The Origins of Comfort Food - Leftovers! By Jorj Morgan If you are like me, when the temperature dips we crave swimming - foods swimming in gravy, that is. I also cuddle up to a great cheesy casserole and find warmth in a blanket of chocolate cake. Comfort foods - warm the tummy and the heart and are a perfect solution to the winter what's-for-dinner-question. But where did all this comfort get its start? I think I know. Waste not - want not. I said this to my son the other night at the dinner table and he looked at me like I was talking another language. "What does that mean, Mom?" Geez, I grew up with that line. So, I explained to him that it means that you should not waste food in case the food is not there the next time you want it. It is a concept that he has yet to grasp because he has grown up in an America with abundant food opportunities. Fast food, drive through food, cafeteria food, after-school treat food. Food is always there - always available. But, this was not always the case. Food shortages of the depression era '40s formed the eating habits of an entire generation. The casseroles of the '50s are a terrific example of using leftovers to create a second meal. The same is true for soups and stews. Sunday's roasted chicken turned into Tuesday's potpie while the carcass created Wednesday's chicken soup. Saturday's standing rib roast turned into Monday's beef stew with the addition of the left over roasted veggies. Thursday's baked fish expanded into Friday's fish cakes. The art of stretching food is the root of all the great meals we now consider to be comfort food. Today's hectic lifestyle demands that we take a look at learning the art of creative ingredient recycling. If not for the pure economics of incorporating leftovers into our meal plan - then examine the convenience. How much time can we save when we cook once - and eat twice? The answer - a bunch! Today's leftover meals are different than those of our grandmothers. Fresh herbs and tangy spices are more available and boost the flavor of already prepared foods. Quick cooking techniques and gadgets allow us more freedom to experiment with recycled ingredients. Huge varieties of fresh produce can add a new dimension to ordinary leftover food - thus making it a dish that stands alone. Here are a few suggestions for incorporating leftovers into your weekly meal plan while creating updated comfort food for your family and friends: Moroccan Spiced Rotisserie Chicken is prepared by creating a spice rub of brown sugar, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, garlic and olive oil. The chicken cooks on a spit over a grill fire or in an oven. The flavor is awesome. Cook an extra chicken and use the leftover chicken chunks to create a cold chicken salad with the addition of sliced apple, water chestnuts and a sauce made of sour cream, mayonnaise and curry. Use the leftovers from a perfectly cooked tenderloin of beef to create a comforting Dilled Beef Stroganoff. Cook diced onions and sliced mushrooms in a sauté pan. Add cubed, cooked beef tenderloin chunks. Add beef stock and simmer. Just before serving, thicken the sauce with sour cream and add a handful of fresh, chopped dill. Maple Sautéed Ham steaks are easily prepared as they are precooked before you begin. Cook double the amount that you need for supper and prepare Au Gratin Potatoes with diced ham as your recycled dinner. Au Gratin potatoes are prepared by slicing potatoes into thin circles. Place the potatoes into boiling water and cook gently for several minutes. Drain. Place the potatoes into a casserole. Create a sauce by cooking equal amounts of butter and flour in a saucepan. Add milk and stir until thickened. Add your favorite cheese and season. Pour the sauce over the potatoes. Add the ham and stir. Top with breadcrumbs and bake until bubbly. A grilled pork tenderloin is slow simmered with barbecue sauce to produce tomorrow's shredded barbeque pork sandwiches. Left over flank steak becomes flank steak fajitas and roasted potatoes morph into potato hash. There are tons and tons of great ideas for using leftovers and a ton more reasons for you to incorporate leftovers into your meal plan. Why not give it a try this week - and see how it goes? You may be creating the comfort food for your granddaughter's generation! Jorj Morgan is the Lifestyle Director of BlueSuitMom.com and the author of "At Home In The Kitchen."