Leftover Love...

Arkansas' mild winter has put a kink in my repertoire of cold weather meals. This time of year we are usually in the mood for a pot of stew, ham and beans or a hearty casserole. I'm a little mixed up whether I should make potato salad or potato soup. I hope I haven't JINXED this mild weather by talking about it! No matter what's for dinner, leftovers are a fact of life. If they're good leftovers, no one complains!

Leftover French Bread? Something special to go with tonight's spaghetti~

Farmhouse Cheddar Bread

Topping:

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup onions, chopped fine
1 cup ham or bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons hot sauce, optional
½ pound (8 ounces) cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup green onions, sliced
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, ham or bacon and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until the onions are soft. Remove from heat. Combine the mayonnaise, dry mustard and hot sauce with the slightly cooled skillet mixture. Fold in the cheese and green onions.
Bread:
Leftover French or Italian Bread – sliced in half lengthwise.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray the pan lightly with Pam. Place the bread, cut side up onto the baking sheet. Spread a thick layer of the topping mixture over the bread. Bake until the bread has toasted and the topping has melted, about 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Cut into slices and serve warm or room temperature.
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Irish Comfort Food at it's finest!


Shepherd's Pie
leftover mashed potatoes
ground beef, browned and drained (or leftover beef or pork roast, cut in bite size pieces)
half an onion, chopped
celery, corn, even leftover green beans, or just a handful of frozen peas and carrots
salt and pepper
paprika
beef broth
Cheddar, Pepper Jack or even a mixture of cheeses that are leftover
In a medium skillet, cook the onion and other uncooked veggies until they get soft. Add the beef, cooked veggies, and enough to broth to moisten everything and cook until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a casserole dish and cover with leftover mashed potatoes. Put a good amount of cheese and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are golden brown.
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OK, you need a snowy day for this one!

Hashbrown Soup
2 pounds frozen hash brown potatoes
4 cups water
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced celery
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cans (10 3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
4 cups milk
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
In a large saucepan combine the first seven ingredients, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Mash vegetables with cooking liquid. Add soup, cheese, and milk, stir until smooth. Add ham, parsley, salt, and garlic salt then simmer for 10 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with bacon. Makes a lot 12-16 servings (4 quarts).
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A hearty dish that pleases everyone, kids to adults!

Amish Church Noodles
12 oz homestyle noodles
10 oz cream of chicken soup
5 tbsp butter
3 tsp chicken base
2 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
In medium saucepan, combine 2 cups chicken broth and 4 cups water, bring to a boil. In a separate pan, over medium heat, melt butter and cook until brown in color. Add 10 oz cream of chicken soup and stir well. Add chicken base, stir until dissolved. Add mixture to broth and water. Stir until combined. Add 12 oz noodles, gently stir and bring to a boil again. Cover saucepan with lid and turn heat off. Let noodles set. Do not remove lid for at least 20 to 30 minutes. Serves: 8 to 10
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One of my favorites~ easy, quick and GOOD!

P.F. Chang's Dan-Dan Noodles
Adapted from Todd Wilbur's Top Secret Recipes
2 chicken breast fillets, cooked and minced, about 2 cups (I use leftover rotisserie chicken)
1 6-oz. package  thin linguine, cooked
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped green onions
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (I like Delallo brand, near the Italian foods or condiments)
4 teaspoons cornstarch 1/2 cup waterPrepare the chicken fillets first by sauteing them in a skillet with a little oil for 10-12 minutes. Remove from skillet and cool, then mince into little bits. I take a shortcut and use leftover rotisserie chicken, cut up fine. Prepare noodles following the directions on the package. Make sauce by heating oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add garlic, green onion and saute for just a few seconds, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the soy sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar and chili garlic sauce. Combine the cornstarch with 1/2 cup water and stir into the sauce. Simmer sauce until it thickens. When the sauce is thick, add the chicken and simmer until heated through.
Place drained, cooked noodles onto a serving plate. Spoon chicken and sauce over the top of the noodles, garnish with julienned cucumber on one side and bean sprouts on the other. Serves 4
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If you happen to have some leftover Oreos and some leftover peanut butter, this would be a very good way to use them up... just sayin'

Peanut Butter Pie for a Crowd
20 Oreo Cookies
1 8- ounce package of Cream Cheese, Softened
2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 12- ounce tub of Cool Whip
Press crushed cookies into the bottom of a 9 x13 inch pan. Reserve a few crumbs for topping. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Stir in peanut butter until well blended. Then, fold in whipped topping. Spread over the Oreo cookie base and sprinkle reserved crumbs on top. Freeze 1-2 hours. Thaw 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.

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