1

Risoni Salad with Leftovers

Breathe new life into your odds and ends with this easy salad.

2

Vegetable and bacon slice

Quick and easy slice. Any vegetables you have on hand can be used. I have even used canned and frozen vegetables. A good way to clear the crisper.

3

Roast Vegetable Lasagne

Packed full of roasted vegies, tomato pesto and cheese, even meat-lovers will love this vegetarian lasagne.

4

Barbecue Chicken Pasta Salad

An easy backyard summer favourite the whole family will love.

5

Leftover roast fritters

One of my Mum's recipes and a favourite in our house.

6

Leftover Lamb Shepherd's Pie

I use leftover lamb roast and any vegetables I have lying around for this recipe. It's a great way of using anything left in the fridge and can also be made with a puff pastry casing.

7

Ham, tomato and basil pasta

Too much leftover ham after Christmas? Forget the sandwiches and try this.

8

Thick and fulfilling, not to mention tasty as all get-out, pea and ham soup is one of the most popular winter soups. This set-and-forget version makes this soup easy-peasy – you don’t even need to blend it! A little crusty bread for dunking and you’re good to slurp on any cold evening. How to make a slow cooker pea and ham soup: key tips Place your ham hock on top of the vegies in the slow cooker. The vegies will act as a bit of a buffer between the ham and the base of the cooker so that it doesn’t stick and cook unevenly. When the ham is tender enough that the meat easily comes away from the bone, carefully lift the bone from the broth and set it aside until it is cool enough to handle. Remove all the meat from the bone, and any fat, and shred it using 2 forks. Return the meat to the slow cooker, or save it for topping the soup when you’re ready to serve. Stirring the soup at the end of cooking will give you a slightly chunky soup which is fine to enjoy as is. However, if you prefer your soup lovely and smooth, use a stick blender to blitz the soup in the slow cooker before returning any ham. Key ingredients in this slow cooker pea and ham soup recipe This recipe is for an 800g hock. If you use a smaller hock, then you’ll need a little less water, otherwise your soup will be too watery and you’ll need to reduce it by cooking with the lid off for a while. Yellow split peas don’t need to be pre-soaked, unlike other pulses, which makes this soup super convenient. They can be bought from the supermarket and have a soft texture and a mild, earthy flavour. You can swap them with green split peas, if you like, which are a little stronger in taste, sweeter, and a bit less starchy. They both soften nicely when cooked. This soup is also packed with winter vegies – onion, carrot and celery – to enhance the flavour of the soup and add goodness, too. If you like the sound of this recipe, you might also like this caramelised pumpkin soup. Also, take a look at more of our pea and ham soup recipes, plus some handy tips. This recipe was originally submitted by tarotlady, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.

9

Reuben Sandwich

A New York deli style sandwich.

10

Ham and Pea Pasta Bake

This throw-together dish will fast become a family favourite.

11

Vegetable, ham and noodle cups

For a very quick lunch, or when you're in a hurry. This is the first thing to disappear in the kids' lunch boxes.

12

Turkey and Cranberry Mini Quiches

I made this recipe up about 4 years ago as a nice Christmas version to my usual bacon mini quiches. I have made them every Christmas since, and they have been a huge hit with my family, friends and colleagues.

13

Brown Sugar Slow Cooker Pork

You can cook this delicious and sticky pulled pork while you're out and about. Just rub the meat with spices and let the slow cooker do the rest of the work.

14

Chicken, Pistachio and Mayonnaise Sandwiches

Sandwiches that are great for picnics, morning teas or finger food.

15

Sue's Scrumptious Chicken Salad

Made with a shop-bought barbecue chicken, this no-cook chicken salad has the perfect balance of savour-sweet flavours, plus a zesty orange dressing. It's perfect for an easy lunch or light dinner.