One of the best things about grilling, (other than not having dirty pots to clean up) is that tonight’s grilled dinner can also be a new meal for tomorrow. Grilled steak, veggies or chicken can be mixed into pasta, risotto or a frittata, providing most (if not all) of the flavor, plus a subtle smokiness.

Think about it. You can fire up the grill once and cook enough for two or even three meals―tonight’s dinner, plus extra that can be turned into a second, different meal for lunch or dinner.

Extra grilled chicken breasts can make a chicken salad later in the week; a second pork tenderloin may turn into sandwiches for lunch or leftover grilled vegetables can serve as a side dish for another meal.

To store food for the next meal, place it on a clean platter and let it cool. Then, cover and refrigerate for up to four days. Doubling up on cooking takes very little extra effort and you’ll be rewarded with a head start on another wholesome and healthful meal.

Some Other Advantages

1. Saves time when planning meals.

2. Larger quantities of food may cost less than individual or small quantities.

3. Foods may taste better as a new dish than they do as leftovers.

4. It provides greater variety in the foods that you eat, which means less boredom with food and better nutrition.

It’s not about having the same meal twice, but rather making one meal into another that tastes and looks different.

Sausage Mixed Grill

Servings: 4

Prick fresh sausages all over before grilling to release the excess fat.

Ingredients:

  • 12 Applegate Farms turkey breakfast sausages
  • 4 Chicken Sausages (al Fresco fresh)
  • 4 hot or sweet Italian pork sausages (my favorite comes from Fortuna)
  • 16 multicolored mini bell peppers
  • 2 heads of radicchio, cut into 6 wedges each
  • Olive oil, for brushing
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Light a grill and oil the grates. Poke the sausages all over with a knife. Thread each type of sausage onto a pair of skewers (to facilitate turning). Thread the peppers and radicchio onto separate paired skewers as well. Brush the sausages and vegetables with olive oil. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper.

Grill the sausages over moderate heat, turning, until cooked through, 10 minutes for the breakfast sausages and chicken sausages and 25 minutes for the Italian sausages. Grill the peppers, turning, until lightly charred, 10 minutes. Grill the radicchio until crisp, 2 minutes per side. Reserve half of the sausages and vegetables for Pasta with Grilled Sausages and Vegetables.

Pasta with Grilled Sausages and Vegetables

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound gemelli pasta or any short pasta
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 large garlic cloves, very finely chopped
  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Leftover sausages and vegetables, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 pound smoked mozzarella, cut into thin strips
  • 1 cup chopped basil

Directions:

In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the garlic and shallot for 2 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste and leftover sausages and vegetables and heat. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

Add the cooked pasta and the reserved pasta water to the skillet with the sausages. Toss. Add the cheese, toss well and sprinkle with the basil.


Herb-Rubbed T-Bone Steaks

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoons ground fennel
  • 1 teaspoon hot paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 T-bone steaks, cut 1 inch thick (3 1/4 -3 1/2 pounds) at room temperature

Directions:

Light a grill and oil the grates.

In a small bowl, mix the basil, oregano, fennel, paprika and garlic powder with 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Season the steaks with the spice rub.

Grill over moderate heat for 8 minutes per side for medium-rare; transfer to a work surface and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Slice one steak for dinner and reserve the second steak for Steak Salad with Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing.

Steak Salad with Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 1 small garlic clove, smashed
  • 1/2 small shallot, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup light sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 4 ounces crumbled Roquefort or Maytag blue cheese
  • 2 romaine lettuce hearts, quartered
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 small red onion, cut into thin rings
  • 2 hard-cooked eggs, halved
  • Leftover T-Bone Steak, sliced

Directions:

In a food processor bowl place the garlic, shallot, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Process until the garlic and shallot are finely chopped.

Add the mayonnaise, sour cream and milk and process until smooth. Add the blue cheese and pulse once or twice to combine.

Transfer the dressing to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and hard-cooked eggs on a serving plate and drizzle with some of the dressing.

Arrange the steak slices on the top of the salad and drizzle with more dressing.

 

Grilled Vegetables

Use vegetables of choice, but here are some suggestions: eggplant, zucchini, asparagus and yellow squash, all work in place of the vegetables listed.

Serve half the grilled vegetables over rice, orzo or polenta and add a tomato salad for a vegetarian dinner.

8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 8 (4-inch) portobello mushroom caps (about 1 pound)
  • 4 medium red bell peppers, quartered
  • 2 medium Vidalia or other sweet onions, each cut into 4 slices (about 1 1/4 pounds)
  • 12 asparagus
  • Olive oil for brushing
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Oil grates.

