Hungry Janey: Leftovers Renewed

Showing posts with label Leftovers Renewed. Show all posts

Meal Planning on a Budget - Sample Menu

Last night, I had the pleasure of being a speaker at Ignite SJ. This event invites people from various walks of life to address a crowd for just 5 minutes, with 20 slides that automatically change every 15 seconds. I was asked to speak about meal planning on a budget, and whittling down my favourite ideas into 15 second intervals was no small task. Those who know me, know that I have a hard time shutting up about things I'm passionate about! (The event was recorded and I plan to share the videos once they are posted.)

(Photo courtesy of Mark Burnett, @burnettisms)

During the question and answer period, I was asked how long it takes to do my weekly meal plan. I answered that it takes me about 20 minutes, and that I think the time is a good investment. However, as I sat down with the newest flyers this morning, my meal plan basically wrote itself in well under that estimate. There are so many great prices this week on foods that just asked to be served together!

For those who weren't in attendance last night, you can read this post (from 2012) about how I meal plan around the sales. I want to take that how-to a step further today by showing you an actual meal plan for the week, using the current sales in our area. Remember - you don't need to run all over town to get these specials. Simply bring your flyers to a store that price matches! I do this at No Frills each week, but it can also be done at Walmart or Giant Tiger. I also generally stop at On The Vine each week because they offer amazing weekly specials. And their staff offers to carry my bags out to the car...where can you get that kind of service anymore?!

Below, I'll highlight the best deals at each store followed by the week of dinners I have planned.

Superstore
Welch's frozen fruit @ $2.99
Pineapple @ $1.99
Maple Leaf bacon @ $3.77

Giant Tiger
3 Lbs MacIntosh apples @ $1.99 (plus $1 off if you use the "Coupgon" app at Giant Tiger)

Sobeys
Pork loin roast @ $2.99/Lb

Walmart
Cucumbers @ $0.88
Avocado @ $0.97

No Frills
Tangerines @ $0.99 /Lb
Cauliflower @ $2

On The Vine
Ground beef @ $1.99 /Lb
Tomatoes @ $0.97/Lb
Grape tomatoes @ $1.97
Watermelon @ $3.99
Mushrooms @ $1.47
Bell peppers @ 2.97/ 4-pack

The dinners I have planned are based around these sale items, which appear in parenthesis below:

Spicy Beef & Cucumber Wraps (ground beef and cucumbers)
Roasted Tomato Pasta (grape tomatoes)
Veggie Pizza with my favourite thin crust (tomato, mushrooms, peppers)
Tacos (ground beef, tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, avocado)
Breakfast for Dinner: Bacon (bacon), veggie quiche (tomato, mushrooms, peppers), fruit salad (watermelon, tangerine, pineapple), blueberry muffins (frozen fruit)
Apple Cinnamon Pork Loin (apples, pork loin) with roasted cauliflower (cauliflower)
Pork sandwiches (using leftover pork loin) with sauteed veggies (peppers, mushrooms)

Of course, my grocery list will need to be rounded out to include a few additional items for the recipes above, along with things we need for breakfast, school lunches, and to replenish the pantry. I'm also always keeping my eye open for "stock up-portunities" for items with a long shelf-life that my family uses regularly. Saving money on those staples leaves lots of money in the budget for the fresh healthy foods I want to serve my family! {Those in attendance last night, you can laugh about my laundry detergent stash here. :) }

I'd love to hear your feedback about this process, or any question you might have about meal planning. As I said last night, we can all live well and eat well if we spend thoughtfully!

Thai Vegetable Pizza

This is another great way to avoid waste and serve leftovers renewed! Using some of the leftover spicy peanut sauce from the pork satays I posted yesterday, this Thai Vegetable Pizza comes together in a snap. If you don't have leftover peanut sauce, a store-bought version would be fine...or whip up a new batch and find more places to use it! (Like these Thai-style Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes)

The sauce is stretched, thickened, and given added flavour with the addition of sweet potato. Thai Chicken Pizza is everywhere now, but there are so many vegetables that taste great with peanut sauce...so why not let them take centre stage?

