Your Favorite Food For Leftover Reuse?

**Joshin** · 12-26-2010, 04:55 PM

I'm pretty new to FV, and thought I'd dive right in

I was thinking about those foods that I always make triple or quadruple batches of because I can easily recycle them into new recipes.

My favorite is chili. I make a huge crockpot full and we eat chili and cornbread one night. I then freeze it in smaller portions for reuse in:
-Frito pie
-Navajo tacos
-burrito filling
-baked potato topper
-chili dogs
-chili burgers
-chili quesadillas
-chili pot pie

What are some of your favorite foods to prepare in big batches because you can use them in a ton of other recipes. I'm always looking for more inspiration!

**daylily** · 12-26-2010, 05:00 PM

Welcome to FV!

Mine would be beans. We never get tired of them. I do similar to your chili ideas.

**EmilyD** · 12-26-2010, 05:20 PM

I don't make "big batches" but I do make multiple meals
from one meat source.

Baked chicken then
Chicken and noodles and
Chicken casserole and
Chicken salad

Meatloaf then
meatloaf sandwiches

Roast beef then
roast beef hash and
roast beef sandwiches

**shoiji** · 12-26-2010, 05:23 PM

Chicken soup. I like to make a big batch and divide up.

I can add some thickener to it and make:

creamed chicken over waffles
chicken pot pie
chicken with biscuits

**Palooka** · 12-26-2010, 10:28 PM

Definitely beans.

Soup
chili
burritos
tacos
chickpea salad
taco salad
endless...

They freeze great.

**sunshine** · 12-27-2010, 06:21 AM

I always make extra rice, and baked potatoes - then we can use them in all sorts of recipes later.

**Darlene** · 12-27-2010, 07:30 AM

I think a big 'ole ham lends itself to many meals & can be served at all times of the day.
Breakfast: omelets, on biscuits or English muffins with and egg & some cheese
Lunch: soup, sandwiches hot & cold
Dinner, casseroles galore, slices on it's own, soups...
It's just so very versatile & I try to always keep some in the freezer, a little bit adds so much flavor. Don't ever throw out a ham bone, the flavor it adds to soups is just the best.

**Joshin** · 12-27-2010, 09:33 PM

Great ideas! Some things I've never thought of, like creamed chicken over waffles (I like it in crepes, so would probably love it over waffles). Others, like ham, are some of my favorites, too.

**GreenChicks** · 12-29-2010, 12:29 AM

Brown rice! It freezes beautifully. I also like to have chicken stock on hand at all times. For the omnivore, it works in nearly everything.

**krbshappy71** · 12-29-2010, 09:55 PM

Super cheap boxes of Mac & Cheese. My last mix lasted for a supper, lunch, supper. A lot of times the mac & cheese boxes will be $1 or less when I buy it. (this last batch of boxes were actually free from a Freecycle person)

Mac & Cheese with chicken, pork, veggies, chili, hamburger, you name it you can probably throw it in there. I've even used up black olives that were sitting in the fridge.

Rice is another favorite of mine:

Fresh steamed with soy sauce, then fried rice, or rice pudding, or throw some meat/veggies into whatever's leftover. So versatile and cheap, I buy a 20 lb bag of it.

**psst, and you don't have to have milk. Just butter OR milk, whichever you have on hand. That's another reason I like the Mac & Cheese

**Judi Dial** · 12-29-2010, 10:03 PM

Meatloaf
Meatloaf sandwiches

Roasted Chicken
Chicken slices
Chicken Soup
Chicken Pot Pie
(If I don't do soup, I do hash or tacos)
Stock from the scraps

Beef roast
slices
burritos, tacos, or hash

Judi

**marjorie** · 12-30-2010, 04:23 PM

I'm with ham. It also has such a notable flavor that you can use it more as a condiment than a main protein source and still feel like you've had plenty of meat.