Hello and welcome back to The Stone Soup Cook–I’m so glad you’re here!
As I was deciding what I wanted to write about this week, I realized that I haven’t exactly been in “meal-planning” mode per-se, for many weeks–nor have I had the chance to religiously scour the farmer’s market for the freshest produce-of-the-moment. Instead, my time has been divided between California, Texas and the veterinarian’s office and the words “what should I make for dinner” haven’t been top of my mind. In reality, I’ve been kind of a pinball bouncing among easy-to-make recipes like a roast chicken, soup or a pot of beans, that will give leftovers for a couple of days without having to think too hard.
I decided that that was actually a pretty good place to start my “re-entry”: tried and true favorites and recipes for leftovers.
This week, I’ll feature some old and some new recipes to make from leftovers–either planned or unplanned. For example, today, I’m featuring my tried-and-true recipe for a pot of pinto beans. I made a pot a few days ago and the next day, those beans got turned into chili. Later in the week, I’ll feature what I’m calling my “Hail Mary Chicken Casserole.” I made it a couple of weeks ago using leftover roast chicken meat I found in my mom’s freezer on a night when it was 6:00 pm, we’d just come home from the hospital, we were dead on our feet and needed something comforting to get us through to the next day.
First up, a pot of pinto beans. A pot of pinto beans has got to be one of the most comforting things a body can make. It does need a little while to cook, but once made, not only does it fill the house with warm, comforting smells, but it’s delicious and it’s the gift that keeps giving…
…because the next day, you can repurpose those leftover beans into the best chili and beans you’ve ever had:
If you’re feeling ambitious and want to make those yummy tamales you see with the chili in the picture above, just click on the highlighted text.
Tune in tomorrow when I’ll share a super-simple recipe to use the last bits of that chili to make a whole new dish!
Until then,
Peace, love and good food,
Keri