1/3 C peanut sauce

1/3 C mashed sweet potato

1/8 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp cumin

Pinch of salt

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My favourite thin crust pizza dough (or a quick alternative could a store-bought pizza shell or pita bread)

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Chopped red/green/yellow peppers

Chopped green onion (whites and greens separated)

Bean sprouts

Grated carrots

Combine peanut sauce, sweet potato, currry, cumin and salt. Stir to combine. Spread over your pizza crust. Top with peppers, whites of green onion, bean sprouts, and grated carrot. Bake accordingly: about 10 minutes at 500` for my favourite thin crust pizza, or 375` for 10-15 minutes for pre-baked shells. Garnish with greens of green onions before serving.

Chicken Pot Pasta

I've told you before about how my wee ones love Chicken Pie. They gobble it up, and I couldn't be happier to have a healthy meal that's a hit with everyone. Isaac is my picky-eater who frequently requests things like "plain chicken", "no sauce on mine", and "leave off the spicy." Chicken Pie fits the bill as plain enough for him, and tasty enough for the rest of us. (Can I just use all this "plain talk" as an opportunity to ask people to cease using the expression "Plain Jane?" I think my dislike for it is self-explanatory.)

I didn't feel like making pie crust the other day - actually, to be honest, I didn't feel like washing the food processor, which I use to make my pie crust. (Am I the only one that makes decisions based on laziness like this?!) I remembered seeing a recipe for all the flavours of Chicken Pie in a pasta, so I thought I'd create something similar. My version is below, which was inspired and adapted from this recipe.

1 Tblsp olive oil
2 ribs celery, stalks and leaves, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic
2 T flour
2 T butter
2 C stock (chicken, vegetable, or a combination)
4 C cooked pasta (about 1/2 Lb)
1 C cooked chopped chicken
2 C leftover or frozen vegetables
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a small pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery. Cook, stirring regularly, until softened. Add garlic and lower heat to medium, continuing to stir regularly until very fragrant and very soft. Set aside.

Melt butter in a small pot over medium heat. (Go ahead and use the same pot that cooked the onion/celery mixture...less dishes to wash!) Stir in flour until smooth and bubbly. Gradually whisk stock to combine. Bring to a boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool slightly.

Combine cooked pasta, cooked chicken, onion mixture, and vegetables. Add sauce and stir to coat. Place in a 2-quart casserole dish with a lid. Cover and bake at 350' for about 20-25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Bean Sprout Salad

I was intrigued when I came across this recipe on Pinterest, because it was a side dish that could easily be served hot or cold. Serve cold as a side salad with dinner, and enjoy the leftovers reheated for lunch the next day (at least that's what I did!). The recipe below is adapted for the original recipe for Sukjul Namul, as seen on MM's Kitchen Bites.

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

A few grates fresh garlic

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1/2 Lb bean sprouts

Handful red peppers, thinly sliced

Handful snow peas, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

1 Tblsp (+/-) sesame seeds (optional garnish)

Boil a large pot of water. Add bean sprouts and blanch for 20-30 seconds. Plunge into ice cold water to stop them from cooking any further. Drain. Add red peppers, snow peas, and green onions. Stir to combine. Whisk all dressing ingredients together, and toss with vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds when serving, if desired.

Chocolate Squash Muffins

Few things delight me like vegetables where you least suspect them. Sneaky little squash, working its way into treat-like muffins? I love it!

I started with this recipe, submitted by a reader on Food.com. I had some leftover squash that I wanted to use, and I thought its velvety texture would be good in a muffin. I was right about the texture, and its sweetness worked very well with chocolate. You'd never know there were vegetables in this muffin! Why didn't I think of this for my series using Thanksgiving leftovers?!

1/4 C oil
1/4 C cocoa
1 C cooked & pureed squash (I used acorn, but butternut would be great too)
1 egg
1/2 C sugar
1 1/3 C flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Mix oil and cocoa until smooth. Add pureed squash, egg, and sugar. Stir well to combine. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Fold wet ingredients into flour mixture until just combined. Do not over mix. Divide into lined or greased muffin tins. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired. Bake at 400` for 25 minutes.

You could definitely put icing on these and call them a cupcake.

They are that chocolaty and delicious!

Turkey and Balsamic Onion Flatbread

This is it! We have reached the end of our Thanksgiving turkey! Can I get a "yippee" for not wasting any of our leftover Thanksgiving feast? My motto is "waste not, want not" and I love when that works out deliciously, as it has this week.

