(NAPS)—Leftovers. Smart cooks hold leftover foods in high regard, viewing them as an opportunity to save time and produce an enticing encore to their original dish. This winter, you can make the most of cold-weather comfort food by combining al- ready-cooked items with pantry staples to create easy, flavor- packed meals. For instance, a little bit of mashed potatoes can be trans- formed into easy Potato Cheese Puffs by combining them with cheese, flour, eggs and seasonings. Serve them as an appetizeror side dish. Another tip: Rememberto sa- vor your leftovers safely by refrig- erating them within two hours. The Partnership for Food Safety 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard % teaspoongarlic salt amounts of leftovers into small, shallow containers for quick cool- % teaspoon pepper 1 cup flour Education suggests dividing large ing in therefrigerator. You can save time by storing leftovers in containers that can be refrigerated, frozen or microwaved. Tight-sealing GLADWARE containers comein severalsizes to hold a variety of items—from large portions of meat and potatoes to smaller containers for gravy and snacks. If you're preparing tomorrow’s lunch using tonight’s leftovers, try the divided dish for meal-size offerings of two separate dishes. These containers are so inexpensive you won’t even mindif they’re left at the office or school. There’s another new product on the market that’s great for messy marinades and for transferring stews, soups and sauces to the fridge or freezer. GLAD Stand and Zip Bags have wide openings and pleated bottoms for easyfilling, freezing and microwaving. Love your leftovers—by keep- ing them fresh,flavorful and safe. Potato Cheese Puffs Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes 1 cup water % cup butter (no substitutions) teaspoon dried marjoram 4 eggs % cup leftover mashed potatoes *% cup shredded Gruyere cheese *%4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 2 tablespoonsfresh chives Preheat oven to 400F. Heat water, butter, mustard, salt, marjoram and pepper ina medium heavy saucepan until butter is melted and wateris simmering. Beat in flour, mix- ing vigorously until mixture forms a ball and no longer sticks to the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in potatoes, cheeses (reserving 4 cup for top) and chives. Drop teaspoonfuls onto a well- greased baking sheet and sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Turn off oven and crack oven door. Let stand for 15 minutes before removing from oven. Makesabout36 puffs. StorageTipsfrom the Partnership For Food Safety Education and GLAD: Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods, andleftovers within two hours. Divide large amounts of leftoversinto small, shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator. Thawfoodin the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave. Never defrost at room temperature. Washall utensils and food prep surfaces using hot, soapy water. A sanitizing solution or bleach-based kitchen cleaner mayhelp eliminate harmful germs. Avoid cross-contamination by separating raw meat, poultry and seafoodfrom other foodsin the shoppingcart andfridge. Use a differentcutting board for raw meat products. Cook roasts and steaks to at least 145F; whole poultry should be cooked to 180F. Heat otherleftoversto at least 165F. For moreinformation on food safety, visit www.fightbac.org.
