Use your leftovers in chilaquiles

I love chilaquiles more than my husband does. I realized he only really likes them with when I include leftover meat. They are a perfect vehicle for leftovers like steak or pork ribs or roast chicken. I throw in leftover veggies, also.

Roast chicken from earlier in week being sliced up for chilaquiles
00000IMG_00000_BURST20170812105808_COVER

I normally use a cheat salsa in the form of canned chipotle sauce or leftover salsa from takeout at Monte Alban. But with all the tomatoes coming out of my garden I decided to make my own. It was pretty easy! Used a Diane Kennedy recipe.

On the topic of Mexican takeout, you can always use leftover chips to make chilaquiles. I usually make with stale tortillas, slice them and then throw them all in the pan together. Some crisp up this way, some donā€™t. This time I decided to throw them in in batches, as I had the extra time from cooking the salsa.

Salsa and eggs and chicken already in! Some folks donā€™t use eggs. Thatā€™s the great thing about chilaquiles - it is really just what you want to add. Sometimes I add cheese, most times I donā€™t. Think I add some ricotta I was worried would end up going bad soon if I didnā€™t use soon.

IMG_20170812_110236

I forgot to add the leftover cactus paddies from the bbq, but did at the last minute. Still good!

Had some homemade creme fraiche that I threw on top instead of crema mexicana, which I only use when I happen to have.

Burst_Cover_GIF_Action_20170812110556

I always liberally pepper each plate.

What is your go to leftover dish?

6 Likes

My go-to leftover dish is. What I have made from the night before. Iā€™m basically just reheating . Maybe one ingredient. Tired after work. Nourishing good tasting. Iā€™m satisfied. I donā€™t do much with leftovers.:cowboy_hat_face:

1 Like

I do like you. Any leftover meat gets something done with it. It a ā€˜goodlyā€™ amount then something like you. If a small amount then maybe an omelet. Leftover cooked vegetables can go all over the place :slight_smile: I call them ā€œkitchen sinkā€ meals as thereā€™s everything in them but the kitchen sink.

2 Likes

My wife loves them, too. My favorite was when she used leftover braised short ribs that I had made the night before. Sheā€™s done them with leftover carnitas, too. Delicious.

Fun fact, she used to have a cousin named @Xochitl. Thatā€™s not a name I see every day.

1 Like

Thought of this just now. We got takeout tacos from a local place a couple of nights ago. Had one leftover. Took the filling out of the shells and reheated in some butter. Added beaten eggs and when partially set some grated pepper jack cheese and a packet of the spicy taco sauce. It was super.

1 Like

Good use of leftovers!! Iā€™ll remember that next time Iā€™m out of torts!

Not super common but common enough that I have quite a few stories about Xochitl mix-ups!

I need to try making carnitas again! Never made a recipe I really liked.

Re carnitas, why not start a thread about this? Iā€™d love to get info.

2 Likes

To be clear. The short ribs were mine, but the carnitas were not. I havenā€™t tackled thoseā€¦ yet.

1 Like

Fried rice. I take leftover scraps of meat, veggies, etc. Dice up, along with some onion and garlic. Throw it all together. Learned that from mom to stretch out a food budget growing up and when I went away to school, did that all the time.

4 Likes

I just love meals like that! I call them free meals. And I loathe wasting food.

3 Likes