Chicken or turkey pot pie has got to be my fave dish to make w/ leftovers. When pressed for time, or feeling lazy, I like to make biscuit topping, rather than a more involved pastry crust , so it is quicker to get into the oven.

I know shepherd's pie is a classic leftover dish, but I've never had leftover mashed potatoes to make it with = J

Like Carol, leftover turkey or chicken and whatever vegetables were there became pot pie or was mixed into a "stew" and put over biscuits. Leftover beef stew also became pot pie or pasties or shepherd's pie. Like Carol we seldom had leftover mashed potatoes, and when we did they were made into potato patties and fried. I still don't like those, but I did take a tip from Grandma and always boil extra potatoes, so we can have home fries the next breakfast or for supper. If you have just a little meat and some vegetables or even just vegetables, along with some rice, you can make fried rice. Add an egg if you like.

Uneaten cornmeal mush/aka polenta/aka grits can be refrigerated, as can oatmeal, then sliced and fried and served with maple syrup for breakfast or with leftover chili spooned on top. A little cheese is nice too. I also like leftover chili over a baked potato.

Leftover hamburger can be used for anything that you make calling for cooked hamburger including tacos, lasagna, shepherd's pie, sloppy joes. Leftover pork roast can be made into Cuban sandwiches or mixed with BBQ sauce and served on buns. That also works with chicken and beef.

Stale bread becomes bread crumbs in the food processor and then I store them in the freezer. Ann T makes meatloaf on purpose to grill, but leftover meatloaf can also be grilled, making a whole new meal.

Even leftover cake can become trifle when mixed with custard or pudding and some fruit, and leftover fruit becomes dessert topping for ice cream or filling for muffins.

My own Grandma sounds like your Grandma Marge, she could make a meal out of nothing. Sometimes she'd hand my brother a gun and tell him that supper was whatever he could shoot. He was a darned good shot, and even better when hungry, LOL. Her mantra was "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without". After growing up with her in the house, I try to use EVERYTHING!

Annie

Because I work off a general meal plan, I have and use "premeditated leftovers". So from the Big Meal on Monday the large cut of meat is used in other meals as: sandwich meat, stir-fry, pizza topping, seasoned for a Mexican entrée, soup base, in a casserole, possibly some destined for the freezer to use another day..... On Monday I also prepare a number of vegetables (raw and/or cooked) that will also be used for other meals during the week. Fresh fruit is generally used as dessert.

Something I've started using recently for my lunches are "Fusion Bowls". This originally was a one-dish meal, often a vegetarian lunch, and for me it was a way to use small amounts of things in the refrigerator/freezer.

Here's how I build a Fusion Bowl:

1. Choose grains for a base (cooked rice, quinoa, lentils, barley, even small amounts of cooked pasta)

2. Add vegetables and herbs (carrots, cucumbers, radishes, beans and any fresh herbs on hand - parsley, rosemary, thyme, and chives - as well as micro-greens or sprouts I have on hand)

3. Top with some kind of protein (meat, eggs, fish, nuts, beans)

4. Drizzle with dressing

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-Lots of things can be made into a quesadilla, like grilled peppers and squash, leftover shredded meat of almost any kind, or just plain cheese quesadillas.

-Mix any kind of pasta with fresh vegetables and add herbs, and a light dressing. I like to keep mozzarella sticks in the refrigerator and cut them into slices and add it to a pasta salad. Mozzarella sticks come in handy for all kinds of things....

-Entrées made with cottage cheese, eggs, and ham or sausage and baked in a muffin tin for individual servings.

-Spaghetti Pie is a favorite, and you can make it in a small baking dish, individual servings in a muffin tin, or as large as you need.

-Mexican Stacked Pizza - 2 six-inch tortillas (corn or flour), meat, refried beans, cheese - cooked in a skillet/griddle over medium heat with a pan lid over it for about 4-5 minutes - until the cheese on top of the tortilla. Serve with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes for garnish, or some crushed tortilla chips on top. Hubby and I will split one of these as a light meal.

-Penne and Ham Primavera (or, what to do with some leftover zucchini and squash OR frozen zucchini/squash - once you make it, you can adapt it to any amount from one serving or more with leftovers)

2 c. uncooked penne or mostaccoli pasta (7-oz.)

1 c. sliced zucchini

1 c. sliced yellow squash

2 c. cubed fully cooked smoked ham (you can also use finely chopped deli ham)

1/4-1/2 c. Italian dressing (to taste)

1/4 c. chopped fresh basil leaves (optional)

1/3 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Coarsely ground black pepper, if desired

Cook penne as directed on package except during last 3-4 minutes of cooking, add zucchini and squash to pasta; drain. Return pasta mixture to saucepan; add ham, dressing and basil. Cook over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pepper. Yield: 4 servings.

