• First and easiest, rewarm the leftovers, but create a buffet. Let the family choose, as if it were a restaurant. The younger children love this, but don't forget to give your restaurant a name. If you have small children and especially if they do not like leftovers, create a quick menu in which they can select their own dinner. My children loved the menu idea when they were younger, especially when mom sported the folded towel draped over one arm as their server.

• If you have eggs, possibly a little meat, some veggies and cheese, you can make a quiche. If you're doubting the men in your life will be receptive to quiche, you can call it "Ham and Egg Dinner Pie" or a "Chicken and Spinach Bake." You get the drift... You can make the quiche with either a homemade or store-bought crust, though the store-bought will be quicker. Provided you have a little creativity and a few necessary ingredients, you should be able to find a quiche recipe that will work.
  

• If you routinely have small amounts of leftover meat (ground beef, ham or sausage are the best) you can start a bag in your freezer to collect pizza toppings. When I have ground beef or chicken, I sometimes turn the pizza into a barbecue or cheeseburger pizza. I mix in a little barbecue sauce with the pizza sauce and top it with shredded cheddar instead of mozzarella.

• If you have an assortment of noodles or rice, veggies, and even a little meat, you can turn it into a soup. Just grab some stock, choosing an appropriate one based on the meat you have on hand, and rewarm in a pot. Add a few suitable fresh ingredients to stretch it into a big enough meal for your family. Depending on which foods you have left from a Mexican dinner, you might be able to create a taco soup. A minestrone can be created with leftover pasta and beans. The veggies, rice and noodles can also be good ways to stretch canned soup when your time is limited.

• If you have chicken and veggies, you could mix up some dumplings from a baking mix or even from scratch, and allow to cook until done on top of the chicken soup. In addition to stretching the meal, the dumplings will be helpful in thickening the soup.

• Betty Crocker has a series of recipes using Bisquick called Impossible Pies that are also great for using miscellaneous leftovers. While the recipes call for specific amounts of the veggies and meat, I'm certain that you could do a little substituting if you are comfortable in the kitchen. However, there are so many recipes for the Impossible Pies that you may not need to substitute.

If you enjoyed this post, please check my main page tomorrow or subscribe to the RSS feed (top right) for more "Spring Clean Out" posts.

Labels: cleaning, Everything Egg, food, frugality, fun with the kids, tips, Works for Me Wednesday

# posted by Heather@justdoingmybest @ Tuesday, April 28, 2009 5 Comments

• Wrap the egg in rubber bands before setting in dye cup. We've tried this one before and it works very well.
• Add some vegetable oil to the dye for a shiny effect - This is a new one we will be trying this year.
• Use crayons, light or white will look good with darker dyes. You will see the dye will not be absorbed where the crayon was used. This works best when the egg is still warm enough for the wax from the crayon to soften and melt on the egg as you color.
• If you are feeling especially creative, pull out some paintbrushes and acrylic paints and let your imagination run wild. (If you will be eating the eggs, please don't forget to ensure that the paints are non-toxic.)
• If you are interested in natural methods for dying the eggs, check out Blissfully Domestic's article, Coloring Easter Eggs Naturally.

Does your family dye Easter eggs using another technique?

This post is linked to:

Frugal Friday by Life as Mom.

Labels: Everything Egg, Frugal Family Fun Series, fun with the kids, holiday ideas

# posted by Heather@justdoingmybest @ Thursday, April 09, 2009 2 Comments

• Place the eggs into a large pot and salt the water. (Salt will raise the boiling temperature of the water.)


• Place on the stove and heat just until they start to boil.


• When you see they are beginning to boil, cover and remove from heat.


• Let them sit for 20 minutes.


• At the end of 20 minutes, drain the water and refill the pot with cold water and ice to stop the cooking process.


• I usually peel them immediately, but this is a personal preference.


• Refrigerate after the eggs have cooled in the ice water.

Trouble peeling the eggs?

• Fresh eggs are the hardest to peel. Use these for cooking and the oldest eggs for boiling.
• Eggshells are porous, so you can add a drop or two of vegetable oil to the water as they cook. The oil will soak through the shell which will allow easier peeling. I tried this and it really works. I added too much oil though and it was a mess, so play around with the amount of oil you need as compared to the size pot you are using. I would not recommend this for the eggs you will be decorating since the decorations probably will not stick.
  
  This is what works in my kitchen. Have you found any egg-related tips that work for you?

You will find this post and many other tips at:

Works for Me Wednesday hosted by We Are THAT Family.

Labels: Everything Egg, food, recipes, tips

# posted by Heather@justdoingmybest @ Tuesday, April 07, 2009 16 Comments

• First and simplest, my kids love them as a filling, protein-laden snack. Just add a little salt and pepper and enjoy.


• A classic stand-by, egg salad is quite filling for growing children. Smash the eggs with a fork and add the salt and pepper to taste before adding the other ingredients. Add a little mustard, mayo and pickle relish to taste.


• Making meat loaf? Hollow out a cavity once the meat is in the pan, place 2 hard-boiled eggs in the cavity and place the remaining meat on top of the eggs so that they are covered. (Cheese is also great to hide inside the meat loaf.) Then, bake as normal.

**Update. I've received quite a bit of comments and questions about the eggs inside of meatloaf, so I found a recipe to show you what I'm talking about. It's not the same one I use, but the one at Eggland's Best will give you an idea of what it looks like.**

• Eggs are perfect in almost any salad - potato salad, macaroni salad, tuna or on top of a tossed salad.


• Of course, we can't omit the obligatory Deviled Eggs. I like to use a Crinkle Cutter to slice the eggs in half. (This is the same crinkle cutter that apparently makes carrot sticks taste better. You can read about it in this veggie post.) Prepare your favorite recipe and place into a pastry bag or a zippered plastic bag and snip off the corner. This makes refilling the eggs much neater and prettier than using a spoon. For extra flavor, sometimes I add ranch dressing and a little less mayo.


• If you still need unique ideas for Devilled Eggs, check out DevilledEggs.org. I would have never guessed there are more than 50 ways to fix these eggs.

If you need some pointers on boiling the perfect egg or a way to save on them through the year, check back tomorrow.

This post is linked to:

Kitchen Tip Tuesday at Tammy's Recipes


I Am Blissfully Domestic at Blissfully Domestic

Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays at Blessed With Grace

Labels: Everything Egg, food, holiday ideas, recipes, tips

# posted by Heather@justdoingmybest @ Monday, April 06, 2009 10 Comments