Category Archives: Your Leftovers

Some of the easiest recipes are reinventing something new with your Leftovers. If you hate food waste as much as I do, you’ll embrace these easy to make recipes!

Simple Authentic Mexican Chicken Taquitos

Posted on by
Reply

I love discovering easy , simple, family recipes.

 

Easy Chicken Taquitos

These chicken taquitos are an authentic , Mexican recipe and so amazingly easy to make I don’t think I’ll ever buy taquitos in a Mexican restaurant or take-out ever again. And this recipe makes so many – so it’s very budget friendly.  Today, I am going to make these using leftover turkey and leftover mashed potatoes now that Thanksgiving is over. A fun batch of food now that the boys are back in town! And since the corn tortillas are gluten-free, everyone can enjoy them.

 

Ingredients:

 

  • 1-2 Chicken Breasts with Bone
  • 1-2 Heaping Tablespoons Mayonnaise
  • 1-2 Large Potatoes
  • Pepper to taste
  • Tortillas (corn but flour work as well).
  • Favorite authentic salsa , guacamole and sour cream
Chicken and potatoes after boiling and removing skin.

Chicken and potatoes after boiling and removing skin.

 

Boil chicken and potatoes in a big pot of water until done.( If using leftover chicken or turkey, boil the potatoes and drop the poultry in just a minute before potatoes are done.)

 

Let both cool enough to handle. Remove the skin from the chicken,  remove the meat and shred it with a fork. Place in bowl. Peel the skin off of the potato and add the potato without the skin to the same bowl as the chicken. Add the mayo and pepper and mix together using a fork.

 

Warm the tortillas (so they are soft enough to roll) in oven, pan or microwave.

Filling Tortillas with Chicken Mixture

 

Spoon the chicken, mayo and potato mixture into the center of a tortilla, roll up and secure with toothpicks. Stab with a fork (so they don’t explode in the oil).

 

Fry in hot oil or if you want to bake instead, place on a baking sheet and brush oil over the tortillas and then bake until golden brown and crispy.

 

Serve with cut avocado or guacamole, salsa and sour cream.

 

Maria (who I got this recipe from) also soaks sliced yellow onion in vinegar for just a few minutes and serves under the taquitos along with shredded lettuce. A really, simple nice touch!

Taco Salad Recipe

Posted on by
Reply
Easy Taco Salad Recipe. Throw all in a bowl. Done!

Easy Taco Salad Recipe. Throw all in a bowl. Ready for tossing. So easy and delicious.

This is a one of the staple recipes in our house. It’s an easy and delicious, no fail dinner recipe that our kids and their friends have always loved. And, this recipe is a great way to use up any kind of leftover taco meat or even chicken or turkey. In fact, I always make it after we’ve had homemade tacos and I just use up whatever is left over from that meal (meat, tomatoes, cheese, onions etc…)  I don’t measure the ingredients at all. I just throw whatever we have leftover in a large bowl, ( as shown in the photo, lettuce is on the bottom of the bowl). If you add a little less onion, or a little more cheese, it’s not big deal. Just throw it in! Make it easy! You’ll have plenty of time left to make an easy margarita.

 

  • 1/2 lb. Ground or Chopped Chicken or Turkey or Beef (if not using leftovers, cook in a pan with 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoons chili powder, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste). Or, leftover chicken or turkey pieces. 
  • 6 Cups of Chopped Lettuce (or so).
  • 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese
  • 1/2 Cup Canned Kidney or Black or Pinto Beans 
  • 1/2 Cup Crushed up Tortilla Chips or Leftover Taco Shells
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Tomatoes
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Onion (any kind is fine)
  • 1/4 Cup Salsa (any kind) 
  • 2 Tablespoons Sour Cream
  • 2 Tablespoons Italian Dressing

 

If you are not using leftover chicken or turkey or beef, cook your meat with spices until completely cooked. Drain off the fat.

 

Put everything in a bowl and toss well. Done! When I worked in restaurants, I learned that many restaurant sauces and dressings are often mixtures of different dressings that they have on the line. This dressing using salsa, sour cream and Italian dressing is a good example. 

 

 

 

Mexican Enchiladas with Red “Rojo” Sauce

Posted on by
Reply

Ever since Maria shared her enchilada sauce recipe with me, I make it often. I don’t always “roll” the tortillas but often just layer the tortillas like lasagna noodles with the chicken, sauce, onion and cheese. That particular “like lasagna”  method will save you alot of time. And if you purchase the cheese already shredded and use leftover roasted chicken, it is a dinner you can heat up and have on the table in minutes. With the sauce recipe I listed here, I made 16 enchiladas rolled in two small dishes. I poached two chicken breasts and used all of the meat (about 2 cups). And about 1 15 ounce bag of shredded cheese.

 

  • Corn tortillas
  • Shredded Jack Cheese or Queso Ranchera Cheese
  • 1 Onion, chopped fine OR 3 Green Onions chopped 
  • Cooked shredded chicken
  • Easy Enchilada Sauce

 

Cooked shredded chicken (store bought rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken works well in this recipe. Otherwise, just poach some chicken pieces in salted water until done and pull the meat off the bones discarding the skin and grizzle or just poach skinless, boneless breasts and slice or shred ).

 

 

Corn tortillas are usually gluten-free.

Corn tortillas are usually gluten-free.

Using a tong, add some vegetable oil  to a pan. Heat each tortilla on each side in the oil and put aside on a plate.

 

 

Place some of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.

 

 

 

Layer Chicken, Cheese and Onions, then roll.

Layer Chicken, Cheese and Onions, then roll.

Dunk the tortilla in the sauce, fill with a little cheese, onion and chicken (I make mine with no chicken actually as I prefer plain cheese). Roll and place seam side down.

 

Roll the remaining tortillas up. Top with more sauce being sure to save some of the sauce for topping before serving.

Red Enchiladas, ready to heat and eat!

Red Enchiladas, ready to heat and eat!

 

 

Sprinkle more cheese on top. Heat until the cheese melts in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven. 

 

 

 

Italian Wedding Soup

Posted on by
Reply

This is a staple in our house and I always make it after Thanksgiving as it’s a great way to use up Leftover Turkey. You can also use Chicken, Sausage or Meatballs.

 

  • Two cleaned Carrots , chopped
  • Two Stalks Celery, chopped
  • 1/2 Onion, chopped
  • 6 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
  • Water or broth to fill up 1/2 to 2/3rd of large pot
  • Cut up Chicken or Turkey (or Whole Meatballs or Sliced Sausage)
  • 1-2 Scrambled Eggs
  • Several  handfuls of Spinach (about 1/2 package but can vary).
  • 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Bring water to a boil in and add vegetables (except Spinach).

 

Let simmer to make a vegetable broth.

 

Add poultry or meat or sausage.

 

Add Spinach, push down to cover with simmering liquid.

 

When Spinach is cooked, swirl in the Egg and then immediately swirl in the Parmesan.

 

Serve hot.

 

 party soup easy leftovers leftover turkey a way to use up leftover turkey or chicken italian soup simple recipe