-Grainlady

Something that's great to master for using leftovers is the frittata. Pretty much anything goes.

Shepherd's pie is another, as are quesadillas.

I wish I was as good as my mother at making potato pancakes from leftover mashed.

You are all very lucky. My Dad will not eat leftovers! My husband is not fond of them either so it is very hard for me. It doesn't matter how they are disguised they simply won't eat them!

Fortunately, DH and I love leftovers. Love the food and lack of work.

If DH didn't, well, he'd be on his own. I would never be made to cook fresh meals nightly.

I think the trick with learning to use leftovers is that you have to be ready to take some chances. Some things will be a hit and some will not. The other thing with leftovers is know that you do not need to use it right now. If you have a leftover sauce, label the prominent flavors and freeze it and it could be become a soup base, etc.

We also use frittatas, quesadillas or fried rice for cleaning up odds and ends. Some things could find themselves wrapped up in a crepe or tortilla for a burrito. The cheese on a pizza could do quite a bit in jazzing up leftovers.

Another option is to turn some leftovers into a sandwich. Warm the veggies, put them on some french bread, etc. and melt some cheese over the top. Depending on the filling one could add some avocado, etc.

When I was a kid, often when we asked what was for dinner, my father (not the cook) would say:

"Ragout."

"Goulash."

"Refrigerator Stew."

He wouldn't eat leftovers either, but was fine with things made out of leftovers.

There are tricks: You can't always put all the things you want to put into the new dinner that you have on hand. Don't force it. Just because they were okay at the same meal doesn't mean they belong in the same pot.

Think of basic structures. If the food looks the same, you're just reheating [[ETA: Add a sauce or some stock or something to add moisture while reheating]. If it's going to look different, it's probably reduced in size. Also, you probably have to add moisture for the reheating and tying together of flavors. Therefore, basic structures are casserole/kugel (meat, starch, vegetables, "glue" (custard (milk and eggs), gravy, etc.)), pudding/strata/lasagna (layers of bread or pasta with vegetables, meat, cheese, etc., between, but no binding sauce. Usually cheese and eggs are the glue.) For want of a better word, ragout (meat and vegetables cut up in a sauce in for a stewlike consistency. Usually served with rice or potatoes underneath). Omelette/frittata (sautéd vegetables and meat bound with a large quantity of egg). Pie (a filling like a dryer version of ragout stuffed into a crust (pot with top crust, two crust, turnover, ravioli or other pasta, stuff in a bread roll, rolled into a log in puff or filo and sliced, stuffed into leaves or peppers or squash, etc.)

Moisture bringers are eggs, cheese, pan juices/gravies, stock, sauce, etc.

You can build a sauce on an ersatz béchamel: olive oil, GF flour and almond milk, rather than butter, ultra fine flour and cream. You just need to reduce more to thicken it.

If you're unsure if things go together, taste them! Don't salt until the end, if at all, because if the components were seasoned, they probably still are. Think about what things you think are yummy, and use them to enhance and correct. A couple tablespoons of Parmesan will add salt and umami and can be the difference between meh and yummy, even though you won't be able to distinguish it. I like turmeric, and when I was making a lot of vegetarian soups, if they didn't have it I'd add turmeric and they'd be yummy. Every chef on TV uses bacon to enhance everything (salt and reportedly five different kinds of umami).

Also, when you're using leftovers, don't forget to add new things. Cook down some mushrooms with red wine and something in the onion family, and just about anything you add to them will taste good. If you don't have a lot of vegetables, or only one kind of vegetable, remember your mirepoix (carrots, onions, celery) or holy trinity (bell peppers, onions, celery). Sauté them and build from there. Add stock or broth to anything for moisture and more flavor. You only need a little for many things, so keep a jar in the fridge, or make "ice cubes" you can take out a few at a time.

Herbs: If your original dishes didn't already have an herby flavor, just choose one you like. When you're combining leftovers you want to choose one new strong flavor only. If it's not already mushrooms or garlic, try basil or sage or whatever herb you really like. If you're not sure how much to use, start small. You can also mince some to put on top at the table, to taste.

Most of all have fun. Have a back up plan in case it fails. Once in awhile you might make something that wasn't very good. Maybe ketchup or something will make it edible. If not, just cut your losses, and make a sandwich.

I am making a big meatloaf today so that I can have cold meatloaf sandwiches. I love turkey frame soup made from the left over carcass at Thanksgiving along with all the roasting juices and left over gravy.

