Do You Have Dinner Planned?
I know it’s early but do you have dinner planned? As for me I hardly ever “plan” what I’m going to prepare, instead I open the freezer or pantry and just scan to see what I have lurking in the leftover containers. LOL When I prepare something like pulled pork, meatballs or meatloaf, turkey or chicken or even a casserole I like to make enough to put up individual servings and freeze them. That way I can wait until the last minute and just reheat whatever I pull out.
Last week my neighbor brought over a container of fresh pineapple chunks and I came up with an idea. I cut the larger chunks bite size and made a glaze with slightly melted butter, brown sugar, a sprinkle of cinnamon and some vanilla flavoring to pour over the pineapple.
I put it in my toaster oven on broil and watched the glaze thicken and work it’s way into the pineapple. It was very hot so I had to contain myself for a few minutes until it cooled but oh my was it delicious! I made up a few smaller containers for my neighbors and they too thought it was delicious.
Then I had another idea, this glaze would be delicious when I make my whipped sweet potatoes! But I didn’t have any on hand so I ran to the store and grabbed a few. (See when I get an idea, I need to follow through even if it means making a quick trip to the store)
I microwaved a sweet potato then sliced it in half and scooped out the potato from the skin. I put it in a mixing bowl and mashed it up with a fork then added my secret ingredients – sweet and creamy coffee creamer, brown sugar, butter and shredded cheese.
This flavored coffee creamer is my new go-to ingredient in so may of my recipes, especially when I make my fake Starbucks creme’ chai Frappuccino and they come in so many delicious flavors. I added these pictures so you have an idea of what to make for your afternoon refresher drink!
Back to my sweet potato… After all the ingredients were in the bowl with the potato I drizzled them with a bit of the brown sugar glaze and whipped everything up with my mixer until smooth then put it back in the potato skin. Next I topped the whipped potato with some of the pineapple chunks, more glaze and put back in the oven until the topping was all bubbly and smelling yummy.
So this is where my next idea came from, I grabbed a container of left over pulled pork from the freezer, mixed it with bbq sauce and yes more of the brown sugar glaze! While the potato was in the oven I heated up the pork and this turned into a delicious dinner.
Some people don’t do leftovers but for me I can’t live without them. I can turn a small amount of a leftover into so many other meal ideas. Are you ready for dinner now?
Ooh! These look enticing! Leftovers come in very handy especially when you want to cut down time. Looks like I’ll be prepping for dinner shortly 😀
I love sweet potatoes Desi-Ann and these were delicious!
I always plan my dinner in good time due to work related issues. Sometimes I find myself overwhelmed with work so I like planning ahead.
When we had our business I was like that Agnes. I usually pre planned ideas on Sunday for the week, it was great on late nights. But now it’s like I can take it or leave it when it comes to meals but I know I have to start eating better. When I make a crock pot meal or something large, it’s easy to make portion control packages for the freezer. I usually add something different to them so it’s like I’m having a totally different meal.
How creative! This sounds yummy!
Thanks Angie, sweet potatoes are my favorite and I love coming up with different ways to prepare them.
Martha, that sounds Yummy!!
(Though I lean toward savory for sweet potatoes and winter squash!)
Yes, I’m a ‘plan-over’ gal!
And thank you! Your post reminded me that my there was the end of a crock-pot roast n veggies in my daughter’s fridge, which she offered for lunch yesterday, saying she wasn’t likely to use more of it….
So i popped over and got some for today’s lunch – and sautéed shallot, baby potatoes, fresh Tomatillos and greens, before adding some of the roast. I’ll save the rest for my dinner/ freezer!
And then a salad with tomatoes, basil, and garden greens
I often ‘plan’ around weekdays in season in my garden and locally – with a style similar to yours!
And I have a stainless steel ‘tiffen’ I take along when I eat out – half my meal goes in there first, then serves as the base for dinner or the next day.
So –
Tonight’s Dinner will likely be more stew with lentils i cooked a couple of days ago and some natto (benevolent beans!
Nadya your lunch sounds amazing! I love when garden fresh vegetables are in season, I especially like the squash and eggplant so I can fry them up and freeze for meals when the garden season is over. Great idea to take your tiffen when you eat out!
Love this idea! I have a blog topic request – I would love more recipes with coffee creamer. I have fallen in love with the frosted sugar cookies one! Have you tried that? But I like the Sweet and Creamy one, too.
I can do that Jeanine! Haven’t tried the frosted sugar cookie flower but I do LOVE the raspberry! I’ll put my thinking cap on!