Leftovers are a strangely controversial topic.Some people love them (eating cold pizza while standing in front of the fridge is a treasured pastime of mine).
And some people can't stand the idea of eating yesterday's food … again!Well, it turns out that a few of you in our audience are indeed "leftovers people." And we're not just talking about eating Monday's casserole on Thursday or having that last bit of takeout chicken parm.Some of you enjoy turning them into completely new dishes, stuffing them into ancho peppers or making Polish beet soup just to use up your fridge's odds and ends.Here are seven ways to transform your leftovers, shared by our audience.They come from a question we asked last month in a story and podcast episode on how to reduce food waste, by journalist Emily Siner.
These have been edited for length and clarity.Whenever I have random bits of meat, veggie stir-fry or dal, I layer them into a baking dish, alternating with rice (leftover rice works pretty well for this).
To elevate it, I throw fresh mint on top and drizzle over a little warm milk infused with saffron strands.Seal it tightly with foil, bake at 400 F, and it tastes brand new.
— Pradosh MohapatraGrab your favorite bread and slather it with an easy DIY aioli (whisk together mayo, olive oil, sriracha, garlic or garlic powder, lemon juice and Dijon mustard).Stuff it with your leftover meats and veggies, then hit it in the sandwich press until it's hot and crunchy.
— Pradosh MohapatraThe one thing I look for the most is a leftover rotisserie chicken.After thanking the chicken for her service, I separate any usable meat and refrigerate.
The rest goes into a stock pot with leftover frozen celery tops, onion skins and maybe the odd garlic clove.I add in bay leaf, sage powder, salt and ground pepper.
After it cooks for hours, I'll strain [the stock], taste it for flavor, and then decide what to do with it.One of my favorite ways to use the leftover chicken and stock is to make...