layer of cheesecloth, or a very fine sieve.
  9. Discard the rice.
  10. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar
  11. Stir until blended
  12. Stir the milk into the rice water.
  13. Chill and stir before serving over ice.
  14. Keeps for no longer than 10 days.

OH, ONE MORE THING …

  • In El Salvador, horchata is primarily made from morro seeds, not rice.
  • Other flavorings that you can grind up with the rice are peanuts, almonds and cashews.
  • Other common ingredients include ground cocoa, cinnamon, sesame seeds, nutmeg and vanilla.
  • If you don’t have a blender, you can use rice flour instead of rice
  • Use emptied water bottles for storing your finished horchata.

NLOF – Source

Braised beef . Rollover Cooking aka Leftovers
Basic 5 pound chuck roast
Brown all sides
Put in good red wine
Slow cook three hours . See recipe below

Two poached or baked chickens
Enchiladas, soup, chicken stew,

Beef
Hash
……….
Casserole
On top of meat, Layer of potato, followed by seasoning, sweated onion mixture, tomato, parm cheese… then repeat.
Onion mixture: Satuee onions with with stripped chopped rosemary, basil, evoo, garlic
Pour extra can sauces over top, evoo and basil
Slow cook three hours . About 250 degrees
Let set at least 30 minutes

This is your BASE

Chop meat and put on top of hashbrowns and then top with poached egg.

Roasted squash and red onions
Risotto in rounded bottom pot
Hot evoo, onion, one clove garlic
Wooden spoon
Non caramelized short grain rice to coat
Cook about 20 minutes
Add white wine
Heat stock or meat drippings a bit at a time
Add until creamy sauce NOT MUSHY
Add meat, onions and squash
Broccoli or asparagus… Maybe collards
Top with butter or evoo

Sandwich
Roma tomato, halved, seasoned, evoo
. Bake 350° for 20 minutes
Moist shredded meat
Tomatoes
Spinach or similar
Creamy cheese . Brie consistency
Cook in hot buttered skillet

Bolonaise Sauce
Sauté Mirepoix veggies
Add diced pepper and garlic
Add diced tomato, red wine, salt and pepper
Add leftover meat
Add Parmesan rind if you have it
Simmer until reduced and the meat is broken down

Shepherds Pot Pie
Stuffing and meat
Mashed potatoes and cheese topping

Carbonara . NOTES
2 eggs
Ham
Parm cheese
Bacon pieces
Hot Pasta

Left overs . Add
Cracked eggs and seasoning
Bacon
Parm
Start on stove top until edges start to cook
Sprinkle with extra cheese
Put in oven at 300° for 20 minutes
Turn out of the skillet and serve upside down

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Robert’s Rice Pudding

INGREDIENTS for making Rice Pudding with Cooked Rice

  • 1 cu cooked rice – preferably high starch arborial rice (al dente if possible)
  • 1/4 cu cream
  • 1 C whole milk (or lowfat, but not skim)
  • 2 egg yolks + 1 egg
  • 1/2 cu sugar
  • 2 TBL butter – melted
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon
  • Lemon or lime zest
  • Raisins or dried cherries

Arborial rice is better because it is high starch.  For other rices, mix 1/2 tsp corn starch in with the sugar.

STEP BY STEP

  1. Heat milk and cream in microwave for about 2 minutes
  2. In separate bowl, cream together yolks, egg, sugar, and corn starch if used
  3. Temper just a bit of the milk into the yolk mixture
  4. Do this a few times, then add the yolk mixture into the cream
  5. Mix the rice with the butter
  6. Add the rice and mix to incorporate
  7. Move to an oven-safe pan or dish and bake 350º for 30 minutes
  8. Add vanilla, citrus zest, 3 TBL honey, cinnamon and 1/4 C maple syrup
  9. Mix in raisins or cherries
  10. Plate and top with optional sauce (following)

SAUCE

  • 1 PT blueberries and 1/3 C sugar
  • Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes or until blueberries break down

INGREDIENTS for making Rice Pudding with RAW Rice

  • 1/2 cup uncooked rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/2 cups milk
  • 2 TBL butter or margarine
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 egg yolks plus 1 egg, beaten
  • Cinnamon or raisins (optional)

STEP BY STEP

  1. Toss rice in a bowl full of water.  Pour out water.  Repeat until water runs clear.
  2. Combine rice and water in medium saucepan.
  3. Bring to a boil.
  4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer relatively untouched for 40 minutes
  5. I say relatively, cause at 10 minutes, uncover and give it a couple of stirs.
  6. Cover and go another 15 minutes untouched.  This time I mean it.
  7. In separate bowl combine sugar, cornstarch and salt.
  8. Add milk and sugar mixture to rice.
  9. Heat to near boiling; simmer 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  10. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
  11. Slowly stir about 1/4 cup of the hot rice mixture into beaten egg yolks in a bowl.
  12. Stir to incorporate
  13. Repeat steps 11 and 12 three more times.  This is called Tempering
  14. Pour everything back into the sauce pan
  15. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, just until mixture starts to bubble.
  16. Remove from heat.
  17. Serve warm or chilled, plain or with cinnamon and/or raisins.

 

HTML Snippets Powered By : XYZScripts.com