NPR listeners share their favourite methods to prepare dinner with leftovers : NPR

Turn the previous couple of elements and leftovers in your fridge into fully new dishes you may take pleasure in

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Leftovers are a surprisingly controversial subject. Some folks love them (consuming chilly pizza whereas standing in entrance of the fridge is a treasured pastime of mine). And some folks cannot stand the thought of consuming yesterday’s meals … once more!

Well, it seems that just a few of you in our viewers are certainly “leftovers people.” And we’re not simply speaking about consuming Monday’s casserole on Thursday or having that final little bit of takeout rooster parm.

Some of you take pleasure in turning them into fully new dishes, stuffing them into ancho peppers or making Polish beet soup simply to make use of up your fridge’s odds and ends.

Here are seven methods to remodel your leftovers, shared by our viewers. They come from a query we requested final month in a narrative and podcast episode on the best way to cut back meals waste, by journalist Emily Siner. These have been edited for size and readability.

Layer your leftovers in a biryani casserole

Whenever I’ve random bits of meat, veggie stir-fry or dal, I layer them right into a baking dish, alternating with rice (leftover rice works fairly properly for this). To elevate it, I throw contemporary mint on high and drizzle over a bit heat milk infused with saffron strands. Seal it tightly with foil, bake at 400 F, and it tastes model new. — Pradosh Mohapatra

Smash your leftovers right into a crunchy panini 

Grab your favourite bread and slather it with a straightforward DIY aioli (whisk collectively mayo, olive oil, sriracha, garlic or garlic powder, lemon juice and Dijon mustard). Stuff it together with your leftover meats and veggies, then hit it within the sandwich press till it is sizzling and crunchy. — Pradosh Mohapatra

Don’t sleep on that rooster carcass 

The one factor I search for probably the most is a leftover rotisserie rooster. After thanking the rooster for her service, I separate any usable meat and refrigerate. The relaxation goes right into a inventory pot with leftover frozen celery tops, onion skins and perhaps the odd garlic clove. I add in bay leaf, sage powder, salt and floor pepper. After it cooks for hours, I’ll pressure [the stock], style it for taste, after which resolve what to do with it.

One of my favourite methods to make use of the leftover rooster and inventory is to make rooster and dumplings. Another is a porridge-like soup, sort of like a juk. I put 1 / 4 of a cup of rice, diced up greens and leftover rooster in 32 oz. or so of inventory. Good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. — Jennifer Webster

Stuff your leftovers into ancho peppers 

Slice ancho peppers lengthwise into halves, de-seed them and steam with a bit water within the microwave. Then stuff them with any combo of roasted veggies like onion, squash, broccoli and carrots, and rice or beans.