| Cooking tips and hints |
| Add your leftover cooked oatmeal to your meatloaf recipe instead of bread crumbs |
| How old is that container of leftovers in the back of the refrigerator? You�ll always know if you write the contents and date on a piece of masking tape and stick it to the top. Use indelible markers -- the humidity of the refrigerator smears everything else. |
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| Serve your leftover chili over a baked potato for another great meal Put leftover gravy in a baking dish. Add mixed vegetables,(these could be leftovers also), and a can of tuna. Bake until bubbly. You could top this with refrigerator biscuits and pop back in the oven until browned. Ham is great leftover. You can cut it up and mix it with scrambled eggs, or scalloped potatoes. Or grind it up, add some pickle relish and mayo. What a great sandwich spread. |
| When serving cheese as an appetizer, be sure to take it out of the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before the guests arrive. Not only will it be more sliceable and spreadable, it will also be ten times more flavorful. Refrigeration retards the cheese's ripeness. This is particularly true for goat cheese, which you should remove from refrigeration at least two hours before serving it. |
| To heat leftover tortillas, grease a skillet lightly with oil and place over medium heat. Dip tortillas in water and quickly steam-saut� them on both sides. One way to freshen stale rolls is to seal them in a brown paper bag, sprinkle the outside with water, then heat 10 to 15 minutes in a 350*F (175*C) oven. Combine leftover mashed potatoes with chopped onion and shredded cheese, then bake. Tastes like twice-baked potatoes without the work! Leftover spaghetti noodles? Add diced raw vegetables and enough bottled Italian dressing to coat for an easy and refreshing salad! Form balls of leftover mashed potatoes around cubes of cheese, roll in Parmesan cheese or crumbs and broil until golden brown. Yummy! To freshen stale rolls, seal in a paper bag, sprinkle the bag with water, and heat 10 to 15 minutes at 350*F (180*C). |
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| Keep special carafes handy for red and white wines left over from the dinner table. When you've collected enough, use in sauces and salad dressings. Cool leftover French toast, then freeze it in single layers. Store in self-sealing plastic bags. Pop in your toaster to reheat. Leftover spaghetti noodles make a wonderful addition to any stir-fry dish. Stir-fry noodles in 2 tablespoons hot oil for a few minutes; remove and set aside. Prepare your stir-fry and stir in the "fried" noodles last. You can use potato cooking water as the liquid in making bread � it's a great flavor enhancer. To make leftover fruit pie taste "just-baked," wrap in foil and warm 10 minutes in a 350�F (180�C) oven. For the ultimate turkey sandwich, place leftover sliced turkey breast, a heaping spoonful of stuffing and a slathering of tart cranberry sauce between two slices of your favorite bread |
| Sprinkle fruit-flavored gelatin powder over vanilla pudding to give it a pretty look and added flavor! Placing a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone helps prevent ice-cream drips and adds a surprise! Freeze leftover coffee and tea in ice cube trays. Use cubes to cool down complimentary iced beverages without diluting them. |
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| For a great gift idea, wrap homemade bread in festive paper or a holiday tea towel and tie with a bow and fresh greenery. To keep appetizers appealingly hot--and you out of the kitchen--use your chafing dish and warming trays for serving. Add a finishing touch to desserts by garnishing with an ingredient used, such as lemon slices on a lemon pie, peanuts on a peanut butter pie or chocolate curls on a chocolate pie or cake. To help reduce calories, use nonfat sour cream instead of milk or cream to enrich sauces and soups. |