There is nothing more fun or more challenging for a seasoned cook or chef than dealing with an overage of product (leftovers for us laymen.)  While you could just reheat and serve, it will almost never be as good as the original dish was (unless it’s a soup or stew, which are sometimes made a day in advance and allowed to get better overnight.)  The idea of turning something previously wonderful into something completely different, but just as memorable is one that some shy from, but I embrace.

This dish is the result of having made far too much braised pork.  I’d used soy in the original marinade and the rest of the ingredients are just pantry staples mixed in a new way.  The difference in textures and flavors was amazing and even though the pork was braised for hours, the dish still had a light, bright flavor that was perfect for a quick breakfast.

The recipe below is for one person, but makes enough dressing for 3 or 4, so feel free to make several plates with a bit more pork and you’ll be fine!

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2010. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: leftover recipes, light, pork, Recipes, Salad, simple

Are you getting tired of turkey yet?  Do you need a new way to spice up that grand bird that graced your holiday table? Are you just sick-to-death of trying to find ways to get the last little bit out of your meal?

Whether you’re trying to reinvent a little more of your leftover bird or are just looking for a new way to incorporate turkey into your diet, this dish is for you.  In fact, you’d be hard pressed to tell it was turkey on the first bite. It has everything you’ve ever wanted in a last-time for this old bid recipe, along with a wealth of ideas for chicken or turkey dishes for anytime of the year.

In a word, it’s fabulous.  I highly recommend it.  You need to try this.  I’ll provide methods for both leftover poultry and for preparing the dish from scratch, just in case you love the idea but, like many homes, have already gone through any leftovers from your Holiday meals until December. (But hey, this would be great on a New Years table, too!)

The household taste-testers (being my son’s Lil’ E and Lil’ D) devoured a full half batch in minutes, with a startling number of “oooh’s and Ahhhh’s considering the amount of food they had packed in their mouths, so I deem this dish “kid tested and approved”. If those two will eat it, any kid will!  For me…  Well, I ate the other half batch while shooting the pics for the post, and I may have made about 6 or 8 one or two deformed tacos on purpose in the process.

You have to try this!

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: christmas, Holiday-Recipes, leftover recipes, Leftover Turkey Recipes, Recipes, Thanksgiving

Let me start by saying that this is not so much a recipe as it is a Thanksgiving stat of mind.  An embracing of all that was great about Thanksgiving dinner all in one bite.  A final embrace of feasting and gluttony for the day after turkey day.  This is the Pilgrim Sandwich, which could be considered the American version of the English “Bubble and Squeak.”

Whatever you call it, it’s a tradition in my house and I look forward to this the day after thanksgiving almost as much as I look forward to Thanksgiving dinner itself.  How could you not love it?  It’s the perfect brunch for the day after a feast and the perfect way to get through a bit of leftover… Well, a bit of leftover everything.

And did I mention that it’s fantastically good?

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: christmas, Holiday-Recipes, leftover recipes, Leftover Turkey Recipes, Thanksgiving, Turkey

From the archives.  One of our family’s all time favorite leftover turkey recipes. Stay tuned for more though!

I Promise that this will be the last of my leftover turkey recipes. By now we’re both most likely getting tired of turkey. Personally, I’ll be buying another while they’re still on sale, but it will be getting cut down into component parts and frozen for when the urge strikes later in the year.

This is a simple method for taking those last little bits of turkey and turning them into something hearty and filling at the same time. Total cook and prep time are less than 40 minutes, perfect for a quick meal after work,or a good hot lunch on the weekends. The addition of a ton of potatoes takes the focus off of the turkey and puts it on the vegetables which, in this case is exactly where it belongs.

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: christmas, comfort foods, Holiday-Recipes, leftover recipes, Leftovers, Soups and Stews, Thanksgiving, Turkey

If you’re like most of us the holiday dinner has passed and now you’re looking for a few creative ways to use up all that leftover turkey.  While there is absolutely noting wrong with turkey sandwiches, I know that there are a lot of people who tire of them quickly or just want to find something a little more creative to do with what’s left of a once regal bird. If you’re one of those people, this might just fit the bill.

Before any true curry fanatics out there step up to inform me that this isn’t a traditional curry.  Don’t bother.  I already know.  This dish was cobbled together with what I had on hand at the moment and geared towards introducing my kids to flavors they have never experienced before.  I used potatoes instead of rice because my middle son runs screaming at the mention of long grained anything, let alone basmati or jasmine rice.  This is just a big heapin’ pot o’ love, and may actually have made it ot my comfort foods list.

In the end I suppose this could be treated like a soup or a stew.  The liquid is fairly mild the first day (but gets pretty ambitious by day 2), and can easily be eaten with a spoon if you desire, or skip the potatoes and serve the curry with rice to soak all the wonderful flavors up while you’re eating it.  In any event it came out wonderfully and was enjoyed by all but my youngest, who was not only ill that evening, but is finicky to the point of sending this foodie father into fits on some occasions.

He had chicken nuggets.  The rest of us polished off half of this dish in minutes.  I’d call that a raging success!

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: christmas, Holiday-Recipes, leftover recipes, Leftover Turkey Recipes, Recipes, Thanksgiving

There are few things more comforting than the unassuming soup. There are also very few foods that are as versatile. Whether you’ve got meat, poultry, fish or veggies, you’ve got the makings for a good wholesome meal.  Just about anything can be turned into a soup if you set your mind to it and leftovers are the perfect first choice for a soup-based face lift.

Such is the case with this dish.  After making a huge batch of Spanish rice I realized that we would never finish it off and honestly I just wasn’t in the mood for it anymore.  the logical conclusion was to jazz it up a bit and add a few extra flavors in for fun and a quick soup just sounded really good.  this is what I came up with.  A 100% Cooking by the seat of my Pants original.

Hope Y’All enjoy.

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: chicken, leftover recipes, Recipes, rice, soup, Soups and Stews, spanish rice