hash pie
Plate Up Planned Overs
Cook once – eat twice. That’s my motto.
Leftovers? No way. Somehow that word just makes the food seem so unappealing and I am pretty sure I have some residual trauma from my childhood. Growing up, shortly after my Mom would announce to the family that she was serving “leftovers” for dinner a deathly silence would fill the room, my sisters gag reflex would start to kick in, she would start looking for the dog and my dad, in anticipation of the ensuing arguments would tense up and start to think about chores he could do that would take him away from the dinner table even temporarily. When I moved out and started cooking for myself I thought, forget this, I am never eating leftovers at my house! I was ready to die on that mountain until I realized how much work it was to come home from work and actually get a new and exciting meal on the table every night of the week after a full day of work. So I decided that rather than fall into the habit of throwing plastic wrap on every bite of leftover food with the intention of reheating it I took a stand and re-branded my leftovers….at my house we call them “planned-overs”.
There are a million creative ways to turn “planned overs” into another meal; weather you pack them in your lunch or completely transform them into another dinner – so much so in fact that your family might not even recognize them as yesterday’s dinner and you can avoid that awkward pre-dinner announcement that my mom seemed to revel in!
In order to have an entirely new meal you do need to have a well stocked pantry, spice cupboard and some level of creativity. The upside is when you start with your planned overs, half the work is already done.
Planned over grilled veggies can turn into a quiche or omelets, pureed to flavor a bean dip or tossed into a salad. Planned over turkey, chicken or beef can be transformed into fajitas, quesadillas or used as a pizza topping. Extra bread is perfect for garlicky croutons, bread pudding, French toast or delicious grilled cheese sandwiches stuffed with planned over shredded short ribs, bacon or thinly sliced ham. Rice can be fried, added to a soup, salad or used as a binder for crab cakes of meatloaf. I make extra pasta intentionally and turn it into a pasta salad with the other bits and pieces from the fridge. Make extra potatoes and serve them cubed and refried with leftover meat as hash for breakfast, mash them and make potato cakes or shepherds pie. I don’t have much experience with leftover wine but people tell me they freeze it in cubes and use it to add to sauces, gravies and marinades. (who knew?)
You are really limited only by your imagination. Jump on the “planned over” band wagon and think of the time and money you will save. Even when you have the best intentions there are days that things get backed up, you get busy, life gets in the way and you just can’t face another meal with what you had planned as a planned over. That is exactly when I revert back to my sister’s plan, start looking for the dog, thaw out those wine cubes and order in.
About the Author
Angie Quaale is the owner of Well Seasoned gourmet food store and cooking school in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. Well Sesaoned is been the destination location for all things gourmet. Angie travels the world sourcing the best gourmet foods and recipes and is an advocate of local farmers and food producers.
Angie’s column, “Food for Thought” appears twice a month in the Langley Times. She’s also regularly featured in print articles, television and radio programs throughout Canada.
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