LOVE YOUR FESTIVE LEFTOVERS 2022

Updated Jan 2022 

Tough times turn leftovers into life-savers (Courtesy of Pinterest; licensed for reuse)   

Leftovers are a godsend for stretching out meals, especially if you remember that you don't need as much protein as you think.  

Whether you are saving the leftovers for future meals once January is over, or are intending to rely on them to keep food spending down until Feb 1st, here are a few 67goingon50's tips, ideas and recipes for leftovers. There are two categories: frozen and cupboard (eg. fruit & veg)

1.  FROZEN LEFTOVERS

Bread/Buns/Croissants

• Sandwiches: See Christmas Sandwich Free for All, Hoisin Chicken/Turkey Baguette, Devilled Tuna Open Faced Sarnie, Fancy Make-Ahead Sandwiches 

• Ultra Easy Double Dipped French Toast: frugal; so easy kids can make it 

• Bread & Butter Puddings: various on NavBar: Recipes I/Baked Goods, including special occasion ambrosial Chocolate Mint Bread & Butter Pudding and frugal Boozy Orange Bread & Butter Pudding 

• Croissants: stuff with ham/bacon, scrambled egg and chopped parsley

• Fresh Breadcrumbs: process coarsely; freezable

Cheese

• Hard cheeses can be frozen but wrap them first in grease-proof paper and then tightly in cling film  

• Odds and ends of cheese: mix, grate, add a little cream and a touch of smoked paprika; pile onto toasted bread & grill till melted OR layer one half of puff pastry with leftover salami or sausage, cover generously with cheese/s of choice; layer other half of pastry on top;  crimp edges, brush with egg; bake and cut into squares.  Or try Sensational Cheese Straws using odds and ends of cheese.  Or scatter over leaves and fruit using the template of Warmed Tortilla with Salad, Stilton and Pear

Double Cream

• can be frozen 1-2 months but leave room for the cream to expand; once defrosted it may not whip as nicely as usual

• beat to a soft peak with vanilla and a little icing sugar for a superior topping for Irish Coffee & hot chocolate

• transforms into butter when beaten continuously with electric beaters until the cream  splits into butter and whey; discard whey

Egg Whites & Yolks, Frozen

Defrost; see below Cupboard Leftovers

Ham

• shred baked or sliced ham & freeze in small portions to add colour & warmth to soups, salads or pasta

Also :

• breakfast croissants: stuff with ham & cheese; toast till cheese melts  

• Celeriac, Ham & Mustard salad or sandwich filling

Potatoes

• Roasties:  Replace chip shop chips chopped roast potatoes in Tortilla Espagnol: Cheat's Version 

• Leftover Mash: super easy Spiced Potato Cigarillos (Indian-style 'chip butty' canapes) or Easy-Peasy Smashed Potato Salad (ready in minutes)

Salmon

• Salmon & Rice Leftover Salad: '...fresh bright taste; loved the chilli, the crisp yellow pepper and the lightness of the rice.' 
• Salmon & Mayo Sandwiches with finely chopped sweet pickle

Turkey/Chicken (see Recipes for Turkey leftovers/supermarket bargains) elsewhere in the blog

2.  CUPBOARD LEFTOVERS

Eggs

Raw: 

• make frittatas & quiches; these will also use up cold or raw vegetables, cheese & shards of protein
• Tortilla Espagnol: Cheat's Version
• Tortilla Espagnol: Glamour Mode, also uses up cooked & raw veg 

Raw Egg Whites (fresh or frozen and defrosted):

• Exquisite Emergency Almond Biscuits: delicious & delicate; gluten & dairy-free; fast & easy     
• Lower-Sugar Mini Pavlovas with Spicy fruit: deliciously crumbly, redolent with Christmas spices
• for anything that will look good with a cloud of meringue, such as Lemon Meringue Surprise Pie or Chocolate Meringue Pie or Baked Alaska

Raw Egg Yolks (fresh or frozen):
     Easier Fruit Curds: lemon or orange or a combination of citrus fruits

Hard Boiled:

• Carnival Potato Salad, also uses up any raw peppers
• Skinnier Scotch Eggs, low-fat, high flavour, wallet-friendly; uses up sausage meat
• Avocado & Ham Devilled Eggs, frugal and fabulous
• Tuna Stuffed Eggs, one of 67goingon50's Classics - a delight as the end of January approaches

    
Mixed Fresh Fruit

• Fruit salads: replace sugar syrup with unsweetened fruit juice, fresh or from a carton; flavour with mint or ginger syrup or alcohol; top up with tinned fruit if necessary

• Trifles (See Recipes 1: Baking)

• Crumbles (as above)

• Incorporate into waffles or pancakes (see recipes 1 & 11)

• Bake with fruit juice & flavouring of choice; process to a sauce; strain if necessary; pour over ice cream

Lemons

• Sprinkle juice & zest over lightly steamed or boiled veg & scatter over toasted sunflower seeds

• Lemon curd for spreading on toast or mixing with yoghurt OR added to  whipped cream in Luscious Lemon Pudding

• Reduced fat Lemon Cheesecake: a complete knock-out dessert

Nuts

• Roast lightly for No-bake Granola Flapjacks: vegan, low sugar, high energy & protein

• Process and transform into lower-sugar Nut Chocolate Spread or Chocolatella Brownies in small portions

Oranges

•  Skinner Crepes a l'orange 

• Sunshine Salad, also uses up cooked poultry, ham & apples

Raw Potatoes

•  Skinnier Stuffed Potato Skins (also uses up bacon & cheese) 
•  Skinnier Scalloped potatoes, French style - perfect comfort food for frugal January
•  potato salads in Recipes II/Salads 

Vegetables

• Raw: Cook up an attractive, appealing and delicious low-carb vegetarian platter Stir-fry of Low-Carb Vegetables OR make quick & easy simple pickled vegetables

• uncooked sprouts: try Sprout, Pear, Walnut & dried berries 

• Cooked: frittatas and quiches; also vegetarian sandwiches

• Salad Ingredients: Stocks and Fried Rice

Also: Making a Meal of a Few Ingredients
Christmas leftovers from 2015 on NavBar: How to..

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This group of recipes has been compiled by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.