BBQ brisket nachos... 15 minutes

the goods:

1-2 cups leftover shredded or sliced BBQ brisket (you can also purchase it pre-cooked at the store)

BBQ sauce

tortilla chips

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes

3 sweet peppers (red, orange, yellow) sliced

sour cream

chopped cilantro

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss brisket with BBQ sauce to moisten. Spread tortilla chips out on a baking sheet. Top with brisket, corn, and cheese. Place in oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. To serve, top with tomatoes, peppers, sour cream, cilantro, and additional BBQ sauce if desired.

Kid approved!

southern bbq pulled pork pizza... 30 minutes, plus dough rising

the goods:

pizza dough:

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

pizza:

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1 cup pulled pork

3 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

2 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, and monetery jack)

2 scallions, sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Make the dough: pour 1 and 1/2 cups warm water into a bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water. Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. With the mixer on low speed, drizzle in the olive oil until just incorporated. Gently stir the yeast/water mixture, then drizzle it into the mixing bowl. Mix until the dough forms a ball. Lightly oil a clean bowl and transfer ball of pizza dough into it. Turn it to coat in oil, then cover with a clean moist kitchen towel and set in a warm place for 1-2 hours.
Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Divide the dough in half and one piece at a time stretch the dough to the desired shape and size. The thinner the better. Spoon barbecue sauce on dough and spread to the edges, leaving a little border of crust. Top with pork, bacon, red onion, roma tomato, and cheese. Sprinkle with scallion and transfer pan tot he pizza stone in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle with cilantro, slice, and serve!

pork and mango pizza... 1 hour and 45 minutes (including dough rising)

You'll have to forgive the terrible picture, we had this on a rainy overcast night with no good lighting to be found!

the goods:

pizza dough:
1 scant teaspoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

toppings:
1 cup marinara sauce
12 ounces fresh mozzarella, shredded
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced and sauteed until golden
1 cup leftover carnitas meat
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into small chunks
1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed and diced small

Make pizza dough: Combine the yeast and warm water in a small bowl or glass measuring cup and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Add the flour to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Sprinkle in the salt. Turn the mixer on low, then slowly pour in the olive oil. Finally, pour in the yeast/water mixture. Stop mixing when everything comes together. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise 1 hour.

Increase the oven to 500 degrees. Roll out the pizza dough into a rectangle. Drizzle a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil and transfer dough to sheet. Spread marinara sauce over dough and top with mozzarella, caramelized onion, and shredded meat. Bake the pizza for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and immediately top with jalapenos and mango.

meatball sliders... 10 minutes

the goods:

leftover meatballs and sauce
small slider buns, dinner rolls, or Hawaiian rolls
mozzarella cheese slices

Reheat meatballs and sauce thoroughly, then spoon onto buns. Lay on a slice of cheese, then top with other half of bun.

vietnamese steak sandwiches... 10 minutes

the goods:

1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 carrots, grated
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
4 hero rolls
leftover skirt steak

In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, sugar, red pepper flakes, rice vinegar, and 1 tablespoon water.
In another bowl, toss together the carrots, scallions, and cilantro leaves. Toss with half the vinegar mixture.
Split and lightly toast the hero rolls; dividing evenly, layer with the carrot mixture and steak. Drizzle with the remaining vinegar mixture.

beef-and-rice casserole... 30 minutes

My 18-month-old LOVED this and had 2 helpings of it! She even ate the leftovers for lunch the next day! My 3-year-old had no idea he was eating carrots! My husband enjoyed it but said that the crusty bread was a necessity to add a little crunchy texture to the meal.

 

the goods:

 

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce)

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

5 cups reserved Quick Meat Sauce

1/2 cup long-grain white rice

1 bunch scallions (green parts only), sliced

2 zucchini or summer squash, very thinly sliced

 

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. In a large cast-iron skillet, bring meat sauce to a rapid simmer over high. Stir in rice and remove from heat.

 

Top with scallions, then carefully arrange zucchini in a single, slightly overlapping layer.

 

Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil, and top with breadcrumb mixture.

 

Return to heat and bring to a simmer. Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake until rice is cooked through and breadcrumbs are golden, abotu 10 minutes more.

 

Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

corn chowder with zucchini and orzo... 30 minutes

 

the goods:

 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 medium zucchini, diced medium

reserved cooked orzo

1 bunch scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced

3 cups corn kernels (from 4 ears), cobs reserved

 

 

In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Add zucchini and saute until crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Stir in orzo and heat until warmed through. Transfer to a bowl and toss with scallion greens; season with salt and pepper.

 

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in saucepan over medium-high. Add scallion whites and saute until tender, 3 minutes. Add corn and cook tunil tender, 3 minutes. Add 3 cups water and corncobs (I broke mine in halves) and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until chowder thickens slightly, 8 minutes.

