Experiment: Leftover Sunday Dinner Casserole

I had some roast and baked potatoes leftover from a family dinner we had, and I decided to try and change it up a little so it didn't seem like straight leftovers. So, I had meat and potatoes and thought, I need some sauce to go with this. The first thing that came to mind was Cream of Mushroom soup... but then I remembered that I didn't have any because I don't like it. :-D Then I remembered that I did have a packet of Stroganoff mix, so I mixed that up and added some sour cream...and voila! Dinner is ready!

4-6 baked potatoes
Leftover roast beef
1 pkg beef stroganoff mix
1 c. sour cream

Shred potatoes using a cheese grater. I just left the peels on. Pull apart meat into little pieces by hand. Combine together in large bowl. You may want to season with salt&pepper, depending on how seasoned the meat is. In small bowl, mix up stroganoff according to package directions. Stir in sour cream; mix until smooth. Add sauce to potatoes/meat; mix well. Spread into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.

Experiment: Cashew Penne Pasta

I was at my parents house one night with several of my siblings and their families when dinner time rolled around. I offered to figure out some thing for all of us to eat, and raided my parents' pantry to see what was available. This is what I came up with! It is a take-off of Ravioli with Garlic and Pine nuts (check out that post here). It turned out very yummy and even won over the skeptics (especially my mom!). Warning: I didn't actually measure anything when I made this, so everything below is just a estimate.

Cashew Penne Pasta

1 pkg. penne pasta, cooked according to directions
1/2 c. butter or margarine
3/4 c. cashews (I used salted ones)
2 Tbsp parsley flakes
2 cloves garlic (the first time I made it, I just used garlic powder...1-2 tsp)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Melt butter in saucepan over medium/low heat. Toast cashews and seasonings in butter for 10-15 minutes. Toss pasta with butter/cashew mix. Enjoy!

Experiment: Southwestern Pasta over Rice

I was on my way home today around 4:30pm and realized I needed to have dinner ready within 30 minutes (so we could eat before heading out for the evening). Since I hadn't even thought about what we should have, I started brainstorming what I had on hand, and this is what I came up with:


Southwestern Pasta over Rice

1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 can cream of chicken soup + a half can of milk
1/2 pkg. extra-wide egg noodles
1 chicken breast, cooked and cubed
Minute rice

After boiling and draining the pasta, in the same pot add the rest of the ingredients except the rice. Heat over medium until heated through. Serve over rice.

The verdict: It was okay. Definitely had to add some salt and pepper at the table. Yet, it still lacked some flavor. It made plenty, so with the leftovers tomorrow I think I will try to add some salsa and see how it goes. A definite pro is that it can be made from entirely from food storage items.

* Update: I stirred in a little salsa to the leftovers and {viola!} flavor! Not much is needed at all--I would estimate maybe 1/2 cup for the entire dish. I also thought about maybe adding sour cream for a little tang instead of the salsa, or spices such as cummin... I will definitely have to experiment more with this one. Leave me a comment with any suggestions or if you try something that works!