Cooking with leftovers

Are you one of those people who open a fridge on the occasional off day and find nothing in it?

Don't want to go shopping for groceries or for a meal? What are you to do?

Fear not! We offer quick fix recipes using the odd can in the ladder and left over bits.

If you have:

Mushrooms, corn and leftover chicken:

Stir fry

- Rule of thumb, always keep one handy can of mushrooms and corn in your cupboard at all times. If there's some pasta, boil and lightly oil with olive oil and use the chicken with the mushrooms and corn in a light stir fry.

Add a little white sauce for more zing. Flavour generously with good old salt and pepper for a light meal that is quick and healthy. Alternatively, use a spare carrot and capsicum, thinly sliced, instead of pasta.

TIP: If the chicken is left over from a curry, debone it and wash lightly with water. Dice and use in stir fry that will have nice curry-like flavour.

Cheese, potatoes and canned beans

Baked mash with beans

- While beans on toast are the easiest way out to fill a tummy with little in the fridge, why not pamper yourself with a slightly more exotic twist on the recipe. Boil and mash the potatoes, adding butter, salt and pepper and season lightly with dried herbs (if available). Add lumpy cheese bits.

Place a lightly oiled round cookie cutter on an oiled baking tray and stuff with the potato mash. Bake in a medium to moderate oven (160 C) for 15 minutes, until top is lightly golden brown. Turn out on a plate and add the canned beans on the side.

TIP: Canned beans are heavy on salt so going easy on the salt for the potatoes is a good idea.

Sponge, cream, fruit, custard and tinned pineapples

Trifle

- The quick-fix dessert: Trifle to the rescue. Bear in mind this isn't the glorious BBC version, but tasty all the same. Beat cream till it doubles, add sugar and vanilla essence and beat till stiff peaks form and set aside. Line sponge slices in a two-to-three inch deep bowl. Brush each slice with jam (ideally strawberry or raspberry) and sprinkle with syrup from the tinned pineapple can.

Prepare custard according to package directions. Set aside. Layer jammed sponge slices with fruit (peaches, strawberries and blueberries). Add layer of cream. Repeat layers with remaining cake, syrup, fruit and custard. Top with remaining whipped cream.

TIP: Chill in refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.

Bread, dried herbs and leftover cold fish

Croquettes

- Flake fish with a fork and season with salt and a tiny pinch of mace, paprika or cayenne (if available). Prepare a cupful of white sauce in a saucepan, beat into it a raw egg, and stir in the picked salmon and a handful of very dry crumbs. When heated all through, spread upon a flat dish to cool. It should be cold and stiff enough to handle before moulding for croquettes.

Flour hands and mould a big spoonful of the paste into a roll two-and-a-half inches long and an inch in diameter. Roll on a floured dish for smoothness, dip into beaten egg and roll in fine cracker-crumbs. Allow to cool for a while and deep fry to serve.

TIP: Heat the oil before frying to avoid leathery and tough croquettes.