 

Discard cobs and season with salt and pepper. In batches, fill a blender halfway with chowder and puree (use caution when blending hot liquids). Serve chowder topped with zucchini mixture.

pork with mozzarella and tomato... 40 minutes

 

the goods:

 

1 pound orzo

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

reserved tomato mixture, roughly chopped

6 pork cutlets

10 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice

3 ounces baby spinach (3 cups)

 

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook orzo according to package instructions, drain. Cover and refrigerate one-quarter for tomorrow night's dinner. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add onion and saute until translucent, 5 minutes. Add tomato mixture and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until sauce thickens, 10 minutes. Heat broiler. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season pork with salt and pepper, arrange on sheet, and broil 3 minutes. Remove sheet from broiler. Flip pork; top with tomato sauce, and mozzarella. Broil until pork is cooked through, 3 minutes. Stir remaining 1/4 cup oil, lemon zest and juice, and spinach into remaining orzo and season with salt and pepper. Serve alongside pork.

black-bean burgers... 25 minutes

the goods:

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 and 1/2 cups cooked black beans, drained

1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

3/4 cup dried breadcrumbs

1 large egg, lightly beaten

mayonnaise, for serving

hamburger buns or kaiser rolls, for serving

1 avocado, thinly sliced

In a medium non-stick skillet heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium. Add onion and cook until golden and beginning to caramelize, 5 minutes. Transfer onions to a small bowl and wipe out skillet. In a large bowl, mash black beans. Stir in bell pepper, cilantro, breadcrumbs, and egg. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and form mixture into desired number of patties.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Cook patties, in batches, until crisp on outside and heated through, about 5 minutes, flipping once. Spread mayonnaise on buns; top with burgers, thiny sliced avocado, and onion.

chicken with sofrito... 35 minutes

the goods:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (or more depending on how many you're serving)

1/2 cup sofrito

1/3 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil over high. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook, skin side down, until golden and crisp, 8 minutes. Flip, then add sofrito, wine, and broth, swirling to combine. Transfer to oven and bake until chicken is cooked through, 25 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter. Tilt skillet and spoon off excess fat; pour sauce over chicken to serve.

asian-style salmon burgers... 20 minutes

the goods:

4 reserved roasted salmon fillets, flaked and mashed

1 cup reserved roasted vegetables, finely chopped

1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 hamburger buns

Bibb lettuce, for serving

Dijon mustard, for serving

In a large bowl combine salmon, vegetables, water chestnuts, egg white, ginger, and soy sauce; stir until combined. Add flour and stir to combine. Divide into 4 patties. Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium; add patties and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Spread Dijon mustard on buns and top with patties and lettuce. Serve!

steak sandwich wrap... 25 minutes

the goods:

6 slices bacon

1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

1 ounce Parmesan, shredded (1/2 cup)

2 piece lavash flatbread or sandwich wraps

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 leftover cooked steak, thinly sliced

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup baby spinach

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Add onion, and cook until onion caramelizes, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together yogurt and Parmesan; season with salt.

Spread yogurt mixture over half of each lavash piece. Spread mustard on other half. Layer steak, bacon, onion, and spinach on each lavash piece and roll up. Cut each roll in half.

leftover turkey pot pie... 1 hour

Thanksgiving leftover solution!

the goods:

6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

3 leeks (white and light-green parts only), halved lengthwise, rinsed well, and sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 and 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3/4 pound leftover turkey meat, skin removed, cut into bite-sized pieces (3 cups)

1 cup frozen peas

4 cups leftover mashed potatoes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in upper third. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes; with a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Add leeks and thyme to skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until leeks are golden brown and softened, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour over leeks and cook, stirring, until flour is pale golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth and simmer until thickened, 4 minutes. Stir in turkey, peas, and bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer turkey mixture to six broiler-proof 8-ounce ramekins or a 2-quart baking dish; set on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread potatoes over turkey mixture. Bake until filling is bubbling and potatoes are golden in spots, 20 minutes. Heat broiler, with rack in top position. Broil until potatoes are evenly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.

pork lo mein... 35 minutes

the goods:

3/4 pound lo mein noodles
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
9 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 pound cremini or button mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
6 ounces snow peas, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
reserved pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Cook noodles according to package instructions; drain. In a large skillet or wok, heat 3 teaspoons vegetable oil over medium-high. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant and golden, about 1 minute. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly, until beginning to soften, 4 minutes.

Add bell pepper and cook until crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Add snow peas and cook until crisp and bright green, 2 minutes. Add noodles, pork, and soy sauce and cook, stirring constantly, until noodles are coated with sauce and pork is warmed through, 2 minutes. Drizzle with sesame oil before serving.

pork tenderloin with roasted fall vegetables... 45 minutes

the goods:

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 pork tenderloins, excess fat and silver skin removed

1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

3 to 4 parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced

2 medium red onions, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Heat broiler: On a cutting board, sprinkle a generous pinch of salt over garlic and drag the blade of a knife at an angle across the mixture until a paste forms. Transfer garlic paste to a small bowl and whisk in 2 teaspoons oil. Place pork on a broilerproof rimmed baking sheet. Rub all over with garlic oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil until browned, about 10 minutes, flipping once. On another rimmed baking sheet, toss together brussels sprouts, parsnips, onions, thyme and 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Roast vegetables on bottom rack and pork on top rack, about 10 minutes. Remove pork from oven, transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil. Transfer vegetables to top rack and roast until tender and browned in spots, 15 minutes. (Refrigerate half of 1 tenderloin for pork lo mein.) Thinly slice remaining pork and serve with vegetables.

honey-mustard chicken sandwiches... 10 minutes

the goods:

2 reserved grilled chicken breasts, thinly sliced

1/2 cup reserved grilled onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons reserved honey mustard

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 baguette, cut into 4 pieces and halved lengthwise, or 4 hoagie rolls

8 slices provolone cheese

2 cups baby spinach leaves

Heat broiler with oven rack set 5 inches from heat. Layer bottom halves of bread with chicken and 2 slices provolone cheese. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and broil for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Meanwhile, combine honey mustard with mayonnaise and onion. Remove sandwiches from oven and top with onion mixture. Top with spinach leaves and top halves of bread. Serve!