My husband LOVED this flatbread. Amazing things happen to vegetables when they are roasted, and onions are no exception. Combine those naturally released flavours with balsamic vinegar and molasses, and you can't beat it.

2 yellow onions, sliced thinly
2 C chopped turkey
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1 T oil
1 T molasses (our local Crosby's, of course!)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 C sharp white cheddar, grated

In a large bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, oil, molasses, and salt & pepper. Stir to combine, then toss with onions until well coated. Spread in a single-layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast at 375` for about 15 minutes, or until onions are very soft. Remove from onion. Return all onions and sauce to the bowl. I find it easiest to do this by picking up the foil and almost pouring it all back into the bowl. Add turkey and stir to coat well. Spread onion and turkey mixture over flatbread (or tortilla, pita, pizza dough, etc) on a baking sheet, and top with cheese. Return to 375` oven for about 10 minutes.

(The previously posted recipes using Thanksgiving leftovers were Stuffing Frittata , Curry Vegetable Soup , Thai Turkey Salad, Turkey, Bacon, Avocado Tortilla Roll-Ups, and Sweet Potato Biscuits . For other ideas about using leftovers any time, view all my recipes categorized under " Leftovers Renewed .")

Turkey, Bacon, Avocado Tortilla Roll-Ups

This is my fourth installment sharing ideas to use Thankgiving Leftovers in different ways. (If you want to catch up, see the list of links at the end of this post.) This is a quick lunch or after-school snack with loads of protein, fibre, and healthy fats in each serving.

4 whole-wheat tortillas
1 avocado
3/4-1 C cooked turkey, chopped
2 pieces bacon, cooked and chopped
1 green onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne (optional)

Mash avocado in a bowl. Add turkey, bacon, and green onion. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir to combine. Spread a layer of avocado mixture on each tortilla. Starting from one end, roll up one tortilla at a time. Press gently to seal. Cut into pinwheel slices. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

(The previously posted recipes using Thanksgiving leftovers were Stuffing Frittata , Curry Vegetable Soup, and Thai Turkey Salad. For other ideas about using leftovers any time, view all my recipes categorized under " Leftovers Renewed .")

Thai Turkey Salad

Because turkey is often reserved for big dinners, it's easy to feel like that's the only way to serve it. I find that the simplest way to think about using turkey is to pretend you are planning with chicken. Do you ever put chicken in lasagna? If so, try turkey in its place. Do you ever make chicken quesedillas? Put chicken in risotto? Add chicken to your pizza? If so, give turkey a try! Do you ever make chicken salad sandwiches? If so, then you can use turkey in its place...And you know what? I don't even like chicken salad sandwiches, but I love this variation using turkey along with some Thai-inspired ingredients!

2 C chopped cooked turkey breast
2 green onions, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 rib of celery, diced
1/4 C (+/-) red pepper, diced
2 T peanuts (or sunflower seeds, if you want it peanut-free)
1/4 C sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp curry
Pinch of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine turkey, vegetables, and peanuts or sunflower seeds in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients to make the dressing. Once combine, stir into the turkey mixture to coat.

Think outside the bread box: Instead of using traditional sandwich bread, try this on a crusty roll, served with crackers, or wrapped in a tortilla or Boston lettuce.

(The previously posted recipes using Thanksgiving leftovers were Stuffing Frittata, and Curry Vegetable Soup. For other ideas about using leftovers any time, view all my recipes categorized under "Leftovers Renewed.")

Curried Leftover Vegetable Soup

I'm continuing in my quest to use Thanksgiving leftovers in new and unique ways, this time with a soup made from various leftover vegetables. Pur é e d vegetable soups are one of the most forgiving things to make, because you pretty much can't go wrong. And since the vegetables in this recipe have already been cooked, the soup comes together in minutes!

1 T butter or olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 C leftover cooked vegetables (ideally a variety of squash, sweet potatoes, turnip, parsnips, potatoes, carrots...)

