Category: Leftovers/ Freezer Meals

Crockpot Pork Ragu

Crockpot /Make Ahead Meals, Leftovers/ Freezer Meals, Pasta, Pork

I have made pork ragu a few times on the blog. I have made it with different forms of pork and varied the recipe each time to what I had in the cupboard with what I thought I should buy and add in it. It is a really special meal. It is not hard, but it still takes time and love to create. I recently found a nice pork butt in the freezer and wanted to use it in a new and creative way. I had wanted to cook it yesterday, but we went to the zoo and didn’t get home until late in the afternoon. No time to cook it for dinner, so I thought maybe I could make it in the crock pot instead. I wasn’t sure I could pull it off, but it was a big hit at the house. Tons of leftovers, so that is a plus. Seriously, you have to try this!

Crock Pot Pork Ragu

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
large handful of mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1-2 cups beef broth
red wine-optional

Pork Butt seasoned with…
1 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper, italian seasoning, fennel seed,

Directions

The night before, I brown the pork on all sides (seasoned with the herbs and other seasonings) in a dutch oven. I had to cut my pork in half so it would fit. I actually cooked all the veggies and sauce for just a bit so they could cook down a little to fit in the crock pot. Then I put the meat in the crock pot and covered it with the sauce. I refrigerated it over night. Then I cooked it on low all day. When I got home, my house smelled amazing! Serve over pasta, rice, polenta, mashed potatoes… Always serve with crusty bread for dipping and sopping up all the meaty sauce!

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Leftover Risotto

Chicken, Leftovers/ Freezer Meals, One pot meal

Happy Friday! This is a wonderful comfort food meal that I made from my leftovers last night. Not too colorful and a bit foggy, but it is rich, creamy, and super delicious!

Leftover Risotto with Creamy Tomato and Mushroom Chicken

Ingredients
3/4 stick butter, browned
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
leftover chicken thighs in sauce
5 cups simmering chicken stock, a spoonful at a time
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat your dutch oven or large wide pot on med. high heat
Add your butter. Heat until just brown. Add your rice. Mix and toast for 4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Add your wine. Stir and reduce 5 minutes.
Add your leftover chicken thighs in sauce
Mix and add your stock a bit at a time on med heat until your rice is tender…about 40 minutes.
Check your seasoning and add more if needed.
Add your cheese in the end.

Your chicken should have fallen off the bone and shredded itself into your risotto. Soul Food. 004

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Lovely Leftovers- Chicken, Bacon, and Veggie Pasta

Leftovers/ Freezer Meals, Pantry Raid, Pasta

Hey all! This weekend was pretty good. Friday night a bunch of friends came over, and I cooked a ton of hamburgers. We ate chips and dip, macaroni salad, potato salad, coleslaw, and creamed corn. We played a card game, and me and my wine buddy put down a good amount of wine =) Loads of fun!
Sat morn I spent time at my middle’s cheerleading game. Her team is the Bulldogs, and she just loves cheering for them! She even won the spirit stick this game! So proud of her!006

The rest of the weekend was mostly relaxing and eating out of the fridge. No stressing. Last night hubby went to the store and picked up sweet and spicy marinated chicken from the meat counter and a red pepper. I made this with yellow rice and steamed broccoli. Pretty yummy! This morning, I made eggs and bacon. Clean plates were made by all.

Tonight I made the girls leftover hamburgers. I just had a veggie burger for lunch, so I did not really want another burger. Instead, I created this spectacular pasta dish.

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Lovely Leftovers- Chicken, Bacon, and Veggie Pasta

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 jar mushrooms
1 cup creamed corn (approximate from leftovers)
5 pieces cooked bacon, chopped (approximate from leftovers)
1 cup chicken breasts and red peppers, cooked (approximate from leftovers)
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream in the pot
Pasta of your choice- I had a little orzo and whole wheat angel hair, so I used both
Extra pasta water, as needed.
Fresh herbs, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Boil water for pasta… make sure you heavily salt the water.
Cook your onions, celery, tomato, and garlic down on med low heat for a good 10 minutes.
Add your pasta to the water.
To your fresh veggie mix, add in all your leftover veggies, jarred mushrooms, bacon, and chicken. Mix well. Cook about 10 minutes, or until your pasta cooks.
Add in your pasta to the leftover mix. Add in cheese and heavy cream. Mix well. Add in starchy pasta water as needed. Taste- season as needed. I would have added some fresh herbs if I had them.

Baked Enchilada Farro with Beans and Corn

grains, Leftovers/ Freezer Meals, Mexican, One pot meal, potatoes, Side dishes...veggies, Vegetarian

Happy Tuesday, ya’ll! So the other day I made this.
https://funfoodiefamily.com/2014/08/30/enchilada-farro-with-beans-and-corn/

It is super healthy and delicious, but after a few servings, I needed to find a way to change it up. So, I made it into tacos. Yum. Then I made it into this cheesy bake. All I did was add a another small can of enchilada sauce and 1 jar of salsa to the mix. Then I spread it into a sprayed casserole dish and topped it with shredded cheese. I baked it at 350 until all the cheese was melted and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Freezing half of this for my future. 

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Pasta Frittata and a quick meal plan

Breakfast and Brunch, Eggs, Leftovers/ Freezer Meals, One pot meal, Pasta, Vegetarian

Evening everyone! I know this week I have been a little AWOL. It has been crazy busy! It has been one of those weeks that seems like it is taking forever to end, yet it seems like you can’t keep up and everything is moving too fast! You know what I mean? Anyways, on to the food…We ate most all of my meal plan from last week, minus the hotdogs and shrimp alfredo. Instead we had leftover night Wed, random pasta night Thursday (hence the pasta frittata), and Friday was Marco Pizza (thin crust hawaiian and one 1/2 cheese 1/2 black olive and mushroom). Tonight, the girls ate leftover pizza and a bowl of cereal. Random! I choose to make the most of my leftover pasta and veggie tomato sauce by making this leftover pasta frittata.

This coming week looks to be extremely challenging…school functions, cheerleading, gymnastics, and lots of early mornings. Meal plan is going to be using what we already have; Sunday- something with shrimp (maybe with some yellow rice?) Monday- Grandpa is taking cooking duty making tuna noodle casserole. Tuesday- Hotdog and baked beans night Wed- Fish and mac and cheese TH- Ummm…clean out the fridge Friday- Mexican Please???? Margaritas????? PHEW! Nothing too exciting unless I come up with something better…

Pasta Frittata

Ingredients

Cooked pasta (I had whole wheat spaghetti), sauce (I made a sauce that consisted of onion, garlic, halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 each of yellow and red pepper chopped, sliced black olives, broccoli florets, 1 can diced tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste).

8 eggs- whisked

cheese- I used some shredded cheddar, mozzarella, and parm, enough to cover the top, maybe 1 cup in total.

Directions

In a large cast iron skillet or oven safe dish, start warming your pasta and sauce. Whisk your eggs with some salt and pepper. Add them to the pasta. Stir around. Top with cheese. Let cook for 5 minutes or so. Put the pan in a 375 oven and bake for 25 minutes or until your cheese turns golden brown. Set out of the oven and cool a bit. Great way to have pasta leftovers!
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