By Jane Bauer

I once met someone who told me their least favorite food was leftovers. When you hear the word leftovers, you might picture day-old pizza or a casserole that has overstayed its welcome. But leftovers can be the start of something delicious—far beyond simply heating them up for another round of the same old, same old.
Here are a few dishes that are enhanced by leftovers:

Leftover: Stale Bread
Solution: French Toast
In French, it’s called Pain Perdu—“Lost Bread.” I’ve always found the name poetic. It conjures an image of a piece of stale bread sitting on the counter of a Parisian apartment. This isn’t bread for the birds or the trash, it’s magic waiting to happen.

Crack an egg into a bowl, pour in a little milk, and add a dash of cinnamon or vanilla. Beat with a fork until blended. Slice your bread, then heat a frying pan and add just enough fat—butter or oil—to keep things from sticking.

Dredge the bread in the milk mixture until the outer layer absorbs some of the liquid—don’t let it get soggy. Fry until the slices turn a beautiful golden brown. Plate and drizzle with syrup.

Super hack: Have a jar of jam that’s been sitting in your fridge forever? Add the jam to a small saucepan with a bit of water. Simmer slowly, stirring until you have a warm jam sauce. Add more water as needed to reach your desired texture.

Leftover: Corn tortillas
Solution: Chilaquiles (a.k.a. Nachos for Breakfast)

One of the best Mexican breakfasts is, in essence, a celebration of leftovers. Tortillas are typically sold by the kilo—a lot for just a couple of people. You can wrap them in a dishtowel and place them in a plastic bag to stretch their life another day, but really, tortillas are best eaten fresh.

So what to do with the extras? Make totopos—corn chips. Cut the tortillas into quarters. Heat about an inch of vegetable oil in a saucepan. When it’s hot, drop in a few pieces and fry until firm, but not brown. They’ll continue cooking after you remove them, so if they’re already brown in the pan, they’ll end up overdone. Place on paper towels to drain.

Now you’re ready for chilaquiles. Heat about half a cup of your house salsa (because of course, you always have one). When it’s hot, toss in a handful or two of totopos, stirring gently until they’re coated in the sauce. Plate immediately—don’t let them linger or they’ll get soggy. Top with cheese, sliced onions, avocado, and a dollop of cream.

Salsa Roja
8 Roma Tomatoes
1 jalapeño
3 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon of salt
Roast or boil ingredients. Blend. Season to taste. For extra heat add a couple of chile de arbol (small dried chiles).

Leftover: Boiled or roasted potatoes
Solution: Bauernfrühstück (Farmer’s Breakfast)

My last name is Bauer and as a girl my father would often make this dish on Sunday mornings. This German dish is all about turning yesterday’s potatoes into today’s comfort food. —it’s a rustic skillet of fried potatoes, eggs, and whatever else is on hand.

Slice up your leftover boiled or roasted potatoes. Heat a generous spoonful of butter or oil in a frying pan, and toss in the potatoes until they start to crisp and brown at the edges. Add chopped onions, peppers, or bits of ham if you have them.When everything smells irresistible, pour in a few beaten eggs and let them set slightly before stirring. You want a balance between soft and crisp, not scrambled.

Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper, maybe a sprinkle of fresh herbs if you have some around.

Each of these dishes celebrates the beauty of using what’s left—transforming the forgotten and the stale into something comforting and new. A reminder that good food doesn’t begin with perfection. It begins with creativity, care, and respect for what we already have. In the kitchen, as in life, nothing needs to go to waste.

Jane Bauer is the owner/operator of Café Juanita and the Chiles & Chocolate Cooking School.