Shut Up and Eat It

No, I don't say this to my kids.

It's the name of the catch-all casserole that I make once every few weeks.

Over the course of a week, I save our odds and ends of meals.  Some of it, I take to school with me for lunch.

Some of it is eaten by the kids when they get home from school.

The rest sits quietly in containers in the fridge.  On a Thursday night, when the week is almost over, I put all of the leftovers into a 9" x 13" baking dish and call it dinner.  My affectionate name for this is "Shut up and Eat it!"

Tonight's combination has some leftover bean soup, chicken and rice, extra chicken broth to help thin the soup, and leftover veggies.  For this particular combination, I tossed two almost empty jars of salsa on top of the combination and a handful of Monterey Jack cheese.  (I had shredded a pound of cheese last week, and this was what was left in the container.  It really was just a handful.)

I stirred together the chicken & rice, beans, broth, and leftover veggies.  (This week, it was corn.)  I spread the salsa and cheese evenly over the top, and baked it in a 350* oven for 20 minutes.

The combination was surprisingly good!

In the past, I have used everything from leftover hamburgers, to hot dogs to make a decent dinner for the family.  I've tied it together with dried pasta to help sop up some of the liquid, or a can of cream of whatever soup. I've made a pot of soup from scratch, and then taken the leftovers and mixed them with other leftovers and a handful of pasta.   The possibilities are endless, and usually, the combinations are very good.  Some, well... you learn over time what not to mix together.

Over the 20+ years I have made this particular combination, I have learned that some things should never, no not ever be combined, and some things that are absolutely amazing.

In the amazing pile:

Leftover bean soup, with carrots, maybe a few extra onions.  Turn it out into a baking pan, drizzle with molasses.... awesome.

Leftover hamburger, mixed with corn and diced potatoes, covered with tomato sauce...very good.

Chicken or turkey mixed with rice, almost any leftover veggies, and a can of cream of... great.

Leftover baked beans mixed with cut up hot dogs and a drizzle of ketchup... very, very good.


In the not so good pile:

Leftover noodles, any kind of meat, and PEANUT BUTTER.  Yes, I found that in a recipe and thought it would be a good idea.  I was WRONG.. Don't EVER, no, not ever, try this.  It is a bad idea.

Fruit Loops mixed into pancakes.  AGAIN... it is WRONG... Don't EVER try this.  It does not taste good!

Like much cooking, this is trial and error.  You already have a decent idea of what combination of tastes you enjoy and which ones you won't like.  After a few attempts, you'll quickly learn what works best for your family. 

The ultimate idea behind Shut Up and Eat It is to use up the leftovers in your fridge, instead of throwing them out. 

By making one more meal out of food that you have already paid for and cooked, you are eliminating some food waste, and you are stretching your food dollar just a little bit further.  It's good for you, and it's good for your pocket book.

What is your favorite thing to do with leftovers?