Help me use my leftovers

[carbonel]

I've been subscribing to Hello Fresh for a couple of months now. This is a service where you pay for (in my case) three bags per week, with each bag providing sufficient materials for two meals.

Sometimes the instructions say to use only part of the ingredients. When they send two garlic cloves and say to use only one, I ignore that and use both. But today's menu (mushroom ravioli) came with a large onion and said to use only half. That worked out well with the balance of mushrooms provided. So I have half an onion.

Later in the week, a recipe for pancetta macaroni and cheese calls for using only half the pancetta. This is probably both for balance and to keep the calorie count under 1,000 calories. So I'll have two ounces of diced pancetta, unless I decide to go wild and toss it all in.

I know I could make a lovely omelet out of it, but I'm interested in doing something a bit more creative.

I also have a quarter-cup of panko crumbs left over from tonight's dinner.

Any suggestions for how I could use these? It seems like the obvious thing is to sauté the onions until they're soft, add in the pancetta and sauté both for a while and then add stuff. But what can I add that's interesting?

Comments

[17catherines]

I'd probably make either gourmet scrambled eggs or carbonara. Or a frittata or quiche.

But it occurs to me that breadcrumbs, onions and pancetta sound like the start makings of a pretty good stuffing for something - maybe sautee the onion with a capsicum and the pancetta, maybe stir in a little ricotta, and stuff some zucchini (or, indeed, some mushrooms)? Actually, add some apple, and I bet you'd have a lovely stuffing for pork loin or similar (I don't eat pork, so I can't really advise on cooking beyond this).

[mrissa]

I was thinking apple or pear, exactly, yes.

[timill]

Rice and stock, and make a risotto?