Re-purposed Roast Beef

In case you haven't heard, times are tough! Everything costs more and but most of us aren't getting paid more. Some of us are getting paid less and many are no longer being paid! I don't know about you but around here it is becoming even more important to reduce, reuse, recycle.

I recently heard someone say 're-purpose' and I thought that sounded better than leftovers. It still catches the kids off guard so they don't moan at the thought of leftovers. Leftover seems to conjure up feelings of dread at being served last weeks over cooked meatloaf and soggy veggies even though we loves meatloaf and I don't make soggy veggies! So after having a pressure cooked pot roast that came out delicious Tuesday I needed a way to use the remaining beef for Wednesday's dinner. I have a family of 6 and only about 2 cups of chopped roast beef. I needed away to turn that into a filling meal for all of us. So I Googled leftover roast beef.

Leftover Roast Beef Casserole Recipe

When you make your roast, save about 1/2 cup of Au Jus for this casserole.

by Chef Carole in South Florida

40 min | 10 min prep

SERVES 4

• 2 cups leftover roast beef, cubed
• 1/2 cup au jus sauce
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of broccoli soup
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1. In a sprayed or buttered casserole dish mix the roast beef, au jus, soup, cooked rice, 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and milk.
2. melt the butter. Add the bread crumbs to the butter and mix together.
3. Spoon the topping over the roast beef mixture and add 1/2 cup of cheese over the topping.
4. Bake in 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.

As anyone that knows me knows, I don't follow recipes. I use them as a suggestion, inspiration if you will. So I am including my adjustments to this recipe. Normally I don't use canned soups because they are full of all kinds of scary things I can't pronounce. We try to abide by the 5 ingredients or less on the label rules but desperate times all for desperate measures! I keep a few cans on the shelf for desperate times. Our desperate time was trying to get everyone fed and to church on time!

I used a can of cheddar cheese soup and 2c of frozen chopped broccoli. I didn't have seasoned bread crumbs so I used panko and added some Tony Chachere's seasoning to the butter when I browned the panko. I used two cups of cooked rice to stretch the meal. We had plenty and it turned out very good. Even Bubba, my picky little dude had two servings.

I will add this one to the recipe binder and next time try to make my own cream of broccoli soup with 5 ingredients or less!