9 tasty ideas for using up leftover potatoes, pasta and rice

How often do you wind up with leftover potatoes, pasta and rice at the end of your meals? Don't toss those leftovers away just yet. There's plenty you can do to transform them into delicious treats you'll enjoy as (or with) another meal. Here are nine ideas for  salvaging your leftovers.

Convert a whisked egg and a little cheese, leftover meat and potatoes into a delicious omelette.

• Omelettes are perfect for breakfast, lunch or even a light dinnertime meal.

Just mash leftover potatoes, mix with an egg, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley and a diced onion, shape into round disks, bread and then deep fry in canola oil.

• If you want to avoid eating anything fried, you can always bake these potato patties in the oven on a baking pan.

Puree leftover potatoes with broth and season to taste with cream or milk, herbs and/or grated cheese to make a delicious potato soup.

• Potato soup is filling, satisfying and takes only minutes to prepare.

Parmesan cheese gives baked casseroles a great taste, but because of its dry texture tends to burn quickly.

• Either mix Parmesan cheese with bits of butter on the casserole or add it later on in the cooking process.

Simply add 30 ml (two tablespoons) of capers or sliced olives, a can of tuna, and some diced tomatoes to leftover pasta.

• Season the mix with vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to put together a light pasta salad.

Salads and pasta taste particularly good when you let the flavours meld before eating. The same applies to potato and rice salads.

• Make a hearty rice dish from leftover rice, eggs, pork or chicken, onions and frozen veggies. For an Asian touch, use sesame oil for stir-frying and season with soy sauce and/or toss in a little curry paste.

Add a can of black beans and some salsa to leftover chicken or hamburger to make a delicious topping for tacos or a filling for burritos.

• Tacos are a snap to make and sure to be a family favourite.

Transform day-old rice into rice pudding. To do this, simply:

• Mix 500 ml (two cups) of milk per 250 ml (one cup) of rice and simmer gently on the stovetop so the milk doesn't burn, but the mixture is heated through.
• In a separate bowl, mix together two eggs, 50 ml (1/4 cup) of sugar and two ml (1/2 teaspoon) of vanilla.
• Whisk into the rice mixture and heat through before transferring to a casserole dish.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes.

Whip together delicate rice pancakes by mixing leftover rice with flour, milk and eggs and cook like normal pancakes.

• Serve with cinnamon and sugar or marmalade for a dash of sweet flavour.

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