Clever Ways to Liven Up Food Leftovers

CEBU, Philippines - Don't throw out your leftovers. The following suggestions can help you recycle scarps of food as they accumulate, putting an end to waste. What's more, you'll save significantly on food expenses!

Bread

                .               Cube slices and mix them with orange juice and rind                                       for tasty citrus-bread pudding.

                .               Spread almost-stale or day-old slices with butter or                                                         margarine. Sprinkle with grated cheese, toast and                                                              top with poached egg.

Pound cake or broken sponge cake layers

                .               Soak them in sweet wine or liqueur. Top with custard                                    or fruit sauce, or crumble them over ice cream.

Cooked vegetables

                .               Serve chilled with bottle blue cheese or

                                Italian dressing.

                .               Slice for omelets and frittatas.

                .               Reserve the vegetable cooking liquid (rich in vitamins                                     and minerals). Stir it into stews, soups and casseroles                                     or substitute it for water in a basic pilaf recipe.

Heavy cream

                .               Freeze heavy cream for later use in quiches, tart                                                              fillings, cream soups and sauces but remember that,                                         once frozen, cream no longer whips.

Coffee

                .               Freeze coffee in ice cube trays. Add the cubes to iced                                    coffee for an extra-strength brew. Or whirl the cubes                                           in the blender with ice cream for a coffee slush.

                .               Enrich meat gravies with coffee, to taste, for

                                a robust flavor.

                .               Use coffee in cake frostings for a luscious mocha cream.

Small pieces of assorted cheeses

                .               Shred or thinly slice them for grilled cheese sandwiches,                                               tacos, chili, salad or potato toppings.

                .               Stir bits of cheese into fillings for stuffed vegetables.

Broken cookies

                .               Crush them into coarse crumbs. Mix with coconut and melted                                   chocolate for a pie crust.

                .               Crumble broken cookies between layers of ice cream cakes                                        for a surprise "crunch," or use them to top rice puddings                                   and parfaits.

Flat beer

                .               Simmer pot roasts or less expensive cuts of meat in flat beer                                      for a great taste.

                .               Use flat beer instead of water for tangy boiled shrimp.

                .               Make beer batter for fish fillet, clams, etc.

Fresh mushrooms going brown

                .               Sauté with garlic and parsley. Stir in thyme and wine, and                                             pour over chicken, flank steak or pork chops.

                .               Marinate mushrooms in a vinaigrette dressing for an                                      antipasto appetizer.

                .               Incorporate mushrooms into a sherried mushroom soup.

Wine

                .               Add wine to bland tomato sauces to pep them up.

                                Use red wine for stewing pot roasts and lamb, white wine                                           for chicken dishes.

                .               Use wine as marinade for tough or less tender cuts of meat.

Egg whites

                .               Form beaten whites into meringue tarts or crusts and bake.                                        Spoon in fruit fillings.

Egg yolks

                .               Beat extra yolks into custards.

                .               Prepare pastry cream for eclairs and cream puffs.

                .               Make cake frosting (chocolate buttercream).

                .               Beat yolks with confectioners' sugar and almond paste, and                                        bake for incredible almond macaroons.

Potatoes

                .               Make the most of leftover mashed potatoes. For every two                                       cups of potatoes, add half cup buttermilk baking mix for                                     leavening, an egg and herbs and spices, such as parsley,                                               oregano or garlic powder, if you wish. Mix with a fork till                                               smooth and fry in half-inch vegetable oil till golden.

-              --- from Hints, Tips & Smart Advice By FamilyCircle (FREEMAN)