4-5 C turkey stock (You made stock, right? If not, substitute packaged chicken stock)

1 tsp cumin

1 1/2 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp ginger

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot over medium heat, saute onion and celery in olive oil until soft. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add vegetables and stir to coat. Add turkey stock (For a richer flavour and texture, substitute coconut milk for 1 C of the stock). Turn heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Boil for about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, and puré e with an immersion blender until smooth. Add spices and return to heat. Simmer for about another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This soup freezes well. Freeze in small portions for quick lunches to take to work, or in larger portions to thaw for family dinners on a busy night.

(The previously posted recipe using Thanksgiving leftovers was Stuffing Frittata. For other ideas about using leftovers any time, view all my recipes categorized under "Leftovers Renewed.")

Stuffing Frittata

All this week, I'm going to be giving you recipes and ideas to use the leftovers from your Thanksgiving dinner. I bet that by the end of the week, you will forget that you are eating leftovers!

Slightly adapted from this recipe from Food Network's Robin Miller, this recipe is a quick, easy, and delicious way to use leftover stuffing from your Thanksgiving dinner. I think this recipe is going to become our new Boxing Day brunch using Christmas leftovers!

1 Tblsp butter
2 C leftover stuffing

1 C milk

6 eggs

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground mustard

1/2 C grated cheese

Lower oven racks and preheat broiler. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium (cast iron works great for this), and melt butter to coat pan. Add stuffing, breaking up large piece with a spatula as you warm the stuffing. Beat milk, eggs, nutmeg, and ground mustard. Pour egg mixture over stuffing, and top with grated cheese. Lower heat, and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Transfer to oven. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until egg is set. Watch closely. Allow to cool slightly before running a knife or thin spatula around the edge to loosen from pan. Slice into wedges to serve.

Chicken Fajita Pizza

Chicken fajitas are a regular weeknight meal in our house. We recently had some leftover fajita mixture in the fridge on a night that I was going out and making pizzas to leave for my husband and kids. Chicken fajita leftovers can easily be renewed into a delicious pizza using a simple crust and topped with a little cheese. If you are a dork like me, you can shape the crust into a heart. (Using my favourite thin crust recipe, of course.)

Just another easy way to use leftovers!

Easy Turkey Stew

There is nothing like sitting down with a steaming hot dinner on a cold day. And for some reason, it always seems better when that dinner is in a bowl. Why is that? Soup, stew, curry...it always seems more cozy when a meal is served in a bowl.

Lots of stews are made with stock and thickened with flour. This stew is seasoned and thickened with Club House Gluten-Free Gravy Mix For Turkey. Club House has recently come out with a line of certified gluten-free products that are sure to satisfy even the harshest critics, which includes gravy mixes, potato starch, rice flour, and minute tapioca. With Club House Gluten-Free Gravy Mix for Turkey and water in place of stock, flour, and additional seasonings, this stew is gluten-free, simple to prepare, and full of flavour. (For all those who use Checkout51, there is a $0.75 rebate for Club House mixes this week!)

This turkey stew is incredibly versatile, very hearty, and can be on the table in about 15 minutes. And you bet it gives you the "cozy bowl" feeling I described above! You can easily change this recipe by swapping out the vegetables. Use potato, sweet potato, green beans, or anything else you have on hand. Try a few things and make it your own. You pretty much can't go wrong!

1 Tblsp butter
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
3 C chopped cooked turkey
2 pkg Club House Gluten-Free Gravy Mix for Turkey
4 C water
1 C frozen peas
1 C frozen corn

In a large pot, melt butter and saute onions and celery until softened. Add carrots, turkey, and gravy mix. Stir to coat. Add water. Bring to a boil. Add frozen peas and corn. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes.

*This is a sponsored post. I have received free products and/or compensation for this post. The opinions featured here are always honest and my own*

Chorizo Stuffed Peppers

When I see Degenhardt's sausage on sale, I can't resist them. The Degenhardt family makes the most delicious sausages I have ever tasted, and the do it right here in New Brunswick (though you can purchase them across Canada and the US). They contain no fillers, no gluten, and no MSG, and they are Celiac certified.

We love a variety of their sausages, but the chorizo sausage is a real treat. When I arrived at the store to see an in-store special on both chorizo sausage and green peppers, I knew stuffed peppers should make their way into our meal plan. After a bit of searching online, I couldn't find a recipe that seemed like what I wanted. I improvised and came up with this recipe, which used a variety of leftover odds and ends in the fridge. I love when leftovers don't feel like leftovers! These were fresh, flavourful, and just a little spicy. I'll definitely be repeating them!

