Planned Leftovers

One of the best kitchen time and energy savers I know is to make extra food deliberately and then to use those planned leftovers (often called “planned-overs”) wisely. The most obvious way to make planned-overs is to cook a big meal one day and use the leftovers warmed up for another meal. 

Another way is to deliberately cook extra of a main ingredient. For example, when you are cooking hamburger and diced onions for one meal, double those ingredients and freeze half in meal-size portions. Or, when you are cooking chicken breasts in a skillet, why not throw in twice as many? Cooked chicken breast (or any meat) freezes well and you can easily transform it later into a quick meal.

Chicken Barley Vegetable Soup with Herbs

This soup is a great way to use leftover chicken and will become a planned-over itself because it makes about 8 servings and freezes well for later use.

1 1/2 lbs. chicken parts (or 1-2 cups cooked, diced chicken)

2/3 c. barley 

8 c. chicken stock or water

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 small carrots, sliced

1 c. chopped broccoli florets (optional)

1 large tomato, peeled and chopped (optional)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce

1 tsp. basil

1/8 tsp. oregano

1/8 tsp. thyme

Dash of cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Put all of the ingredients (except the parsley and the already cooked chicken, if using) into an 8 qt. stock pot and bring to a boil. Use water if you are cooking the chicken parts and chicken stock or broth if you are using leftover cooked chicken. Cover and reduce heat, simmering for 1 1/4 hours. Alternatively, cook in a slow cooker for 3-4 hours on low. Remove the chicken from the soup if you were cooking chicken parts, and remove meat from bones and chop or tear chicken into bite size pieces and return to soup, or at this point simply add the already cooked chicken chopped in bite-sized pieces. Simmer the soup an additional 10-15 minutes and adjust seasonings to taste. Just before serving, add the parsley, if desired.

Tamale Joe

This modern day, easy-fixin' version of the traditional Mexican favorite "Hot Tamales" is an example of how you might use an already cooked hamburger and onion mixture: make it in the morning, and make twice as much. Let it wait or reheat it....nothing bothers this casserole!  It has all the authentic flavor but very little of the work of real tamales. This recipe makes 6-8 servings, so it is a perfect "planned over" because you can freeze half of it for another meal for two. 

1/2 lb. link sausage, sliced

1 to 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef 

1 large onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. chili powder 

2 tsp. salt 

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 12-oz. can whole kernel corn, drained

2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

1 c. milk

1/2 c. corn meal

1 small can sliced ripe olives, drained

1 c. grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 325. Brown sausage in a medium skillet. Pour off fat, add hamburger and onion, and cook until onion is soft and hamburger loses its red color. If using an already cooked hamburger mixture, add and cook until hot. If hamburger mixture is frozen, remove sausage from the skillet and cook hamburger until thawed and heated, and then return sausage to the pan. Add seasonings, corn, tomato sauce, and milk. Simmer about 20 minutes. Season further if needed. Gradually stir corn meal into meat mixture. Add olives. Pour into 3 qt. casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake about 40 minutes. 

Ham and Chicken Fried Rice

Finding a way to utilize leftovers is an opportunity for creativity. You may even create a new favorite dish, as I did with this recipe. A little leftover ham, an extra chicken breast, already cooked brown rice (which you can also make ahead and freeze)? Combine them and voila—a new fried rice recipe that is hearty enough to serve as a main dish!

2 tsp. coconut oil

2 c. leftover cooked rice

1 c. frozen peas

1 to 1 1/2 c. leftover ham and/or chicken, diced

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 c. sliced green onions

1 Tbsp. less-sodium soy sauce (or more to taste)

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add rice and frozen peas. Stir-fry about 2 minutes. Add leftover ham and/or chicken. Cook 2 minutes to heat through. Make a well in the rice and add beaten eggs; stir-fry 1 minute or until eggs are nearly set. Stir in green onions and the soy sauce to taste. Serve immediately.

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By Arlene Bascom