De Ma Cuisine

Leftovers Archive

Thursday

8

November 2012

0

COMMENTS

What’s For Lunch?!

Written by , Posted in Leftovers, Lunch, Menu Planning, Thoughts

As I write this post, I’m starving and want to eat everything in the fridge. Hopefully this will make for more good ideas and not just me giving in and eating everything in sight.

My friend, Jo, asked me to write about lunches. She said she needed some suggestion for what to make. Yes, let’s menu plan. One of my favorite things to do!

Husband works close enough to walk to work. So, he comes home for lunch a couple of times a week. I usually make his lunch the other days. Not because I have to, but because I enjoy it. It saves us money, and he’s eating healthier than if he were eating frozen burritos or fast food every day. Here are some ideas for lunches, whether you’re eating them at home, at a desk, at a picnic table…

Leftovers! Before you put food into the fridge, portion it into single servings. If it will freeze well, put those portions into the freezer (labeled – use some tape and a market to write what’s in there), and they’ll be easy to reheat. Foods like: Chili and Cornbread, Lentil Stew, Tomato Soup (if you’re not a fan of the cold grilled cheese, try it with a ham and cheese sandwich), and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup freeze well. Some leftovers are good cold (in my opinion, Husband strongly disagrees). As long as foods are cooled quickly and stored at a proper temperature, it’s totally safe to eat them cold. I think my favorite is cold chicken, but I also kinda like cold grilled cheese, I don’t know why.

I get in a food rut sometimes, but it really helps when I have a menu planned out. So I’ve done that for you. Some easy lunch ideas (if you’re a list person) and a weekly menu (if you’re a menu person… I’m both, so you get one of each) planned out for you with ideas for how to use leftovers for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I hope this makes for less food ruts and poor lunches!! 🙂

Quick Lunch Ideas

Tuna Sandwich, Carrot and Apple Slices, Cookies

Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich, Pear, Yogurt

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Apple and Gruyère Sandwich

Pear and Cheddar Sandwich

Cheddar, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwich with leftover Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Roasted Butternut Squash Soup or Roasted Tomato Soup

Roast Beef Sandwich with Tomato (pack the tomato separately so it doesn’t sog up the sandwich), lettuce, and spicy mustard; sliced bell pepper, apple, cookies

Egg Salad Sandwich, Sliced Carrots, Pear, Yogurt

Santa Fe Quesadillas

Leftover Pasta

Leftover Soup

Leftover Chili or Stew

Burritos (with leftover rice, beans, beef or chicken, and veggies), chips and salsa, simple green salad, cookies

Salmon Salad with Crispy Potatoes

Weekly Menu

Breakfast Lunch Dinner Notes
Monday

Fruit and Yogurt

 Tuna Sandwich
Carrot and Apple Slices
Cookie		 Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Apple and Gruyère Crostini
Green Salad
Tuesday Omelete (Nothing wrong with) Peanut Butter and Jelly!
Pear
Yogurt		 Roast Beef
Mashed Potatoes
Wilted Greens		 Try mixing in some leftover Butternut Squash Soup to the eggs before cooking, along with a tiny bit of milk.
Wednesday Hard Boiled Eggs
Toast		 Roast Beef Sandwich
Sliced Bell Pepper
Apple
Cookie		 Pasta Carbonara
Roasted Salmon		 Make extra eggs to use in sandwiches.
Use leftover Butternut Squash Soup to make pasta sauce.
Freeze leftover salmon.
Use leftover roast beef for sandwich.
Thursday

Oatmeal

Fruit

 Egg Salad Sandwich
Sliced Carrots
Pear
Yogurt		 Roast Chicken
Rice Pilaf
Roasted Veggies
Friday Bagel with Cream Cheese
Cold Salmon
Fruit		 Leftover Pasta Carbonara
Leftover Chicken
Green Salad
Cookie		 Philly Cheese Steak Pizza
Green Salad
Fruit
Saturday Potato and Veggie Hash Beef Burrito
Chips and Salsa
Green Salad
Cookie		 Stir Fry Hash: Use leftover mashed potatoes (use chop up raw ones) and leftover roasted veggies.
Burrito: Use leftover beef, and add a bit of tomato paste to leftover rice pilaf. You could add some beans as well.
Stir Fry: Reheat meat and add to whatever veggies you have on hand. You could use leftover rice pilaf and toss it with a bit of sesame oil or soy sauce.
Sunday Smoothie
Toast with Peanut Butter		 Salmon Salad with Crispy Potatoes
Fruit		 End of the Week Soup (Mashed Potato Soup could work well – add some Butternut Squash Soup to it if you have some left.)

