Fridge Stew

After you have hosted a dinner party or entertained house guests for a few days, you more than likely have lots of odds and ends left over in the refrigerator. A few extra raw veggies here; a side dish of this or that there. With grocery prices at a premium these days, its not a good idea to let anything go to waste. But what can you do with just a handful of an array of ingredients? Fridge Stew!

When a restaurant has fresh produce that will go bad in a day or so or gets a really good deal on a mass quantity of a particular item, you can bet it is headed into a stockpot with some broth for the "soup of the day." Using the same idea, you can clean out your refrigerator, save money and create a delicious homemade meal.

Add any root vegetables like garlic, celery and onion to an enameled cast iron pot or stockpot with a little olive oil or butter. Saute until translucent. Next, in goes some fresh chopped or canned diced tomatoes along with any fresh vegetables left in the fridge. Leftover chicken, steak, pork or ham can be diced and added to the pot now as well. Add a can of vegetable, chicken or beef both along with any fresh herbs tied up in kitchen string or a couple of tablespoons of your favorite dried herbs. Bring to a simmer and add any previously cooked vegetables to the stew. Let the flavors combine on low for an hour or more and enjoy your creation!