My mom taught me how to save quite a lot by adding leftovers to a zip lock freezer bag until it was full and then later thawing it out in the soup pot. The fluid from cans of vegetables goes into it too,as well as leftover gravy and meats cut into small pieces. Pork goes well with the beef.
I have shared this way of soup making with several people and have given the frozen bags away. Everyone loves it. If you like noodles or pasta, add it too! It's a fun way to use leftovers or clean out the ice box before food goes bad.
I like adding a little BBQ sauce for a zesty flavor. For people who don't have a lot of time to make a nice soup, this is wonderful! I have a bag of it in my freezer now that I started with leftover bite sized red and yellow Bell peppers I cut for my son but didn't get eaten.
I was at a diner not too long ago and their gravy was awesome so when I was asked if I wanted more, I said I would take it in a TO GO box! I explained my plan for it in my soup. When I got home I emptied the little dish of gravy into the freezer bag. I got my BIG HA HA about being so frugal with my diner take-out of gravy enhanced soup.
My sister had a rather tall tupperware container wherein she poured the liquid from boiling potatoes to mash. This was frozen along with leftovers. Lots of nutrition there. That woman could make some soup! mmm mmm I have started adding half cup of instant mashed potatoes to the soup after it is almost done.
Place your zip lock baggie into a loaf pan after filling it with left over soup. Freeze it this way, and the next day pop the baggie out of the pan. Now you have a nice "brick" of soup that will be easier to store in your freezer.
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Tip: Keep a Soup Bucket in Your Freezer
Archived on 10/08/2009
I take all the leftovers (steak, chicken, ham, meat loaf, broth, etc.) that there aren't enough of for another dinner and put them in the bucket (I use an old ice cream bucket but you could use tupperware). When it looks like there's enough (4-6 cups) I put them in my crockpot with a jar of spaghetti sauce (the cheap 99 cent kind) and whatever herbs and seasoning I feel like. For example, a couple of bay leafs and maybe some onion soup mix. Before I had a crockpot, I just simmered this in a pot for an hour and 1/2. This usually makes 2 to 3 meals for my family of 6. Happy eating!
By Paula
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RE: Keep a Soup Bucket in Your Freezer
Your recipe sounds delicious! I used to do a version of this. I'd keep 4 tupperware containers in the freezer door: 1. Leftover bits of chicken 2. Leftover beef bits 3. Leftover pork bits 4. Leftover veggies, a teaspoonful here or there adds up over time. These containers are wonderful for stir fries, for soups, for omelets, for (combining the beef and pork, yum!) barbecue which is delicious on buns.
This wasn't my original idea; I found it in a wonderful budget cookbook I don't have anymore but I'd give the world to find again. Those teaspoonfuls you'd otherwise throw away will add up to many "found" and delicious meals over time.
(09/23/2004)