 Happy Eating!

Monday

29

October 2012

0

COMMENTS

Squash Bowls

Written by , Posted in Beef, Bread, Cheese, Dinner, Leftovers, Main Dishes, Meat, Roasting, Vegetables

Squash Bowls

Recipe Type: Main, Dinner, Hearty
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Serves: 4
Roasted acorn squash are stuffed with a creamy, hearty filling, then topped with crunchy croutons and almonds. Oh so perfect for a fall or winter dinner.
Ingredients
  • 2 acorn squash, halved (seeds removed – save them to plant in your garden!)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2-3 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 eggplant, diced
  • 4-6 C kale, chopped
  • 4 T + 1 t olive oil
  • 2 T flour
  • 1/2 T balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 to 3/4 C Gruyère cheese, grated
  • 1/2 to 3/4 C parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 1/4 t salt (or to taste)
  • pepper (to taste)
  • pinch nutmeg
  • pinch cayenne
  • 1/2 C stock
  • 1-2 C milk (depending on how thick you want the sauce)
  • 1 C roast beef (opt.), cooked and cubed (I used leftovers)
  • 1/4 C almonds, chopped
  • 2 C bread, cubed
Instructions
  1. Brush cut sides of squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes, or until squash is tender and pierces easily with a fork.
  2. Sautée onion, beef (I was just re-heating the beef, if using raw, cook thoroughly) and eggplant in olive oil with a bit of salt, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomatoes and cook over med-low heat for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Add nutmeg and kale (a little bit at a time, letting it wilt down then adding more), stirring often, until all kale is incorporated.
  4. Add 2 T oil to a hot pan. When the oil is hot, whisk in 2 T flour. Let it bubble for about 30 seconds, then very slowly, whisking as you do, add the milk and stock, a little at a time. Cook over medium heat until steam rises then turn off heat. Whisk in cheese, pepper, a little more salt (opt.), and balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  5. Toss bread with 1/2 T olive oil, and a pinch of cayenne, salt and pepper. Bake at 350F, turning once, for 10-15 minutes, or until bread is toasty.
  6. Mix veggies with bechamel sauce (cheese sauce). Pour into squash. Top with bread and almonds. Serve and enjoy!!
Notes

I’d say total time on this dish is around 60 minutes, because most of the prep and cooking can be done while the squash is roasting! Could be a tad longer if the squash takes longer to roast. 🙂

Friday

3

August 2012

0

COMMENTS

Enchiladas

Written by , Posted in Baking, Beans, Cheese, Dinner, Gluten Free, Leftovers, Legumes, Main Dishes, Quinoa, Sauces, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Enchiladas
Recipe Type: Dinner, Main, Casserole
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 6-10 tortillas (depending on size)
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1 C cheese, grated
  • 1/2 C salsa
  • Filling: 1 C quinoa cooked (I used leftovers)
  • 2 C black beans (or whatever beans you like), cooked, if you’re using dried beans
  • 1 C tempeh, crumbled (if you’d rather use meat, cooked ground beef, turkey, or chicken could replace)
  • 1-2 ears of corn, off the cob
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, diced
  • 2 t olive oil, divided
  • Sauce: 1 C tomato sauce (or 1 C water, 4-5 T tomato paste, whisked together)
  • 1 T chili powder
  • 1 T sweet paprika
  • 1/2 T smoked paprika
  • 1 t bacon grease (opt.)
  • 1 t salt
  • 1/2 t pepper
  • Serving: salsa
  • Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
  • avocado, chopped
  • fresh corn off the cob
  • tomato, chopped (opt.)
  • chives, chopped (opt.)
  • cilantro, chopped (opt.)
Instructions
  1. Heat small pan over medium heat, add 1 t olive oil, cook onion 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1-2 minutes.
  2. Whisk sauce ingredients together. Pour 2/3 C in the bottom of a greased (with 1 t olive oil) 9×13 oven safe dish. Mix remaining 1/3 C with filling ingredients and combine.
  3. Divide filling between tortillas. Roll up (with ends tucked in) and place seam side down on the sauce.
  4. Top with cheese and salsa. Bake uncovered at 350F for 40-45 minutes. (Check partway through to be sure that there’s still sauce in the bottom of the pan so it doesn’t burn. If it’s starting to dry out, add more sauce or salsa. This happened to me, but I’d used less sauce than I’ve written in here.)
  5. Serve topped with salsa, yogurt, and any of the chopped veggies (we had tomato, corn, and avocado on the side – it was lovely).
Notes

Gluten Free if you use corn tortillas.

