Good to the Last Crumb

Using what you have in your refrigerator or cupboard to give yesterday’s leftovers new flex can be as interesting as solving a puzzle. Adding sauces is a good solution; another remedy that is mostly overlooked is flavored bread crumbs.

This holiday season reminded me of how wonderful leftover stuffing can be. In a hurried attempt to make supper one evening, I boiled some spaghetti and, while it cooked, I heated some sage stuffing in a skillet drizzled with a little olive oil. As soon as the spaghetti was cooked and drained, I tossed the crumbs into it and added a little olive oil. It was quite a splendid meal.

Making a few batches of stuffing, putting them in plastic bags and freezing them would be a good investment for reinventing leftovers.

The recipe for Celery Stuffing is a dull read but tastes quite wonderful. I use it when I bake pork chops. It’s a nice change from potatoes and makes weekday meals seem more festive.

The variations for stuffing are endless--fresh grated lemon rind in bread crumbs is dandy added to rice or orzo (the small pasta that looks like rice). Sage bread crumbs are meant for Great Northern beans, but the list of possibilities is endless.

Remember that you can freeze bread crumbs, and they quickly thaw when you need them. Heat and crisp them in a little oil or butter in a skillet for a minute or two.

The best way to make dried crumbs is to put torn-up pieces of bread slices into a blender and blend until they are reduced to crumbs. Spread the crumbs on a baking sheet and dry them out in a 250-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Watch so they don’t burn; they should be tan or light brown.

Celery Stuffing

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 10 minutes * Vegetarian-Adaptable

This stuffing freezes well.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 cup finely chopped celery (use some leaves too)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

4 cups dry bread crumbs

1/3 cup chicken broth or water

Salt, pepper

Melt butter in skillet. Stir in celery and onion and cook over low heat 3 or 4 minutes, stirring often. Put celery and onion in bowl and add parsley, bread crumbs and broth. Toss to mix lightly with fork. Add salt and pepper to taste.

About 5 cups. Each 1/4-cup serving: 102 calories; 204 mg sodium; 7 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.14 gram fiber.