Leftover Recipes Become the Cook’s Best Friend

Instead of tossing out the crushed and crumbled remains of cereal as you near the bottom of the box, crush the leftover bits and use as a coating for oven-fried chicken, a topping for casseroles, or an added crunchiness in meatloaf. Stale bread can be used to make croutons, French toast or even bread pudding. And leftover potatoes easily can be reused in a variety of ways from breakfast to dessert. Transform mashed potatoes into a breakfast pancake, turn baked potatoes into a ham hash for lunch, or repurpose leftover scalloped potatoes in a dinner pot pie.

By combining leftovers with different foods, you can create a cornucopia of delicious dishes. And with a little imagination, you can reinvent the same leftover food in myriad menu ideas so your taste buds never get bored!

Leftover Food Safety Tips

• Always wash your hands before handling food.
• Refrigerate or freeze unused food within two hours of cooking.
• Cool leftovers before putting in the refrigerator or freezer. Place leftovers in small, shallow containers to help the food cool down quickly.
• Speed up cooling times by cutting large portions into smaller ones.
• Never store stuffing in cooked poultry. Remove and repackage in small containers.
• Make it easy to reuse your leftovers by storing them in your refrigerator in clean, see-through containers in plain sight and within easy reach.
• Play it safe and always use leftovers within three to four days of refrigeration. And remember, “When in doubt, throw it out!”