Lotsa Love for Leftovers 8

Post weight loss surgery when you eat out in a restaurant it's a given there will be a lot of leftovers or waste. I hate wasting food. Sometimes I have no choice if I'm headed to a movie or I'm too far from home but if I'm heading home right after a meal you better be sure the leftovers are coming home. Those leftovers can be "repurposed" and transformed into a bunch of great meals. 

Repurposing: Transforming leftovers into something equally as yummy. The goal is for them to taste and look so completely different you don't realize you are having leftovers.

I pretty much know my capacity so I remove what I know will be coming home before I start eating. I ask for a box when I order, they look at you weird but I just say, "I'm not terribly hungry and I know I will need a box so can you just bring it with the food." 

I had an appointment that ran late and I didn't feel like cooking the other last night... actually the cooking is really never the issue it's the cleaning up that I hate. I stopped at a chain BBQ joint and got the Brisket Dinner (BBQ Brisket and 2 sides) I chose beans and corn on the cob as my side. I ate the corn and a few pieces of Brisket and I was full. I also had a few pieces of Burnt Ends (aka nuggets of BBQ gold) they were sampling a new appetizer and brought me over a few to try.

This is what came home...


I repurposed the meat leftovers above into this oh my gosh to die for Bean Casserole for dinner tonight. It was sooooo good. You would never know it was leftovers.



Shelly's BBQ Brisket Baked Bean Casserole

4 slices Bacon, cut in half
1 cup of Leftover Cooked BBQ Tri Tip or Brisket (even Pulled Chicken or Pork would be great)
1/2 a Maui Sweet Onion, diced fine
1 Granny Smith Apple, diced fine
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
2 (15 oz.) cans Cannellini Beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
a few twists of Black Pepper
Olive Oil for sauteing

Saute onions till golden. Add apple and saute till they start to give a bit. About 5 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients including the leftover BBQ meat (except bacon) mix to combine.Pour into Pyrex casserole dish. Place bacon slices across top. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.


I use the real deal BBQ sauce (they do make no/low sugar ones) I figure 1/2 cup spread out over an entire dish (a good 6 portions for non-ops) really just gives the beans the taste. I don't have issues with it but if you do there are some products out there. I use a combo of two BBQ sauces (a brown one and a redder one.)

More ideas for repurposing restaurant leftovers

Lotsa Love for Leftovers 1
Lotsa Love for Leftovers 2
Lotsa Love for Leftovers 3
Lotsa Love for Leftovers 4
Lotsa Love for Leftovers 5
Lotsa Love for Leftovers 6
Lotsa Love for Leftovers 7

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