Everyday Leftovers: Extraordinary Makeovers

We buy less, cook less, and promise ourselves everyday that if we make too much we will find a tasty use for those leftovers. Keep your promise to yourself and find creative ways to incorporate homemade leftovers into something not just tasty but extraordinary. It sounds like a challenge, sure. But isn't the challenge worth it? Think of the money you could save, and the amount of food that won't go to waste (and the local landfill) if you simply use what you already have.

Coffee

Leftover coffee is not just for drinking. You will save a king's ransom if coffee house iced coffee is your downfall, though. Purchase a pitcher or use a large recycled food jar to store leftover coffee to make your own iced coffee at home. You can also use the saved coffee in your fridge in other ways.

* Add leftover brewed coffee to a homemade brown-sugar barbecue sauce to add acidity.
* Kick up your favorite marinade with coffee. You can use it on beef ribs.
* Did you grind up more coffee than you need? Make a coffee rub with salt, pepper, coriander cumin and garlic powder for beef or lamb.

Pasta

Pasta comes in convenient boxes and when you're cooking for three or more people, you may be tempted to just dump in the whole box. Cooking pasta takes less than 30 minutes, so it is a food you can make fresh daily if you want to cook less. It can also be convenient to have cooked pasta on hand, as long as you know what to do with it.

Cooked pasta can always be added to soup or made into a cold pasta salad. Try this salad for something new:

Cold Peanut Salad

If the thought of mixing peanut butter with pasta sounds strange, wait. Have you ever ordered a cold sesame noodle dish or an entree with a peanut sauce from a restaurant? With a handful of cold, cooked whole wheat pasta noodles and some basic ingredients you can make a quick lunch or snack.

1. Chop some celery and or scallions.
2. Mix some sesame or olive oil in a small bowl with your favorite smooth or chunky peanut butter.
3. Add a dash of cayenne pepper for heat.
4. Stir thoroughly.
5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or eat right away.
Optional ingredients: fresh ginger, thin slices of carrots, cooked piece of chicken, a dash of soy sauce.

Roasted Chicken Tacos

Go beyond the roasted chicken leftover standbys like chicken pot pie, chicken salad and chicken soup. Make a leftover meal the kids will beg you for weekly: chicken tacos. Because the chicken is already cooked, all you need to do is simmer it with packaged or homemade taco seasoning.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1/2 tsp onion powder (not onion salt)
Dash of cayenne pepper, more if you like it spicy

Tips and tricks:

1. Add an entire can of beans to stretch the chicken leftovers and add heart-healthy fiber. If you mix the beans right into the chicken you family will be more likely to eat them.
2. Use pita breads instead of taco shells that way you don't have to use the oven.
3. Serve shredded cheese, diced fresh tomatoes, chopped lettuce and brown rice to make the meal complete.