MNN - Mother Nature Network

Hash – I recently started making this dish, and I’ve found it’s a great way to use up small amounts of leftover meat (but can certainly be meatless). It’s never the same dish twice, but it’s always savory and well-received. Learn the basics of hash, and you can throw it together for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Flat Bread Pizzas – I’m not sure if pizza is really the right word for this, but it’s the best I can come up with. I buy fresh Naan at the store and create pizzas with odds and ends from the refrigerator for lunch. You can put almost anything on top (like the rice and curry in the photo above). Last week our pizzas consisted of a light drizzle of garlic-infused olive oil, baby spinach leaves, slices from half a leftover red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and melted cheese. Pop in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes and lunch is served.

Slow Cooker Applesauce – Couldn’t be easier or yummier. I buy apples for about 50 cents a pound on the deep discount rack at the grocery store and make this delicious sauce that needs nothing added. My kids call it awesomesauce.

Salsa – I make this weekly (sometimes more) in the summer, and it gets devoured quickly.

Hummus – If you have a food processor, homemade hummus is easy to make and less expensive than store bought. Once you get the hand of basic hummus, you can start to customize it by adding roasted garlic, roasted red peppers (my personal favorite), eggplant or just about anything.