Side dishes revisited
The big food holidays are over and now aftermath has begun. Everyone has a recipe for using leftover turkey, roast beef, ham etc. However, if you’re like me you find yourself staring at a leftover side dish that’s too much to toss out and not enough to serve everyone. Whenever I see ¾ cup of leftover rice or a couple of humps of mashed potatoes, I hear my mother’s voice telling me about starving children in a very poor, far away country. So, I’m sharing a few quick, easy recipes that stretch those last spoonfuls of side dishes.
Mom’s mashed potato pancakes
½ c mashed potatoes
1 egg, beaten
2-3 tbls leftover cheese
1tbl grated onion
Flour
Cooking oil
Mix the potatoes, cheese, and onions in a large bowl. Slowly add the egg until the mixture becomes soft and smooth. Form small patties and dust each side with flour. Fry the patties in cooking oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towel and serve.
Quick chicken and rice soup with herbed croutons
Soup
2-3 medium split chicken breasts
1 quart chicken broth
1 c onion, chopped roughly
½ c carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
Leftover rice stuffing (without fruit)
Olive oil
Herbed croutons
4-6 leftover dinner rolls
½ stick butter, melted
½ tsp each sage, rosemary, thyme chopped
Parmesan cheese optional
Caramelize chopped onions in olive oil. Add carrots and celery and stir until fork tender. Add chicken breast and broth. Simmer until breasts are done.
Quarter dinner rolls and place in large bowl. Mix chopped herbs with melted butter and toss onto rolls. Place in hot oven to toast.
Remove chicken and pull from bone. Add rice stuffing making sure that the broth complexly covers the rice. Add more broth if needed. Heat thoroughly then return chicken to pot to warm. Serve soup with croutons topped with grated Parmesan.
Rice stuffing salad
Leftover rice stuffing (with fruit)
½ c traditional balsamic vinegar
½ c extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
Red onion, carrots, red bell pepper, Granny Smith apple diced
Whisk first four ingredients together and pour over cold rice stuffing. Add diced vegetables and apple. Let rest for at least one hour before serving.
Cranberry glaze
Leftover cranberry sauce
2-3 tbls orange juice
1-2 bls leftover wine (either white or red)
Melt all ingredients in double boiler. Add more liquid if necessary. Simmer until thick. Spread on pork chops or chicken during the last five minutes of cooking.