4 green peppers
1/4 diced onion
1 Lb chorizo sausage
3/4 C canned tomatoes
1 C cooked brown rice
1 1/2 ears of corn, corn removed from cob (approximately 3/4 C, if using frozen corn)
3-4 Tblsp white cheddar

Cut tops off green pepper, and remove all seeds. Place in an oven-safe dish, and set aside.

Saute the onion in a little olive oil until softened. Remove sausage from casing, and add to the pan. Brown and crumble until cooked through. Add tomatoes, rice, and corn. Stir to combine.

Fill each pepper with sausage mixture, and top with a little cheese. Add a little water to the baking dish, just a little more than what's needed to cover the bottom of the dish. Cover loosely with foil, and bake at 425` for 15-20 minutes.

*I'm not being compensated for any endorsements or reviews in this post.*

Chicken Pie (when you didn't have a chicken dinner)

In my mind, the best thing about having a chicken dinner (or turkey dinner) is making meals from the leftovers: Hot chicken sandwiches, chicken soup, chicken nachos, chicken pie! Chicken pie is one thing that my pickiest eater will gobble up every time...but don't have the time or the inclination to make a chicken dinner each week. As a result, I think I've perfected the "chicken pie without a chicken dinner".

While this isn't a true "make it in the morning" meal (because I haven't had great results letting the filled pie sit in the refrigerator all day), you can certainly make it ahead and freeze...or make the filling in the morning, and the crust just before baking, or (gasp!) use a store-bought pie crust. Whatever works for you!

Chicken Pie Filling

2 Tblsp butter

2 Tblsp flour

1 C chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

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1 cooked chicken breast, chopped fine (about 1 C)

3 C mixed frozen vegetables (peas, corn, carrots, etc)

Melt the butter in a medium-sized pot over low heat. Stir in the flour until the mixture is smooth and bubbly. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock until smooth. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, and boil for 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, and stir in frozen vegetables and chopped chicken to coat.

2-Crust Pie (from this Betty Crocker cookbook)

2/3 C + 2 Tblsp shortening

2 C flour

1 tsp salt

4 Tblsp cold water

Put shortening, flour, and salt in to food processor. Pulse until mixture is crumbly. Turn food processor on low and pour all the water in at once while it is running. Stop the food processor when the dough leaves the sides of the bowl, but before the dough forms a ball.

Shape the dough in to two balls with your hands. On a well floured surface, roll one ball into a circle (about 1-2 inches larger than the upside-down pie plate). Place dough in pie plate and press well against the bottom and sides of the plate. Fill the crust (recipe above). Roll remaining ball into approximately the same sized circle, and top the pie. Fold the top crust edge around the edge of the bottom crust and flute to seal. Using sharp knife, slit the top crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake at 425` for about 35 minutes, until crust is golden. If edges are browning too much (often the case after about 20 minutes), wrap long thin strips of foil around the pie's edges.

(Just noticing there's a wierd smudge on the camera lense. Ooops!)

Leftovers Renewed: Sweet Potato Chimichangas

I've posted the recipe for Sweet Potato Enchilada Bake, and I've posted the recipe for Baked Chimichangas. I combined the two recipes recently, and turned our leftover enchilada bake into these chimichangas with great results! (That being said though, wouldn't anything be good baked in a crunchy tortilla?)

Leftovers Renewed: Chicken Tangine Pizza

One of my favourite ways to makeover leftovers is to have them on a pizza. This was simply pita bread, some leftover Chicken Tangine, and a little mozzarella cheese to help it all stick together. Pop it in the oven at 375` for 10-15 minutes, and then turn the broiler on for a moment to brown the cheese.

Quick, easy, delicious...and also loved by one of two toddlers. (You know mister-picky-3-year-old rarely approves of anything other than pasta and peas.)

Leftovers Renewed: Baked Curry Chimichangas

We had a fair amount of leftover chicken & squash curry from the other night, but I didn't feel like having it with rice. Some tortillas were eyeing me in the fridge, so I decided to put them to good use. Delicious! I love when leftover meals are as good as the original meal!

