Stretching One Meal Into Five

Coreen Hart
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This is one of those meals that keeps on giving and changing into something new. It's the way I have been using roast beef. We love a good roast!

The first night, cook it as a pot roast, using plenty of water and some onions, potatoes, celery and carrots. Season well. I like Cajun seasoning, but salt and pepper are great.

The second night, slice it thin and serve it next to mashed potatoes and green beans.

The third day, have it for lunch. Make a sandwich with good whole wheat bread, guacamole and thin slices of beef. Have an apple on the side.

The fourth day, you should be able to pull it apart after all that heating and chilling. Shred and put into warm tortillas. Add cheese, salsa and whatever you like for tacos. Or, saute some onions and peppers and wrap them with the meat in the tortilla and serve as a fajita. Sour cream is nice, but so is plain yogurt, so use what you have on hand.

This night, there are only scraps left, but still plenty of broth in the pan. Thicken the broth with a mixture of flour and water, then add a little milk if you want. Taste it for seasoning. Stir in the little bits of roast beef, scraping up the browned pieces on the bottom of the pan, and serve over a slice of bread or a biscuit alongside potatoes (which enjoy a bit of gravy on their own) and maybe some corn with butter and salt. Sometimes I mix in a tad of sugar if the corn isn't very sweet on its own.

That is how two people made five meals out of one roast this week, and didn't get tired of it even once.

By Coreen Hart

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anna

March 25, 20090 found this helpful

I stretch it out too but for the last day I add a bag of frozen mixed veggies and make corn bread and have vegatable beef soup. I am working on a new blog with some of my grandmas "depression" recipes at
http://itsmellsgoodinhere.blogspot... I am still adding stuff so keep an eye out

kathleen williams
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 147 Feedbacks

March 25, 20090 found this helpful

Very good idea. Sounds like me in the kitchen. I save every dime I can. I have always saved & I'm proud of it, good luck.

Vi Johnson
Silver Post Medal for All Time! 288 Posts

March 27, 20090 found this helpful

We do the same , only add BBQ sauce to the shredded meat and serve on heated rolls or buns.

Also I use a roasted chicken the same way.
1. sliced chicken with mashed or baked potato,green beans/carrots

2. Shredded & used for Tacos or Quesadillas or enchiladas
3. legs/wings with a can of cream of chicken soup & green peas over rice ( DH favorite) or saute a small can of mushrooms with a clove of garlic / onion, add chopped celery to the cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup and pour over egg noodles.
4. Add any leftovers to RiceaRoni /mixed veggies, rolled up in corn tortillas. A little goes a long way. GG VI

susan
Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 472 Feedbacks

March 27, 20090 found this helpful

Like everyone else, I have my own version of this. One thing I do is cube some leftover roast, add it to the gravy, heat it up, and add sour cream. You can add mushrooms if you like for a wonderful stroganoff. Serve over noodles. It is good enough for company, and no one will know it was leftovers! I also use the leftover meat, veggies (or add more if there's not enough), and gravy for a vegetable stew. If I have too much gravy, I freeze it and add it to spaghetti sauce later. It adds so much beefy flavor.

My husband like hot roast beef sandwiches: slice and heat in gravy. Serve on a crusty bun atop a slice of cheese. I never thought of using it for tacos--YUM! My neighbor told me that she never makes a roast because they're far too big for the two of them. I thought, "How foolish." With so many ways to use the leftovers, they are one of the biggest time savers, not to mention money savers around. Congratulations to everyone for our ingenuity!

susan winship
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 180 Feedbacks

March 27, 20090 found this helpful

I do the same with a turkey breast, roasted for company the first day, then stretched out. The only difference is that the last day (for flavor) I fry up some onion and celery to add to whatever is left, steam the carcass, remove any scraps, use the broth for gravy (sometimes with some chicken base).

Put it together over bread or potatoes and call it turkey hash.

maria

April 5, 20090 found this helpful

I do this every week with all different large pieces of meat. I use a roast beef, ham; turkey, or 2 chickens ( I have a large family so I need lots). The first night is always the formal traditional dinner and I just roast the meat and have it with sides, the next meal is a sandwich or casserole that uses pieces of the meat, the third is usually ham salad, chicken salad, turkey salad or a garden salad with pieces of the meat on it and the 4th is always soup!! I have a baby so I usually give her pieces of the meat during the week when the kids are having something she is too little to eat or I use it for breakfast. Like ham and eggs I have 4 children and 1 income and my grocery bill is $100.00 a week this is one tip that help keeps it that way.

doris gordon

March 22, 20100 found this helpful

How boring to eat the same thing 5 days in the row; perhaps you could freeze part and then take out another day.

Rebecca

March 22, 20100 found this helpful

I love the idea of being thrifty & inventive. However, I'd hate the boredom factor to set in. In the heat of Australia, unless the meat is frozen to be used on another occasion or all meals cooked on the one day & frozen so as one has pre-cooked meals available from the freezer, I can't help being concerned about the freshness of the meat.

molly

March 27, 20100 found this helpful

I always use any left over roast for many of the suggestions; but our favorite here is soup. I take all the leftovers and add broth if needed; be it beef, turkey or chicken and throw in any veggies I have. We live in the NorthEast and it's still in the 30's today on 3/27/10. Everything goes into croc pot and by 5 or 6 hours the aroma is wonderful.

Any left over bread (from hamb. or hot dog buns to biscuits)are put under the broiler with garlic butter or parm cheese - soup and crusty bread - yum! Add a salad and it's our favorite meal on these cold and windy days.

Laura Vale

March 28, 20120 found this helpful

Okay, I admit I like all these suggestions. But I have to ask: How much do you guys weigh? If I ate all those carbs, I would blow up like a balloon. Does anyone have any suggestions to add showing how to use leftovers that have low carbs, for those of us who are so super-sensitive to them? Thanks!

Patty

March 30, 20120 found this helpful

I love this idea! My family has no problem eating the same 'meat' all week, as long as the tastes are changed (and we not boring cooks here). As far as the carbs, etc....obviously, any of these 'suggestions' can be changed up to suit your diet. I am all for eating well, no waste, and stretching my dollar! Love a cook with a plan!

Gloria Z
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 147 Feedbacks

January 24, 20160 found this helpful

Sounds so creative good for you. Could you please tell us how many pounds of pot roast you use in order to stretch it this far?

Anonymous

February 18, 20160 found this helpful

1st day ..roast

2nd day...hot beef sandwiches..gravy,mashers,peas
3rd day...meatier ..onion, dice potatoes, gravy ,meat.tea biscuit on top bakeit!
4th day mix veg fried rice & rice pudding for dessert

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