To me there is a difference between "leftovers" and meals made with leftover food. Leftovers to me mean a repeat of meal one -- a meal made with leftover food would be that chicken pot pie with the leftover chicken or chicken and noodles with that leftover chicken or corned beef hash or beef and noodles or enchiladas, etc.

Since there are only two of us here now, leftovers are a mainstay and often can be better than the first time around!

As Martha says two ways to go about it, same meal again, (second night, or lunch the next day), or a re-hash using the course as ingredients for a whole new meal.

Around here, one meal can last almost a week and savored to the last bite :)

I don't understand the reluctance to eat leftovers. I AM shocked that food would be thrown away.

FWIW, many cooked dishes taste better the next day, after the flavours have a chance to 'marry' - soups & stews, especially...

I know I'm always bummed when we get to the end of a braised brisket ;-(

I agree about dishes that taste better given time to develop, and I love making things out of leftovers that don't just want to be heated up. I think the story about the woman who was throwing away almost half a chicken is unusual however. Most of the people I know who won't eat leftovers or things made out of leftovers are quite adept at making just the right amount the first time, so there just aren't any leftovers.

There's a cultural difference there, too. I was raised with the idea that no one leaves the table hungry. There's not just enough for everybody, but enough for someone who drops by unexpectedly. When cooking for a large group, there should be a portion and a half left over (at least) to prove that everyone had their fill and aren't just being polite by leaving the end for the next person. Add to that my mother's adage that it's as easy to cook two chickens as one, so there's one to serve and one to freeze for a day when there's no time to cook (this applies to all kinds of things). Leftovers were considered a virtue.

If you don't like leftovers, however, there's also virtue in making just enough.

Plllog, I always have leftovers. I very seldom make enough that there is nothing to carry over.

We love leftovers, thankfully. Things like scalloped potatoes taste better, reheated.

I made a chicken pot pie with biscuits that will be dinner tonite. We're also quite happy with just reheating the same meal and having it again.

I grew up eating leftovers, so don't hesitate, and Elery likes some things well enough that we make extra on purpose. Other things get "re-purposed", one of my co-workers used to call it "used food", LOL. Things do not get thrown out, unless they've spoiled, and of course, the dogs are always willing to help out. (grin)

Annie

Ha, our dogs do get to enjoy leftovers, too.

DH and I are finishing up a turkey meatloaf with sandwiches today. Not really transformative, but delicious.

Thanks for all great ideas and suggestions which I shall surely attempt. Yum.

For one or two people it's often difficult to make a meal that is "just enough". I like the idea of cook once, eat twice or more. It makes sense both on time and energy savings. Many things taste better the second day. There's times I made a turkey breast and a meatloaf at the same time. (Two Nescos, no waiting! Or is it Nescoes?) Then had leftovers for a week or so. Freeze some, alternate days, make other things and not a lot of labor saved a lot of labor down the road.

I have a cousin who claims to not eat leftovers. Personally I think it's another attention-grabbing tactic. Fact is, I've seen him eat leftovers a lot! I don't understand the aversion to it. Perhaps there are some who weren't able to prepare or have leftovers prepared to be tasty. But that's just an issue of education. Some can't cook a first-time meal that is palatable, but I digress. I wish someone who truly won't eat leftovers can explain why. I'd really like to understand the reasoning. The one point is there are many dishes (that assumably the "Leftover Defamation League" WILL eat) are actually "leftovers" by definition. Stuffing/dressing comes to mind. So do pot pies. Shredded or "pulled" meats are actually leftovers when you consider you cook it, then cool it, prep it and heat it. "Twice baked" potatoes. Lasagna would technically be a "leftover". Any prepared food (frozen entrees, etc) reheated is a "leftover". The list goes on. A lot of foods you get in a restaurant would qualify as "leftovers" since it's pre-cooked and reheated or re-served. Wanna get technical? If you go back for "seconds" on any meal, it's technically "leftovers"! So 'splain it to me Lucy! Inquiring minds want to know!

This reminded me of a story back in my youth-er days. We were having some leftovers. Ma had heated up some leftover mashed potatoes, and my dad goes Wow, for some reason the mashed potatoes are always so much hotter when heated up than when first made! I had to chuckle. Uh Dad, think about it. Mashed potatoes come out of boiling water. Temp? 212°F +/-. Leftover going into the cast iron pan and heated can be what, 300° or ??? I just chuckle when I think of that day. Really sticks in my mind.

Leftover, it's not over, until it's changed over.

I love using leftovers. There are so many interesting uses.

A cooking competition in another cooking forum. Main theme of the competition "leftovers". My entry using old stuff from the refrigerator won the competition. So easy, even the rice was leftover rice.

dcarch