Eating Down the Fridge
By blackmarx
If you are like me you have on more then one occasion come home from work and been bombarded with the queries of "What is for dinner dad? We're hungry!". Your food stores are running low and you don't have the time, energy or money to get groceries. You look in the fridge and find there is an assortment of leftover meats, but not enough of one specific kind to make a meal for the masses. There are a couple hot dogs from lunch, half a steak from Monday, a bratwurst or from Wednesday, maybe even a chicken breast or pork chop, whatever there is it will all become a tasty meal for the whole family.
So lets get started Eatin' Down the Fridge.
Ingredients : (makes 4 servings)
4 cups of chopped leftover meat (chicken, beef , pork, etc)
2 tbls of butter or edible oil of choice
1 cup hot water
2 tps of minced garlic or garlic powder
*1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
*1 cup shredded cheese.
*approximately 2 cups of mixed vegetables (fresh or leftover) and or peppers, onions, celery, or mushrooms. If you got it use it.
*optional
Directions:
1. Chop leftover meat in 1 inch cubes or chunks.
2. In a skillet or frying pan on medium heat add butter and garlic and optional pepper.
3. When butter is melted add meat and sear for 1-2 mins.
4. Add water and cover let cook on medium heat for 8-10 min.
5. Add option vegetables to meat 5 mins before done.
6. Drain water and top with cheese if desired. Serve with or on top of rice, pasta, or mac & cheese.
Enjoy and Have fun!
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Lets make it an oven bake
all the above ingredients plus
1 more cup shredded cheese of choice.
salt and pepper
*4 servings of instant rice or pasta
Directions
1. Chop leftover meat in 1 inch cubes or chunks.
2. In a bowl melt butter in microwave and stir in garlic and optional pepper.
3. In 13"x9"x2" baking dish add meat and optional vegetables.
4. Add water and drizzle melted butter on top, dust with salt and pepper.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes and remove from oven. (drain juice if any for optional gravy)
6. Add optional rice or pasta (pre-cooked according to manufactures instruction).
7. Cover top with cheese and return to oven for 2-3 min or until cheese is melted and bubbling.
8. Let rest for a few minutes and serve.
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Optional Gravy
Maybe you have some leftover mashed potatoes or instant box kind.
Either way save the juice drained from meat and make a tasty gravy for your taters.
Ingredients
2 tbls butter
2 tbls flour
2 cups water or milk
whatever meat juice you have.
salt and pepper.
Directions
1. melt butter in medium sauce pan on low-med heat
2. add flour to pan with melted butter mix well
3. add meat juice and water or milk.
4. increase heat to med-high and bring to boil stirring constantly with a whisk.
5. boil for 1-2 min then reduce heat to med low continue stirring ocassionally until desired thickness (spoon dipped stays coated).
6. salt and pepper to taste.
for thicker gravy add 1 table spoon of flour slowly while whisking continuously, repeat once if needed.
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Comments
A lot is wasted Dolores. Thanks for the comment and the suggestions.
I like the title of this article blackmarx. I usually do what you do by turning the items into jambalaya, soup or stir fry. I like the baking option with noodles, a new angle for leftovers, I am on it hombre!
There's just something cleverly funny sounding about the heading, "Optional Gravy".
It might be a good name for a musical act. "Now presenting ... Optional Gravy". What sort of music would they sing and play?
What a goof I am to notice only this, when you spent all your quality effort creating this nicely done article.
Robert
its all good Robert. Optional Gravy would be a great band name. LOL
I love the versatility of your ideas here! Great hub :-) I'm going to have to check out your others. Keep up the great work and congratulations on being a HubNugget!
Great way to use the leftovers. Good suggestions.
Some people no longer want to eat leftovers but this is a pretty good idea and would love to use this in our kitchen. I better go and get the cook to come and read this recipe! hahahaha The Hubnuggets picked your hub and you are a Hubnugget Nominee! I know it has been mentioned already but I just have to say it again! To vote please follow this trail so stay close and you won't get lost in space: http://hubpages.com/_hubnuggets10/hub/The-Continui
Thanks for sharing this...I know that I ALWAYS have left overs and there are days when I don't want to cook. I am not a fan of leftovers but doing it this way may change my mind. :) Good luck on your nomination!
Gread ideas for using leftovers!! Thanks for sharing! Congratulations on your hubnugget nomination and good luck! ;)
Ah, this is what I call experimente'! Love this kind of thing. Like Gourmet leftovers. Great Job and Congratulations on being nominated for a HubNugget!
Sage
With a bit of imagination, you can make leftovers go a long way! Thanks for this hub - very useful!:)
What a great hub! Loved your ideas for leftovers. They so often make the best meals. The oven baked sound declisious.
Congratulations on the nomination. You got my vote!
Interesting concept that I will have to try; I like the idea of creating a new dish from leftovers. Thanks for sharing and congrats on being selected to the HubNuggets Wannabe Contest. Good luck!
Thanks to all of you who have voted and for all the wonderful comments. This nomination as really increased my excitement level for HubPages.
"Optional Gravey" Theres no such thing as optional gravey it's essential lol. Great recipe.
This hub made me think of my Dad, he worked graveyard shift and Mom worked swing so he was cooking us dinner a lot. He'd make quesadillas with marinara sauce and what ever meat and cheese was in the fridge. Blender drinks, with any and all fruit, milk, yogurt etc.. It's all about balancing the combos of everything in the fridge in a new flavorful way indeed.
thanks for writing this, made me laugh, and reminds me I have left over pot pie to make.
This is great, thanks for sharing. I have been creating meals like this for a long time. We all should so we can stop wasting so much food. I loved all the "extras" here. Seems like a lot of work went into this hub.
Dolores Monet 2 years ago
How much left over food is thrown away? Such a waste! Thanks for the suggestions on how to use that left over stuff and avoid wasting food and money. (If you don't have 'meat juice' than a bullion cube comes in handy. So does wine)