topic Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose??? in Kitchen

Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

ECBG — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 00:56:54 GMT

Some items are made in a large batch to freeze like spaghetti sauce, homemade vegetable soup, Weight Watchers soup for when I'm home.

A 14 1/2 oz can of salmon gives me 4 patties, and some roasts give me leftovers.

I also do leftovers with cube steak, onions, and green pepper, and meatloaf done in mushroom gravy.

Since DH can't eat a lot of beef, and I have loved it since a child sometimes I'll make more.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

Kachina624 — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 01:07:57 GMT

I'm lazy and don't like to cook so I NEVER cook just one meal. I make enough so I don't have to do it again for at least 4 days, maybe longer. If I get sick of what I make, I freeze it. I like simple dishes that take minimal effort, usually involving chicken.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

Mary Bailey — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 01:14:05 GMT

I don't try to make leftovers anymore since DH is retired. He used to take leftovers to work, and loved them.

I work until 6:30pm DH usually goes to bed way before I get off.

So I cook first thing in the morning (a lunch or dinner meal) for him to eat right away)

I don't like him having a left-over (reheated) meal If I can help it. (stories of his childhood meals are not pretty)

Soups, chili & stews are different. Taste better the next day & beyond

I don't mind leftovers. I can eat taco salad for a week easy.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

QVCkitty1 — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 01:20:19 GMT

I can never make just a little of anything, I've tried. However, this works for us because there is always something in the freezer for dinner. 🍝🥘🍲

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

Roscoe the Rascal — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 01:29:33 GMT

We do. Sometimes eat for lunch or next night. Don't cook every night and just the two of us. We aren't always on the same page either. Tonight I had chicken and he had tacos.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

ALRATIBA — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 01:54:58 GMT

Yes. Before I retired - on Sundays I'd cook enough for a few days so I didn't have to cook and clean up every night.

Now - I'll cook more often - but stll make enough for a day or two - or at least leftovers for the next day's lunch.

I like to make pots of chili or stew - enough for a few days.

"Dump dinners" (put a bunch of stuff in the slow cooker) are another fave. I find interesting combinations Allrecipes dot com.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

NicksmomESQ — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 02:04:00 GMT

Since my son moved out & got married I don't fuss over big dinners anymore. When I cook I make sure there's leftovers for another dinner or two . When we do takeout we buy a little extra for leftovers as well.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

Lucky Charm — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 02:13:20 GMT

I don't eat what my husband eats as far as meat, poultry, fish, etc.

So making just one serving of something is just a waste of time (and wasteful of energy).

Today's example is, I made 6 large pork chops along with 2 baked potatoes for him in a large toaster oven we bring out on our downstairs patio.

I never heat up the kitchen using our oven in the summer, all cooking/baking is done outside.

He doesn't mind eating 2 same meals 2 days in a row and I can freeze the rest now they are cooked and there's more easy meals to take out of the freezer.

I don't like microwaves and didn't have one installed when we built, so the meat and potato for tomorrow can be heated up in a smaller toaster oven in our kitchen.

I make huge batches of chili, spaghetti sauce, soups or roast a chicken or chicken pieces and freeze them, too, after he's had it for a meal or two.

In the winter, when I don't care so much about the house getting warm from the oven, I make several things at once in the oven. Maybe a few chops, some chicken breasts and a potato or two. I'll freeze in glass dishes and it's so easy to pull out and heat up when needed.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

house_cat — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 02:34:50 GMT

As often as possible! Yesterday I made a huge pot of chili. DH and I had it for dinner and there was still A LOT left over. My son and DIL were here today and the four of us gobbled up the leftovers.

If I'm making breaded chicken cutlets, I always make enough for chicken Parm later in the week.

If I broil salmon, I make an extra portion to add to salad another night.

