It is that time of the month. I am closing out the last month’s finances and setting up the budget for the next. This past month, my spending and budgeting have been looking a little funny. Huge amounts spent on the holiday, but the monthly Grocery envelope going untouched. I have been experiencing what I am calling #HolidayMath.
Over the past few years, I have been getting really excited about Thanksgiving, almost even more so than Christmas. With the weather getting chillier, the days shorter and darker, it is the perfect season to dive into comfort foods and baking. What better opportunity to share all the deliciousness with loved ones than Thanksgiving?
That is why this past year, I created a sinking fund. All year, I put about $25 aside each paycheck into a savings account, so that I would have a nice little sum by the time it was time for the big day!
It might seem a bit excessive to build up such an amount for a Thanksgiving. How could I possibly go through hundreds of dollars for a holiday that doesn’t even involve gifts, or much shopping -other than food. But, I did. Let me break it down for you:
Groceries for holiday recipe testing and prep: $ 217
Fall and holiday coffee syrup flavors for a cozy and festive seasonal home cafe: $67
All of that Thanksgiving grocery money wasn’t used just for the big day itself. Many of those groceries were used in the weeks pre-Thanksgiving as I tested and experimented with recipes for potatoes, mac and cheese, cookies, etc. Since Jesse and I were filling up on Thanskgiving test recipes, I was not buying as many of my usual groceries. After the holiday while most people are left with fridges packed with containers of pre-made comfort foods and desserts, I was left with a bit of leftover grocery budget. Having used my Thanksgiving fund money for the recipe prep groceries and ingredients, I had not used my typical $120 for household groceries, and at the end of the month was left with about $60 . So, really, I saved money on groceries in the month of November, right? This is what I am calling #HolidayMath. Even though I spent more money on groceries this past month than any other, I have been able to convince myself that I saved money.
My “Groceries” spending envelope was not the only thing feeling a surplus after the holiday, my fridge and pantry are still packed with leftover ingredients. This happens to me every year. I don’t use as many as anticipated, or I run out of time on the big day and end up not bringing all the dishes I planned. This year, I dropped the ball on roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, and biscuits. I was left with unused onions (fresh and fried), vegetables- including broccoli, asparagus, and carrots-, vegetable broth, a variety of cheeses, potatoes, and of course, Cream of Mushroom Soup (a household staple for me).
Having eaten potatoes, biscuits and other Thanksgiving favorites for almost a month, we needed a bit of a break from the traditional dishes, but couldn’t let the ingredients go to waste.
In case you have found yourself in a similar situation, I have shared here a few recipes we enjoyed this past week to use up some of those leftover groceries!
As for the excess grocery money… I am sure I will find a use for it with the next big holiday’s shopping, cooking and baking underway!
Leftover Biscuits:
Breakfast Sandwhiches
This one is easy, fry up an egg (or two), throw it ontop of a leftover biscuit and add your favorite add ons.
Ingredients:
- Leftover biscuits or roll
- Egg(s)
- Butter for frying and biscuit
- Cheese (whatever is leftover from the holiday)
- Onions
- Other add ons
Steps:
- Fry up eggs with butter in skillet
- Add fried egg and cheese (along with any other add ons) to biscuit
- Toast in oven for 3-4 minutes to melt cheese
If you have leftover potatoes and a bit of time, add some breakfast potatoes
Leftover Potatoes:
No Hassle, No Frustration Breakfast Potatoes
Maybe it is just me, but I get SO frustrated and impatient trying to skillet fry potatoes or hashbrowns, but I love the crispy fried taste. Here is a trick I use that is much easier to tackle, but still gives the crisp fried flavor
Ingredients:
- Leftover potatoes
- Oil for frying/ roasting
- Seasoning – to taste
- Optional: onions and peppers
- Optional: cheese for topping
Steps:
- Chop or dice potatoes (depending on size preference) *
- Cover in oil and seasoning to taste ( I use onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper and seasoned salt.
- Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes
- Optional: While potatoes begin to bake, fry up fresh or frozen onions and peppers in the skillet with a bit of oil
- After 15 minutes, add potatoes into the skillet and toss with oil (and peppers and oions if you are using them)
- Toss and fry in oil for about 10 minutes
- Return to baking sheet and continue to bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, until they are browned to texture of preference
- Optional: Turn off oven heat and sprinkle with cheese, heat in oven (now off) for 3-4 minutes until cheese melts
- Remove from oven, serve and enjoy!
*Smaller cut potaotes will ge crispier more easily than larger ones
Leftover Onions:
French Onion Grilled Cheese
If you have a some onions leftover that need using, carmelize them and add them to a toasted grilled cheese to add a bit of flavor to your sandwich
Ingredients:
- Leftover Onions (Yellow, Red, Whatever you have)
- Butter
- Cheese (White Cheddar, Grueyere mix from French Onion Mac recipe works best, but use whatever you have)
- Bread
Steps:
- Dice onions
- Saute in skillet with butter to carmelize
- While onions carmelize, toast bread in oven for about 4 minutes
- When onions are carmelized, layer bread with cheese and onions
- Toast in the oven for an additional 4-5 minutes, until cheese is melted.
- Serve and Enjoy!
*I am sure you can add extra turkey leftovers as well if you have them!
Leftover Heavy Whipping Cream, Milk, Broth &/ or Cheese:
One Pot Leftover Mac & Cheese
Time to dump whatever leftover broth, milk, cheese and pasta into a pot! Let’s clean out that fridge!
Ingredients
- Cheese (2-3 cups)
- Pasta (Elbows or other favorite shaped pasta) – about 2 cups
- Milk, cream, half-and-half, or whatever combination you have (about 2 cups)
- Broth (about 3 cups, can dilute with waterwater and/ or substitute with water and cream of mushroom/chicken soup as needed)
- Butter or Margarine (about 3 tbsp)
- Flour or parmesan topping (powdered)
- Seasoning to taste ( I typically use a combos of onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, seasoned salt)
- Optional: Leftover onions
Steps:
- Add butter or margarine into hot skillet or pot, combine with flour or parmesan topping to begin roux.
- Optional, add chopped onions if you have a bunch leftover to use up
- Pour in pasta
- Cover pasta with 2 cups of broth (or broth/water mix) and 1 cup of milk
- Bring to a boil
- Bring heat down to medium/ medium low
- Add in seasoning
- Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes, stiring occassionally
- While pasta simmers, shred cheese, as needed
- After 10 minutes, as liquid is absorbed by pasta, add in remainign milk and broth
- Cover and continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes, until pata is cooked to taste
- Add in cheese
- Optional: Top with cheese and leftover fried onions, bake in oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes
Leftover Veggies (Broccoli, Carrots, Etc..):
Ramen, Veggie Stir Fry
This year, one dish I failed to get together in time for the big day was, the roasted veggies. They were so simple that I left them for last and… they never quite made it. So, here is what I did with the crisper filled with veggies.
Ingredients:
- Leftover veggies (broccoli, carrots, asparagus, whatever you have)
- Ramen Packets (2-4 depending on how many you are serving)
- Meat or Meatless protein, if you have it available
- Soy Sauce
- Hot Sauce
- Sesame Oil
- Other seasoning to taste
Steps:
- Chop veggies
- Pre-steam veggies (on stove or in microwave)
- Toss in a bit of oil and fry up in skillet
- Optional: Add in protein
- Set veggies (and protein) aside once they are done frying
- Cook ramen on the stove
- Drain ramen
- Add drained ramen into the skillet
- Toss with stirfry mix
- Add soy sauce, sesame oil, hot sauce and other seasoning to taste
- Serve and enjoy!
$pent Millennial 
Leave a comment