 

Wednesday

25

July 2012

0

COMMENTS

Salmon and Corn Salad

Written by , Posted in Bread, Condiments, Dinner, Eggs, Fish, Leftovers, Low Carb, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, Potatoes, Salads, Vegetables

Salmon and Corn Salad
Recipe Type: Salad, Main, Lunch, Dinner
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Serves: 1
A great way to use amazing summer corn and leftover salmon!
Ingredients
  • 1 t olive oil
  • 1/4 C leftover salmon, cold
  • 1/4 to 1/2 C crispy potatoes (leftovers are fine and can be reheated in the toaster oven, or follow the recipe)
  • 1/4 C corn off the cob
  • 1/4 C green beans, chopped
  • 1/4 C zucchini, chopped
  • 1 egg, fried
  • 2 T almonds, chopped
  • 2 C lettuce
  • 1/2 C cornbread croutons
Instructions
  1. (If using leftover crispy potatoes, re-heat in the toaster oven. 350F until they’re hot.)
  2. Heat pan. Add oil. Slowly add egg (I like to pour it from a small bowl). Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper. Cook, covered, flipping if desired, until it reaches desired doneness.
  3. Top lettuce with potatoes, veggies, almonds, croutons, and salmon. Place egg on top. Drizzle with dressing.

 

Monday

2

July 2012

0

COMMENTS

Picnics and Holidays

Written by , Posted in Inspired By, Leftovers, Menu Planning, Thoughts

It’s the time of year to be outside (she says from her computer, at her desk, indoors). Eating food outside is fun and relaxing. Whether it’s in celebration of your nation, or just because you feel like a picnic. Grab a blanket, a basket, some delicious treats, a book, your dog, a loved one or two or three, and go outside!

It can be a tasty and creative way to use leftovers! For example, you could take some leftover Roast Pork, Roasted Chicken, or Roast Beef and make it into a sandwich (I did this last week, with the pork I’d made on the show, for Husband, and he loved it). You could just make a simple sandwich of pork, cheese, lettuce, mayo, and dijon, or you could sub the pork, chicken, or roast beef for the salami in my Italian Date Subs.

You could roast a chicken and use it in a salad, like Arlene did.

You could make a double batch of ground beef/beans and use one batch in tacos, and save the rest for Taco Salad (I’d add the chips right before serving, personally).

You could cook some salmon for dinner and use the leftovers to make a yummy Honey-Sesame Salmon Salad.

If you don’t have any leftovers to use up, you could make some Bacon and Egg Burgers or Hawaiian Sliders.

You could make a Bacon and Egg Roasted Potato Salad (recipe is below), or my Mom’s Potato Salad to go along with the burgers (or whatever you’re grilling – Sausages, Hot Dogs, Chicken, Steak…mmmm steak).

If you need more ideas, I’ve got plenty on this week’s menu. I’m also going to make a fresh veggie salsa on my 30th episode of A Cooking Show with Rachel O. We’ll bring it to the BBQ we’re going to on the 4th.  (Oh, and FYInformation, as always with my celebratory episodes, which tend to be the ones that end in “0”, there will be bloopers!)

Happy Monday! Happy picnicking! Happy Canada Day and 4th of July!

Bacon and Egg Roasted Potato Salad

Last modified on 2012-07-02 19:54:24 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Bacon and Egg Roasted Potato Salad
Recipe Type: Salad
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 50 mins
Total time: 1 hour 10 mins
Serves: 12-15
Potatoes and green beans are roasted and turned into a creamy potato salad.
Ingredients
  • 50-60 small red potatoes, cut in small chunks
  • 1 t salt
  • 1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 1/2 – 2 C green beans, cut in 1-2 inch pieces
  • 4 hardboiled eggs, chopped
  • 2 T olive oil
  • Dressing: 1 T dijon mustard
  • 1/2 C mayo
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 T honey
  • 1/2 C Greek yogurt
  • 1 t sweet paprika
  • 1 t salt
  • 1/2 t pepper
Instructions
  1. Toss potatoes with 3/4 t salt, and 1 1/2 T olive oil. On two baking sheets, roast at 350F for 15 minutes, flip potatoes and rotate baking sheets, bake 25-35 minutes more (or until potatoes are crispy outside and tender inside).
  2. Toss beans with remaining oil, and 1/4 t salt. Bake at 350F for 10-20 minutes.
  3. While potatoes and beans cook: Cook bacon. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Whisk dressing ingredients together.
  4. Toss potatoes, beans, eggs, and dressing together. Toss with bacon right before serving.

 

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