Don’t Let Leftovers Scare You

Dont let leftovers scare you, Dear Readers, especially today on Halloween. Leftovers can be just as fun as trick or treating... well, okay, maybe not that fun but close. Leftovers are fun because you get to take something that’s well, “leftover“ and turn it into something completely new and different and dare I say exciting! Yes that’s right, leftovers can be exciting. I said it. (I have probably given you way too much insight into my personal life by making that statement but let’s just go with it and remember there’s no judging here at Mary’s Kitchen.)

Last night, I turned mashed potatoes into crispy yet tender potato pancake thingys and I took Campari tomatoes, stuffed them with leftover mac & cheese, topped them with the same leftover bread crumbs I used to coat the potato pancakes and baked them at 375° about 15 minutes. Viola! Something new and exciting! For the potato pancake thingys, I simply combined flour, an egg and leftover mashed potatoes. I chilled it yoo. Then as a pan was heating with a bit of oil, I commandeered the very soft mixture into a semi-round shape, coated it with a bit of beaten egg and then breadcrumbs and simply cooked them on each side until golden which only took 3 to 4 minutes per side. Our youngest daughter, Mia, ate them with a honey barbecue sauce and I must admit, that was pretty good. I served the potato pancake thingys and the stuffed tomatoes alongside a bit of spicy shaved beef and dinner was served. Our meal was on the table within 30 minutes.

Share your results in the comments section if you give some of these leftover “recipes” a try.