motd Wed April 11, 2012

[Guest guest]

"AWWW, MOM!

LEFTOVERS, AGAIN?"

Wednesday, 11 April 2012

How many times a year do you moms out there

hear that one, huh? And hey, it may not be only your

kids asking that question. Your husband may not want

leftovers for dinner tonight, either! "Leftovers?

Let's just order a pizza. Okay, honey?"

I think leftovers get a bad

rap!

May I tell you something? I think leftovers get a bad

rap! Some of those foods from last night's dinner

actually taste

better after

"sleeping" in the refrigerator overnight. It gives

the flavors in those foods a chance to "marry" and

often enhances their taste. But here's something else

to think about when it comes to leftovers. It's not

about taste, it's another word. It's about...waste! Here're

some facts I want you to think about.

Of all the things thrown out in American households,

foods are thrown out the most. That's right, more

than paper, more than cans, more than glass. But when

you throw those foods into the trash, think about it.

You're also throwing out something else...cash! I read in The Wall

Street Journal that the

average U.S. family of four, in a typical year, throws

out $500-$2,000 worth of foods

they never eat! I was shocked to read

that number. In this economy especially, who's got

that kind of money to throw away? Hey, that's enough

cash for a nice little family vacation!

The mistake we make with leftovers is that after

everyone enjoyed a great meal on Wednesday night, we

serve them the very same thing on Thursday night.

Where's the fun in that? Well, here's what you should

do.

You can freeze half the

entree and build a completely new meal around it

later.

As you're preparing your meal, it might not be such a

bad idea to make enough of your entree for two meals.

That way, you can freeze half the entree and build a

completely new meal around it later. By the way, I

always freeze my own leftovers. See, if I left them

in the fridge, it's just a few steps from there to the

microwave and I'm reheating that food to have some

more! So whatever leftovers you have after dinner, I

suggest you freeze yours, too.

When you have no choice but to serve leftovers the

very next night, be

creative. Turn leftover roasted chicken into a

delicious soup or make chicken salad with lots of

colorful mixed veggies. That leftover pasta sauce?

Add some new ingredients to give it a whole new

flavor. Chop that leftover roast into thin pieces and

make an outta-sight stir fry. Use your imagination

and your family may not even realize they're having

some of the same foods they had from last night.

And oh yes, remember. While you're creating your

little leftover-makeovers, you're gonna have something

else left-over. Ka-ching...more

cash left-over in your ATM

account!

Love,