Repurposing Leftovers

Memory Lane, superfluous scraps, odds & ends. Whatever you call them, you've probably had them. What in the devil am I talking about? LEFTOVERS! Although I will admit, the days of leftovers in my house are starting to dwindle with 2 boys rummaging around, like snarling beasts, in the fridge all the time. We used to have leftovers every night that Financial Guy and I could take to work the next day for lunch. Although a serving of spaghetti or the like is quick to be snapped up, let some measly carrots be left behind and... well... they just get left behind. These days, we're doing good to have enough leftovers for one of us, which usually results in a throw down of paper, rock, scissors (current reigning champ, thank you very much). Much like the shows on TV where they turn trash into some kind of "treasure", I have started doing that with leftover food.

In the south, we do things a little differently. For starters, we don't feel the least bit strange about having side dishes as a main course and, as my friend Amy reminded me, we also don't mind calling mac-n-cheese a vegetable, but we'll debate that one another time.

My boys are good eaters, but the Sisternator is a little particular. However, she will eat beans by the gallon. Probably because the day after, she can compete with her brothers, if you know what I mean... About once a month, we have beans (either pinto or white) for dinner. We divide the bag and only have half at one meal. We always have some leftovers, but not really enough for another go 'round. I usually take what's left and either mix it with hamburger for tacos (if it's pintos) or make white bean chili. For those of you north of the Mason-Dixon line (who are probably gasping for air at the mere thought of all this nonsense), or for my friend Sharla (whose husband says beans taste "funny" in his mouth), you might not be able to pull this one off.

Apologizing to my mother and all the "starving people" that I could probably (not) send leftover cooked carrots to, in the past, I would have just thrown them out. I have started saving and freezing the few straggler veggies we may have and roast (assuming we ever have roast left!), from various dinners. When I have a big, plastic bowl full, I make soup.

Leftovers don't always have to be the same meal twice, although sometimes it's better the second go. What can you do with scraps? Do share. I have hungry, snarling folks at my house anxious to snarf it up!