Hello from the kitchen!

Unless you live in a cave, I’m sure you’ve seen the price of groceries in the stores. It tends to make us use up as much as possible and not throw out leftovers. I love making new dishes from what’s in the crisper drawer. My most recent creation was “crisper drawer soup” made from leftover items.

In a soup pot, throw in leftover chicken, chicken stock, part of a jar of salsa, a handful of chopped peppers and onion, corn, leftover Mac and cheese, herbs and a couple tablespoons of taco seasoning. Put a lid on the pot and simmer for a couple hours. Best served with grilled cheese sandwiches with provolone, sundried tomatoes and fresh pesto. Give it a try. Easy to make and no waste.

For those of you who buy rotisserie chickens, save the carcass and put it in a pot. Cover with water and simmer for an hour. Strain out the liquid and you have some of the most flavorful chicken stock for your next meal.

Another “thrown together” dish is leftover zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, onions, pasta, sausage, chicken stock, herbs and beans (used great northern). Simmer for an hour or two or until the aroma makes you hungry. We all have an imagination and this is a good time to use it.

Happy cooking and eat well my friends.

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Bev Kauffman, of Lewistown, operated a catering business in Juniata County for nearly 20 years. She has authored the cookbook, “Preserving the Past: In the Kitchen with Bev Kauffman” in 2013 and is currently working on a second cookbook.