With all the cooking that we tend to do for Shabbosim and yom tovim and other celebratory occasions, there is bound to be leftovers. Some people cannot be bothered and they quickly throw them away. Others use every morsel that they can and become very creative. I, too, have a very hard time throwing away leftovers, so I try to use them in a practical and new way each time.

Here are three great options for using up leftovers:

Cholent Soup (Yes, but it’s great!!!!)

Cholent

Water

Noodles or Rice,

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables

Beef soup mix

You have to estimate quantities depending on how much cholent you have left over and how much soup you want to make. Put cholent, water, cooked noodles or rice and vegetables in a pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer about 10-15 minutes and taste. Adjust seasoning with beef soup mix, salt and pepper to taste.

Savti’s Eggrolls

I save up leftover chicken and/or meat and keep in a ziplock bag in the freezer until I have enough to use up. (Again, you’ll have to gauge.)

Buy eggroll wrappers in your local supermarket.

Sauté a bunch of onions, shredded cabbage, and carrots that have been shredded. You can also add mushrooms and/or Chinese vegetables if you want as well, but this is not necessary. After this mixture is softened, then add in your meat that you should shred or chop finely. Add some soy sauce. Cook for about 10 more minutes. Cool. In the meantime, make a “glue” that will hold together your eggroll. In a small bowl, mix together some flour and water until it becomes glue like. Then take out one wrapper at a time and position as directed in picture on package. Put approximately one tablespoon of your meat/veggie mixture on eggroll and roll up. Seal with glue. Fry them in hot oil till brown.

Enjoy!!!

Truffles with Broken Cake

We all have cakes that flop, break or crack, and there usually are ways to camouflage these mishaps. When you have tried all options to resurrect your cake, but to no avail, there are always things you can do so as not to waste not only your hard work, but your ingredients as well. Many people use the broken cake to make trifles, which is always a great and efficient way of using up the cake. Here is another example of what you could do:

This is a fabulous truffle recipe I am going to share with you that comes out very well. Instead of using cookie crumbs, I have substituted broken chocolate cake and it works just as well.

1 18 oz. package of sandwich cookies crushed (you have to gauge with the cake)

1 8 oz. package of tofutti cream cheese

1 lb. baking chocolate, either white or dark

(If you are using a lot of cake then double, triple the other ingredients.)

Combine cookies (or cake crumbs) with cream cheese in mixer. Beat on low speed. Form into 1 inch balls. Freeze balls for about an hour. In the meanwhile, melt chocolate in double boiler (or I melt it in the oven at 200). Dip frozen balls into chocolate mixture. Coat with sprinkles, nuts, coconut or whatever you want.. I keep the finished truffles in the freezer and pop them out as needed. Enjoy!!!!

Gail Hochman has been a resident of Bergen County, NJ for over 30 years, has three wonderful children who have blessed her with many grandchildren.

By Gail Hochman.