2 meals in one

[SushiMushi]

Instead of just having leftovers, have any of you made 2 meals in one by taking one main ingredient and changing it up the next night for dinner? Recipes for 2 meals in one is a good way to save money.

[barbszy]

I do this all the time! When I buy a roasting chicken I get the biggest one I can. We get at least 2 dinners out of a chicken, more if I use the carcass to make soup. I make sure that the legs, wings and thighs get eaten the first night. Any white meat that is left over gets immediately frozen for future casseroles.

When I make a pot roast or roast beef, I always get one that's big enough to feed us twice. I can make beef paysanne (http://www.familycorner.com/forums/showthread.php3?p=598598#post598598) or beef enchiladas out of the leftovers.

Grilled chicken is great to make Mexican Chicken Soup (http://www.familycorner.com/forums/showthread.php3?t=23907) (the recipe featured in this week's "Time to Eat" newsletter). Grill more chicken than you need and cut up the extra for use in soup, fajitas or quesadillas.

The Food TV show "Quick Fix Meals" with Robin Miller is all based on this style of cooking. I don't always like the recipes she shares but I have gotten some good ideas.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

One of my favorite ways of doing something like this is to buy a huge package of boneless chicken on sale. Then, I grill them putting BBQ sauce on a third of them. The next night, I make chicken quesadillas with the other third. The third night, I take the third portion of the cooked boneless chicken and make Poppy Seed Chicken casserole.

I do this with roast too. I make a roast one night and then make a stew with it another night.

[SushiMushi]

Your ideas sound delicious. Chicken is always in my fridge because you can make some affordable meals with it. Vons has 2 meals in one ides online that change weekly. I too get a roasted chicken and have a regular chicken dinner the first night then use the rest for a chicken soup with veggies. Never had Mexican Chicken Soup.

[RobertaD]

I make many meals with a "planned leftover use" for another night that week.

If I'm making pork chops I'll cook a couple extra and then have an oriental night where I make rice and add the sliced pork to frozen veggies.

Roasts & whole chickens are good for at least two meals if not a third.

When making chili or soup I make enough for two meals of soup then generally have a bit left to add pasta to make chili mac or is soup thicken it and serve over mashed potatoes.

Roberta

[Bilby]

Some times, we don't usually have left overs, saying that if I do have a little left over meat gets sliced for sandwiches and veges get put into bubble and squeak (vege type patty), very very rare for me to have left over veg though.

[SushiMushi]

You all are creative when it comes to cooking food. I usually have to look for recipes. I'm not that great when it comes to the stove top. Prefer baking :). Planning for leftovers is always a good idea. I need to start taking some of mines for lunch.

[Kricket]

There are only 2 of us but that sticky chicken is so good. The last time we had company (3 other couples) for dinner I made 2 large sticky chickens. Had lots of leftovers. I cut all the chicken from the bone. The skin & bones went into a pot to make broth for the freezer (soup later). From the cubed chicken I made enchiladas, burritos, pot pies, and a chicken & rice casserole - all went into the freezer. So far these are our favorites for freezer meals using chicken and turkey. Always looking for new recipes of course.

For leftover roast beef - it is stew, pot pies, also sliced thin and packaged separate for the freezer for French dip (love that London broil for these).

Love my freezers - 2 uprights and 2 side by sides.

[Coll]

I'll do this with beef stew.
The second night I thicken the broth if needed then put it in a pie shell and make potpie.

[blessedmomof04]

With this Thursday being Thanksgiving. We will be having Turkey. I will get several meals out of the Turkey. I always get a big turkey then I really need so I can make several meals out of it. I will make open hot turkey sandwiches this will not only use the turkey but the leftover gravy also. I will take the carcus and left over vegetables and make soup. We will make turkey sandwiches also use the leftover bread. I will use up the sweetpotatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce by just reheating them with a steak one night. I try not to throw to much away.

[barbszy]

I like to put leftover stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, turkey (in bite size pieces), gravy and a little Cheddar cheese all in a bowl and warm that up in the microwave. It's a lot like the KFC mashed-potato bowl. It's a great way to use up the leftover turkey.

[RobertaD]

I made a turkey pie using stuffing for the crust, then a layer of turkey, mashed potatoes then gravy on top baked until warm and bubbly.

Roberta

[blessedmomof04]

Not sure if any one has ever done this. I take the left over mashed potatoes and make patties and fry them in a pan with non stick spray. Like a pancake. Add a little butter, salt and pepper. They are really good. If the mashed potatoes are a little dry I add just a tsp of milk at a time and mix them till they are smooth enought to make into thin patties.

[cat lover]

Here is a link to one of our favorite 2 meals in one ideas using salmon!


www.momsmenu.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2832

[cau]

I make soup stock from anything with ones. We are soup eaters so that is 1 good meal and lunches. I have also found that cutting up the chicken or pork chops for the slow cooker uses less meat. Where I used to use or 6 boneless pieces I can use 4 most of the time.

[Coll]

blessedmomof4, try adding a little bitof finely chopped onion to those potates, big difference in the taste.