Arrange mushrooms gill side up, bell pepper quarters, asparagus and onion slices on a baking sheet. Brush vegetables with oil. Sprinkle evenly with salt and black pepper.

Drizzle vinegar over mushrooms. Place vegetables on the grill and cook 5 minutes on each side or until tender. Reserve half the vegetables for the Pita Sandwiches.

Vegetable Pitas with Goat Cheese and Pesto Mayo

4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon commercial or homemade pesto
  • 2 whole wheat pitas, cut in half
  • 4 leaf lettuce leaves
  • 4 servings Grilled Vegetables
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese or cheese of choice

Combine mayonnaise and pesto.

Spread 1 tablespoon pesto mayonnaise mixture into each pita half. Stuff each pita half with 1 lettuce leaf, grilled vegetables and 2 tablespoons cheese. Serve immediately.

Serve with coleslaw.

 

Grilled Rosemary Chicken

Serve 4 chicken thighs with sauteed spinach over polenta. Reserve leftovers for the next day’s pizza.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Lemon juice

Directions:

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a heavy duty ziploc bag and mix well. Add chicken to the bag, seal, then shake contents around to make sure everything is coated. Chill for 3 to 24 hours.

Preheat grill to medium high-350-400 degrees F.  Oil grates.

Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade.

Grill chicken with grill lid covered for 4-6 minutes per side, depending on size. Transfer chicken to a platter, brush tops with lemon juice and cover with aluminum foil.

Let stand for 10 minutes. (Don’t be tempted to skip this step. This is what locks in all the great flavor). Set aside 2 chicken thighs for the pizza.

Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb pizza dough, at room temperature
  • Cornmeal
  • Olive Oil
  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • 2 leftover grilled rosemary chicken thighs, sliced thin
  • 1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded,
  • Fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Oil a pizza pan and sprinkle with a little cornmeal.

Spread the pizza dough in the pan.

Spread dough with marinara sauce, leaving a 1 inch border.

Distribute the mozzarella cheese evenly on top of the sauce.

Place sliced chicken over the cheese.

Layer onions over chicken and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with basil.

 

Grilled Halibut with Blueberry-Pepper Sauce

Serve with green beans.

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ lbs fresh halibut or any white fish fillets, about 1 inch thick
  • 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup plain Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
  • 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Olive oil for brushing on fish
  • Lemon or orange wedges (optional)
  • Fresh sage leaves (optional)

Directions:

For blueberry-pepper sauce:

In a medium bowl, use a potato masher or fork to mash 3/4 cups of the blueberries. Stir in the remaining whole 3/4 cups blueberries, the 1 teaspoon sage and the 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs, the 1/4 cup sage, the 1 teaspoon orange peel and the 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add orange juice and the 1 tablespoon olive oil, stirring until lightly moistened; set aside.

Pat fish dry with paper towels. Divide fish into 8 pieces. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat grill and grease grill grates. For a charcoal grill, place fish, skin sides up on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 5 minutes.

Turn fish; top 4 fish fillets evenly with panko mixture, gently pressing onto fish. Leave 4 fillets without topping.

Grill for 7 to 10 minutes more or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Set aside the 4 untopped fish fillets and refrigerate for chowder.

(For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish on greased grill rack directly over heat. Cover and grill as above.)

To serve, place the 4 crumb topped fillets on a serving platter. Serve with blueberry-pepper sauce. If desired, garnish with lemon wedges and sage leaves.

Summer Fish Chowder

Ingredients:

  • Leftover grilled white fish fillets from Grilled Halibut with Blueberry Pepper Sauce recipe, cut into small pieces
  • 1 ½ cups clam broth or fish stock
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, finely diced
  • 1 small green bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 pound peeled, diced Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels
  • 2 tablespoons instant flour (Wondra)
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • Chopped chives for garnish

Directions:

Heat oil in a soup pot and add the onion, bell pepper and celery and cook gently. Add the garlic, potato, corn and coat in the fat.

Sprinkle in the flour and black pepper to taste. Stir well. 

Gradually add the clam broth or fish stock, stirring all the time until flour is dissolved. Cook at a simmer for about 25 minutes. Add the milk and butter slowly, stirring constantly, to the soup when the potatoes are soft.

Add the fish and heat on low for 4- 5 minutes; only until the fish is hot. Taste before adding any salt because clam broth can be salty.

Serve with corn muffins.

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