Each of us has our own version of a busy week. It is not realistic to cook and prepare three meals and two snacks every single day. Knowing how to jazz up those leftover meals and ingredients is a unique skill that can save you time and money. Plus, transforming leftovers into something new helps reduce food waste. After a meal, pack up the leftovers and get them into the fridge. Label, then store them in a place in the fridge where you won’t forget about them. Here are a few ideas on how to give your leftovers new life. Make them tomorrow’s lunch. Saving leftovers is a quick way to pack an easy lunch. Just pop them into your travel container and you’re ready to go! If there is not enough food for a full meal, add a salad, snack or a side to go along. Reinvent them as a casserole. We are Minnesotans, Hot Dish is in our DNA. Freeze them. Freeze in portion sizes or family dinner sizes to consume later. You’ll thank yourself when you have a busy schedule and no time to make a meal. Just be sure to label your container so you don’t have a frozen mystery to solve.
Marmalade Martini
A fancy way to use up that last spoonful of marmalade in the jar. Pour 50ml gin into a nearly empty jar of marmalade. Put the lid back on and shake the jar well to combine. Add 2 tbsp orange liqueur (I used Cointreau), then juice 1/2 lemon and the juice 1 clementine. Shake well, strain into 2 chilled Martini glasses and serve.
Yum!
DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
Charcuterie is definitely all the rage right now. Most people associate the term with a platter of cold, cured meats, and different savory foods such as nuts, dried fruit, cheese, and olives. Make a simple white sauce and stir in your cheeseboard leftovers – try a mix of grated hard cheese, the last crumbles of the blue cheese, or any others you might have. Season, then add ground nutmeg and a touch of Dijon mustard for a rich, delicious sauce for cooked pasta or cauliflower.
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4 T butter, divided
1/4 medium onion, peeled
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 bay leaf
3 c. whole milk, warm but not hot, divided
2 oz. grated Gruyère cheese or (cheeseboard leftover)
2 to 3 whole cloves
2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese or (cheeseboard leftover)
Gather your ingredients. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour to form a roux. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, which also allows the raw flour taste to cook away. Slowly add 2 1/2 cups of the warm milk while whisking or stirring constantly so that the liquid is incorporated into the roux without forming lumps. Stick the cloves into the onion
NORTH KATO MAGAZINE SPRING 2022
and add to the sauce along with the bay leaf. Simmer for about 10 minutes (sauce will thicken) stirring often. Remove the bay leaf and the onion. Make sure you retrieve all of the cloves. Add the cheeses and stir until it has melted. Remove from heat, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and adjust the consistency with some or all of the remaining 1/2 cup milk if necessary. Serve right away with pasta, chicken, or fish. Enjoy!
