October 16, 2011: Any Leftovers With Any Pasta Recipes

Yesterday I shared with you a recipe I concocted to use leftover pork loin roast. Today I want to share with you several possible combinations of other types of leftover meat, vegetables, pasta and sauce.

Mexican Chicken

Protein: Leftover chicken, shredded

Vegetables: Black olives, tomatoes, yellow onion, garlic, jalapenos or green chile, bell pepper

Pasta: Fideo (or any type of tiny shaped pasta)

Sauce: Velveeta cheese

Garnish: Freshly chopped cilantro

Italian Sausage

Protein: Leftover smoked sausage or minced beef (steak, roast, etc.)

Vegetables: Tomatoes, garlic, white onion, mushrooms, black olives, bell pepper

Pasta: Spaghetti or gnocchi

Sauce: Tomato sauce

Garnish: Parmesan cheese and basil

Vegetarian

Protein: Black beans

Vegetables: Green onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic, celery, mango

Pasta: Macaroni

Sauce: Pasta water and a bit of olive oil

Garnish: Crumbled cotija or goat cheese and cilantro

All American

Protein: Ham

Vegetables: Corn, peas, carrots

Pasta: Penne or farfalle

Sauce: Velveeta

Garnish: Minced parsley and bacon bits

These are just a few ideas for using leftovers with pasta. Hopefully this gives you further ideas of ways to take one night’s dinner and totally, yet easily, transform them into a brand new meal another night. Bon appétit!

Tip: Thicker, wider pastas work best with meats and lots of vegetables.