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I have had multiple people tell me lately that they hate leftovers. This is crazy to me mainly because I happen to love leftovers. Don’t get me wrong, I love to cook, but when there are enough leftovers in the house to allow me a lazy night off, I’m a happy fiancé. Anyway, there may be people who don’t like to eat leftovers but what if those leftovers were transformed into something totally new? After a combination of lots of practice, Pinterest research, and a BuzzFeed article, I’ve developed this list of 5 ways to transform your leftovers.

Let’s get right to it.

1. Starch to waffle: This is one of my favorite transformations because it’s super easy and also insanely delicious. Leftover starch (potatoes, noodles, stuffing) make really great savory waffles. I know it sounds weird, turning potatoes or pasta into a waffle, but hear me out. You’ll get a nice crispy exterior and a soft interior. Top your spaghetti waffle with fresh meatballs or your potato waffle with any type of protein and veggie (or a poached egg!).
2. Meat to pot pie: I found this one on BuzzFeed. Turns out, leftover meat whether it be chicken, pot roast, or pork, can be turned into a stuffed biscuit/pot pie. All you need to do is make sure you combine flavors that marry well together. Use the basic recipe here to get yourself started.
3. Pasta fritters: I will admit that leftover pasta is just not the same as when it’s fresh. It’s tough to reheat it to the right texture and temperature and so that’s why this fritter idea is so great! You aren’t trying to achieve the same texture. Instead, you’re aiming for a crunch (which you kind of get when you reheat pasta anyway, might as well make it intentional). Mix noodles with egg, breadcrumbs, and some cheese, form patties and fry crisp on both sides. YUM!
4. Dip to omelet: I’ll be honest. I never have leftover dip. I love dip. I don’t even need chips half the time and I’m the notorious person licking the bowl clean. Sorry but it’s true. However, I suppose there are people out there who don’t enjoy eating spinach and artichoke or white queso dip without the appropriate dipping utensil, which is why adding extra dip into an omelet is a great idea. It’ll make your omelet extra luscious.
5. Cake to pops: Again, I don’t have a problem with leftover cake but if you do, consider making cake pops. They’re really cute, make a great party treat, and are also great little gifts (like for Valentine’s day coming up). You can find tons of different recipes for these online but I like to keep it simple. Mash up the leftover cake with some fresh frosting and roll into balls before dipping in melted chocolate and decorating with sprinkles. Store them in the refrigerator with lolli-sticks for a couple hours and enjoy!

The reality is, we all end up with leftovers now and again (or every week), but if you don’t like them reheated, there is no need to waste anything. Think outside the box, play with some of your favorite kitchen tools and create something totally new.

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Rebecca McKinney

I was born a foodie. My dad is a chef, baker, and restaurant owner and my mom might as well be because she owns whatever kitchen she walks into. I grew up working in my family’s restaurant and bakery in Pawling, New York – McKinney and Doyle. I started behind the bakery counter at 12 years old after begging my parents to let me start working. At 16 I worked as a hostess. By 18 I was serving tables and training behind the bar where I then worked every other weekend throughout my college career. Even now, when I am visiting my family in New York, I help out where I’m needed. To make a long story short, the food and restaurant industry has been my life for as long as I can remember.

I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.

So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!

Eat well & travel often,

Becky McKinney

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