Meal Multipliers

With just a little forethought, one recipe can equal many meals. Get the most out of these common leftovers.

From the editors of Cooking Light, these tips for using leftover ingredients will have you serving dinner in no time.

• Save leftover bread and make fresh breadcrumbs, bread pudding, croutons for salads or casseroles.

• When you cook too much pasta, save the leftovers for soups, casseroles, and pasta salads. Or mix with tuna for a salad.

• Use leftover chili to make tacos, Mexican salads, nachos, or as a baked-potato topping. Or add to cooked macaroni, top with cheese, and bake for a chili mac.

• Use leftover chicken for potpies, chicken salad, soups, stir-fry dishes, pasta salads, tacos, or chicken and rice.

• Save extra cooked rice for fried rice, rice salad, soups, and casseroles.

• Use extra boiled potatoes for potato salad, hash browns, and potato pancakes.

• Use extra marinara sauce for lasagna, spaghetti, a dip for cheese or breadsticks, atop grilled fish or broiled eggplant slices.