The Practical Pantry

Pork and Vegetables

Pork Noodle Casserole

Some leftovers are easy to use. Chicken makes great sandwiches, salads, and casseroles. Beef is terrific in hash, shepherd’s pie, and stir fries. Pork might seem trickier, but it is just as versatile as chicken and beef and delicious in many of the same types of dishes. You might find enough uses for leftover pork that you’ll end up cooking more pork on purpose, turning leftovers into “planned-overs”.

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Serve this with extra soy sauce as a condiment if desired.

Pork and Vegetables

1 teaspoon olive oil or vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

2 celery ribs, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

1 to 1-1/2 cups cubed cooked pork (1/2-inch cubes)

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

Hot cooked rice

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add onion, green pepper, celery, and carrots; cook until crisp-tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add pork, broth, soy sauce, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Bring mixture back to a boil; stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir until the mixture thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice. Makes 2 to 3 servings.

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Pork Noodle Casserole

3 cups cubed cooked pork

1 cup chicken broth

1 14.75-ounce can cream-style corn

1 4-ounce can whole mushrooms, drained

2/3 cup chopped green pepper

2/3 cup chopped onion

4 ounces American or Cheddar cheese, diced

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 ounces uncooked medium noodles, such as egg noodles

Preheat oven to 325 degrees; lightly grease a 2.5-quart baking dish. In a large bowl, combine pork, broth, corn, mushrooms, green pepper, onion, and cheese. Fold in noodles; spoon into prepared dish. Cover tightly and bake until noodles are tender, about 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

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Pantry Pointers

Refrigerate leftover pork within 1 to 2 hours of serving it. Well wrapped, leftover pork will keep in the refrigerator 4 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Leftover pork also works well in stir fries, stew, and sandwiches. For extra flavor, shred leftover pork and heat it in barbecue sauce for quick pulled-pork sandwiches. Another option is to chop leftover pork and simmer it in your favorite tomato-based pasta sauce.

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