I love cooking big on the weekends and have a routine that allows me to wallow in all things domestic: perusing my food magazines, websites, and cookbooks for a new recipe; shopping for the ingredients; and then, enjoying being in my kitchen while I’m putting it all together.  Occasionally it’s for a Saturday night get together with friends, but most often it’s for Sunday dinner with family.

It’s only been fairly recently that I’ve realized I am getting far more from those lovely dinners than delicious food — and it’s been quite by accident.  With a bit more thought, I know I can get even more.

Here’s an example.  Last Sunday, we enjoyed a  seriously succulent Roast Lemon Chicken with Garlic and Olives.  My husband, teenage son, and I loved the tangy olives and creamy sauce quite a bit, but there was lots of chicken left over, so Monday night we had Chicken Club Sandwiches:

Crusty bread layered with chicken, bacon, Munster cheese, tomatoes, basil and red onions, and slathered with mashed avocado and mustard.

Tuesday’s meal was Pasta with Chicken and Olive Sauce.

Cook your favorite kind of pasta, then shred the roasted chicken into bite-sized pieces and mix with the left over sauce from the Roasted Chicken (recipe linked above).  Heat until warm, and pour over pasta.

Both meals were excellent in taste, but more importantly, helped keep the evening relaxing, which is important at the beginning of the week.  It helps us make it to Friday with energy to spare for the weekend when it starts all over again!

Here are the benefits to cooking big on the weekend:

• Time saved in the kitchen later– Monday can be hard on everyone, so it’s nice to know dinner is not going to be.  Little or no prep is involved.  Few or no dishes!
• Budget is stretched — My roast chicken cost about $10 and we had three meals on that price tag.  Definitely a bargain.
• Your waistline will thank you — We’ve worked hard to stay away from “seconds” during dinner.  Portion control helps us cut calories without feeling like we’re on a diet.  It works.

How to work this weekend cooking more effectively:

• Plan for left-overs by choosing meals that can be creatively linked and easily stretched.
• Store sauces separately from meats or pasta to allow for more options.
• For discriminating palates, avoid calling anything “left-overs” which always sounds less than appetizing.
• Create interest by adding a fresh salad, or different vegetable to disguise the left-overs.

But most of all, have fun and keep in mind that left-overs are only as interesting as the recipe that inspired them.