Budget Stretcher: Leftover Makeovers


I don't have many photos this time and that's shame on me because I have quite a few uses of leftovers that were 'madeover' into another meal today.



I started this morning with a plan.  I had in the fridge, about 1 cup of leftover bread stuffing, tomato sauce, 1/2 of a large sirloin steak,  2 cups of frozen rice.  Here's what I made with all three items.

I thawed the rice and a  pound and half of ground beef.

Makeover #1:  Meatballs
1 pound of ground beef, 2/3 of a cup of tomato sauce (leftover from meatloaf two weeks ago), chopped onion and garlic, the bread stuffing crumbled, 1 egg.  I mixed up all this and made up into 27 meatballs which I flash froze in the freezer.  These will be good for sandwiches, pizza and soup later on.  I doubled my usual servings per pound of beef by stretching with the other items.

Makeover #2:  Stuffed Peppers
I mixed 1/2 pound ground beef with 1 cup of cooked rice, 3 tbsps  diced tomatoes, chopped onion, and garlic and stuffed five pepper halves that I'd blanched and frozen after grocery day.  Typically we eat 1 pepper half as a serving (the peppers were huge)

Makeover #3:  Spanish Rice
I sauteed chopped onion, garlic and green bell pepper in a saucepan and added 1 cup rice, juice from the diced tomatoes and about 2 tbsps of diced tomato, seasoned with salt/pepper/chili powder to make a side dish for dinner.

Makeover #4:  Steak and Cheese Burrito
Years ago I used to have a Del Taco near my home.  I really enjoyed their steak and cheese burrito.  No Del Tacos anywhere that I'm aware of these days.  I sliced my leftover sirloin into strips.  I cooked onions in a bit oil until browned.  Some of the steak strips and onions were layered on a flour tortilla, topped with shredded sharp cheddar and a couple of teaspoons of homemade Enchilada Sauce.  I rolled and heated the filled burritos in the microwave.  Yum!

Makeover #5:  Italian Pepper Steak Sandwiches
I felt we had plenty of sirloin steak for the burritos so put some aside with some of the cooked onions and poured over the tail end of a bottle of Italian dressing.  I'll cook some bell pepper strips  (frozen) and add those in, pile on Onion Rolls and top with Provolone Cheese. 

4 comments:

Lena said...

These steak and cheese burrito sound so good!

Melanie said...

Very creative and yummy-sounding ways to use your leftovers!

Anonymous said...

I never thought of using my left over corn bread stuffing as part of meatballs!! {or I suppose meat loaf} Thanks! I use bread crumbs , or oatmeal I make so why I never thought of using the stuffing I don't know but thanks again !! You have given me so many new to me ideas for using my leftovers reading your suggestions over time! Also extra ways to use some of the excess bell peppers from the garden. I can see that frozen left over rice I have in the freezer right now being reinvented very soon! Sarah

Christian Girl said...

Love these posts! Gives me so many ideas and encouragement! Thank you.