Oh the Waste
Every month we spend a lot of money on food and inevitably we end up throwing a lot of that same food out. Numerous times I have taken leftovers out of my refrigerator, eventually putting them right back in, not knowing what to do with them and not wanting to eat them the way they were. A week or so later, those same leftovers found their way into the trash can, wasted along with the money I had spent on them in the first place.
A few years ago a friend of mine, who was a chef, showed me something simple and tasty to do with my leftovers. The tips he gave me that day showed me how to "utilize" my leftovers and make totally new, tasty, nutritious meals. I have been using his techniques ever since and my family has no idea that they are eating the leftovers they have looked over all week.
“Uti-Soup”
By the end of the week most families have a nice amount of leftover food sitting the refrigerator that is destined for the trash can. The food has lost its initial appeal one might say. Well you can bring them back to life by making a big pot of soup that is guaranteed not to end up as a leftover! Before I give you the tips I will say that everything isn't meant to go in the pot. A week old dinner salad is not the best ingredient for soup, trust me on this one! That being said, here are the tips for a delicious, free, pot of soup!
- Meat: You can use one kind or all the meat you have leftover, it doesn't matter (I'll give you example at the end of the article)
- Vegetables: corn, peas, green beans, greens, whatever!
- Starches: beans, rice, pasta
- Seasonings: As you like
- Water
- My secret: Sautee onion and garlic with a little butter and oil first then add the meat
You don't have to use all the types if you don't have them and you can change them up as you like. But for me, I say the more the merrier.
This morning I made a soup with some leftover, uncooked breakfast sausage, chicken winglet pieces, fried tilapia, corn on the cob (I took the corn of the cob first), white beans, a handful of pasta, tomatoes and spinach. I used Worchestershire sauce, soy sauce, kosher salt, cayenne pepper and a dash of nutmeg to season it. This night when I woke up, there was only a bowl left and my refrigerator is free of food that would have went in the trash tomorrow.
Making uti-soup is all about saving money and being creative. Try it! There is nothing better than a free meal!