We absolutely LOVED these! I can't wait to try more possibilities for baked chimichangas. My imagination is running wild thinking of the chimichangas I could make from leftover samosa filling, chicken chili, or even marinara sauce and sausage!

4 large tortillas
2 Cups of leftover curry (approx)
Olive oil, for brushing
1/3 Cup sour cream
1 tsp curry powder
Pinch of salt

In the centre of each tortilla, spoon approximately 1/2 cup of curry. Fold in the right and left sides of the tortilla towards the centre. Fold up the bottom of the tortilla to cover the filling, and roll up towards the top of the tortilla. Place on a baking sheet and brush top & sides with olive oil. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Bake at 425' for 25 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Combine sour cream, curry powder, and salt for a great dipping sauce to serve on the side.

Coconut Curry that Keeps on Going

On a hunt for a bok choy recipe that wasn't centred around soy sauce or sesame,a friend suggested this recipe. I used it as a starting point with a bunch of ingredients I had on-hand. Once the first recipe was made, I tweaked it twice to make two more meals which I'll share below.

2 of Dave's giant green onions (or a bunch of regular size)

1 can coconut milk

1/4 cup soy sauce, divided

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

4 cups bok choy, chopped

Chop whites of the onions finely, and greens into larger pieces to serve as garnish.

Combine coconut milk, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powder, and ginger in a large pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Add tomatoes, red pepper, and whites of green onions. Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in basil and bok choy. Add remaining soy sauce and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Serve over rice and garnish with green onion.

(This photo doesn't show how saucy the dish really is)

Because I skipped the chile paste from the original recipe, we found this recipe very mild. Next time, I'll add curry paste in its place...which is exactly what I did with the leftovers.

For our second night of this curry, I softened some curry paste in a pot with a tiny bit of olive oil before adding the mixture to reheat (you could add a little milk or stock if too thick). As it came to a boil, I added some chopped Swiss chard, covered the pot, and simmered until it was softened - about 5 minutes. We had it over noodles the second night.

For our third night of this curry (can you tell I like to stretch a meal?), I sauteed chopped beet greens until soft, and then added the leftover mixture to combine. I stretched pizza dough, lightly brushed the outer edges with olive oil and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, topped with the curry mixture and grated mozzarella cheese, and cooked on the grill. (See here for my how-to on grilling pizza)

I think the third meal was my favourite, but I've got a thing for pizza!

"Kitchen Sink"

This recipe-free dish was something my Dad made when we all lived at home. It's a great way to clean out the fridge as you can throw in just about anything, and it's easy to stretch for a crowd. Dad called it "Kitchen Sink" at that time (as in, 'everything but the...'), but for some reason he now calls it "Something For Everyone". No matter what you call it, this was a great way to clean out all the vegetables that were our fridge last night to make way for all of our new produce!

Prepare pasta as directed. (This is 1/2 a package of tri-colour ruffles)

In a large pan or wok, saute vegetables starting with those that take the longest (last night, that meant onions and green peppers). Then add some already cooked (leftover) meat to warm (last night, that was sausage - but we've done chicken, thinly sliced steak or pork, etc). Then add the veggies that take a little less time (last night, that was zucchini and snow peas), and then those veggies that basically just steam (last night, that was beet greens because I couldn't resist using something from the produce pack). Once everything is warmed through, toss in the pasta. Mix in 1-2 Tblsp of prepared pesto, and allow flavours to combine for another couple of minutes before serving. (Dad often adds a few olives and a hot pepper to the pan to add some extra flavours too.)

We enjoyed last night's version of Kitchen Sink with some garlic bread, made on the multi-grain bread from our produce pack of course. (Can you tell this whole produce pack has me a little excited?)

Leftovers Renewed - Quick Pizza

We have gotten away the routine of including pizza in our weekly meal plan. Time to get back on that bandwagon! I usually make the crust in our bread machine but I had some over-sized pitas leftover from making pita chips, so we used that instead this time. Crisp, light, and delicious!

We topped the pita with tomato sauce, tomato, red pepper, black olives, spinach, capers, and a combinations of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. The best part of this meal? Nothing was purchased intentionally for it - it was a combination of leftovers in the fridge/pantry. Gotta love a 'free' meal!

Don't have pita on hand? We also like making fast pizza on bagels, english muffins, or French bread.

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