3 tasty winter recipes to use up leftovers

Over the winter we’ve been highlighting some ways to enjoy this underappreciated season, trying to embrace the cold weather and slower pace of January and February. We’ve looked at fighting the January blues, and hitting the trails with North West winter walks, land this week we’re cooking up some deliciously warming recipes. And the best part is all these recipes use common leftovers, so you can whip up a warming winter meal using ingredients you’ve already got in your fridge! 

This week we’re cooking up roast chicken soup, root veg fritters, and traditional bubble and squeak.  

Cosy chicken soup  

Chicken soup is easy to cook and always comforting on a cold winter day. This super simple recipe is a brilliant way to use up leftover roast chicken, whether that’s light or dark meat. 

For 4 servings: 

• Leftover roast chicken  
• 2 carrots, peeled  
• 2 celery stalks 
• Large brown onion 
• Chicken stock cube 
• Thin or medium egg noodles 
• Salt, pepper and mixed herbs. 

Method: 

1. Thinly slice your carrots, celery and onion. 
2. Make up your chicken stock according to packet instructions. 
3. In a large soup pot, simmer your veggies, noodles and chicken in the stock, adding more water if needed.  
4. Stir the soup regularly until the noodles are soft and the vegetables are cooked through.  
5. Add black pepper and mixed herbs to taste. 
6. Serve with crusty bread and enjoy! 

  

Root veggie fritters

Parsnips, swedes, carrots and squash – all tasty winter veg perfect for any hearty winter dish.  

All you need to do to make them into tasty veg fritters is grate your vegetables, stir them together in a large mixing bowl with a pinch of flour, and form the mixture into fritters. Then just shallow fry them in vegetable oil until golden brown and crispy! 

Feel free to experiment with seasonings like Italian herbs or curry powder to add some flavour. 

 

Traditional bubble and squeak 

Bubble and squeak is a classic British recipe invented to use up the leftover veg from a Sunday roast, and to make pork stretch further during tough times. If you’ve never made it before, you’ll soon fall in love with it as a quick midweek meal. 

As well as the veg, you’ll need a couple of floury potatoes to help make up the foundation of this recipe. Or if you have any leftover mash, that makes the recipe even quicker. You can use pretty much any vegetables you’ve got going spare, but we love it with some leeks and carrots for a great mix of flavours and colour.  

We’ve used bacon in the recipe, but a bit of gammon or some chopped up sausages also work well. 

Ingredients for 2 servings: 

• Floury potatoes (eg. Maris Pipers), peeled and roughly chopped 
• Leek 
• Large carrot, peeled 
• 2 rashers smoked bacon, chopped 

Method: 

1. Parboil your potatoes in lightly salted water until fork tender.  
2. While the potatoes are boiling, add some butter or margarine into a deep frying pan and fry your bacon until almost crispy. 
3. Add in your sliced leek and carrot and stir frequently. 
4. Drain off the boiled potatoes, add to a large mixing bowl, and mash with a fork or potato masher. 
5. Add the mashed potato to the fried vegetable and bacon mix, combine it together thoroughly. 
6. Let it cook together without stirring for a minute, just so the bottom of the mix can get crispy.  
7. Use a large spatula to flip over the bubble and squeak (it should be crispy and golden on the bottom) and let it cook for another minute.  
8. Slice it up and serve with a fresh salad. 

Need some extra ingredients before you get cooking? As a Creamline customer you can shop from a range of independent artisan suppliers through our Best of Local shop, or pick up store cupboard staples from Daily Essentials. We deliver all across the North West, from Greater Manchester to Cheshire and Wirral.  

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