The cheapest meals are those that include ingredients that you’ve already cooked and paid for–otherwise known as leftovers. There are quite a few things that you can make with the leftovers that might otherwise end up in the garbage. Some of the most obvious meals are casseroles, pot pies, soups or stews. The recipes below can all be altered depending on what you have around the house.
Easy Pot Pie
1-2 cups leftover meat, diced
1-2 cups gravy or cream of mushroom or chicken soup
2 cups leftover mixed vegetables
1 cup all-purpose baking mix
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix meat, gravy or soup, and vegetables in ungreased pie pan. Stir together remaining ingredients with fork until blended. Spread over meat and veggie mixture. Bake about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Chicken or Turkey Tetrizzini
2 cups chicken or turkey, diced
12 oz cooked spaghetti (or any type of pasta you’d like)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
Sliced and sauteed mushrooms, optional
Grated or shredded parmesan cheese, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour cooked pasta into a 9×13 inch pan. Layer chicken or turkey pieces on pasta. If desired, layer with sauteed mushrooms. In a separate bowl, combine cans of soup, sour cream, and sage. Pour mixture over ingredients in pan. Top with parmesan cheese, if desired. Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges and heated throughout.
Think it Through
When your refrigerator is getting jam-packed, sort through it and try to come up with a dinner made with leftovers. These two recipes are only to get you started. Some of your favorite recipes can likely be altered to include leftovers. Don’t forget to check your leftovers when making your next meal to see if you can use something over again.