DH doesn't care for leftovers, but if I make them just a little different, he's totally clueless.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

JeanLouiseFinch — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 11:12:01 GMT

@ECBG I'm only cooking for two, unless we have company. Many of my recipes make four servings, so when I choose to make one I'm counting on leftovers for another night. Easy workload snd I'm always happy to enjoy them a second time.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

RedTop — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 03:40:34 GMT

Always.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

Snowpuppy — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 03:45:00 GMT

@Kachina624 I call that eating Theme of the Week 😉

I do quantity cooking on the weekend but I've slacked off since I'm on WFH. I would take leftovers in for lunch in the office or dinner after a long commute home.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

Kachina624 — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 03:52:33 GMT

@Snowpuppy I like that concept, "Theme Eating". Sounds a lot better than leftovers.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

tampalady — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 12:57:48 GMT

I have been cooking now for 60 years and tired of it. I also make large portions to use during week or the next week. MY DH and I laugh about my feelings and we have decided to place on my Tombstone....Thank God for leftovers!

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

Eileen in Virginia — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 13:03:03 GMT

Oh yeah! In addition to the usual chili, spaghetti sauce, soups and stews, I like to make a bigger pork loin roast than we'll eat at dinner so we'll have leftovers for sliced pork sandwiches, a larger rotisserie chicken for chicken salad and extra shrimp for shrimp salad. It's a holdover from my working days, but we've got the refrigerator space and it still works for us.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

LindaSal — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 13:04:20 GMT

I have never really adjusted to cooking for two after the kids moved out on their own.

I always cook more than necessary so we always have leftovers. DH will eat anything and doesn't mind leftovers.....which makes it easy for me. I will eat them two but only once then I need something different. I always do the big batches of pasta sauce and meatballs, chili's, and meals like that. Thanksgiving is a whole other story as my kids bring their large dishes to transport their leftovers home!

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

Miss Pepsi — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 13:11:29 GMT

I make enough for leftovers all the time. haven;t learned to cook for just 1 yet. I don't mind cooking albeit is not my favorite thing but since its just me and the cat, I have no problem just putting stuff in the microwave and reheating it.

I didn't mind cooking for my husband and I.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

DiAnne — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 16:48:07 GMT

I am not interested in eating the same thing for days on end but I invested in many small freezer containers to put extra food in. I always have several kinds of individual servings of soup, different rices, pasta dishes, toppings for ramen noodles, etc in the freezer. Most recipes are for 4 or more and I am only 1 so I freeze it for another day. If I make meatloaf I cut it in four sections, eat one for dinner and a sandwich save the others.

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

IamMrsG — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 17:17:00 GMT

When Cooking for One you just expect leftovers. Last night, I wasn't in the mood for anything I had planned on the week's menu, so, knowing full well half would be leftover, made an 8-10" (free-form) pizza, topped with sausage, mushrooms, onion and bell pepper.

For tonight I am looking forward to the leftovers of the Tuscan White Bean Skillet with Tomatoes, Mushrooms & Artichokes dish I made Thursday. The pizza will be finished off tomorrow. Instead of thinking of it as leftovers, I see it as rotation. I'll just carry any unused planned meals onto next week's menu.

Edited to add: @DiAnne, me, too!

Re: Ever Make Leftovers On Purpose???

chickenbutt — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 18:41:30 GMT

All the time!

I pretty much only cook for me anymore. He eats at the office and doesn't do dinner unless it's a special holiday-type dinner I make for him.

I frequently make 2, 3, 4, or more days worth of something for myself. No major reason, I guess, but it works for me. Sometimes I just make for one day or I might make a batch of brown rice or something and then plan several days of proteins to go with, or I just eat some brown rice w/butter and s&p.

Last week I cooked up a cup of brown rice and had 4 dinners out of that with either some sort of chicken breast item (I have some QVC products in freezer like chicken fried chicken and other chick breasts) or some sausage (I LOVE breakfast sausage!).

If I'm going to cook something that is time, effort, or ingredient intensive I figure I might as well make a 'batch'. Whenever I make mashed potatoes, which I love so much, I make a huge batch. Then I portion them out in Lock & Lock containers, freeze them, and empty the frozen mashers into vac bags and vac seal them to keep in freezer. I'll make one and two serving portions so that sometimes I plan two dinners at a time.

When I've made chili or soup (I pretty much only make turkey chili or split pea soup), it's a pretty large batch and I do the same thing I do with the mashers. I still have some of those from several years ago but they stay pristine because they are vacuum sealed.

I like variety so having the different types of things I've made not only gives me variety but lots of food with less effort.