Delicious & Tasty Ideas For Your 4th of July Leftovers

On the 4th of July weekend, I usually get more than my fair share of delicious celebratory foods. I love that the 4th of July equals grilling and smoking meats.

We enjoyed the usual: grilled hot dogs & brats, delicious salads, bars, cookies, and dips. One of my favorite things to enjoy is pulled pork and beef! Yum!

WHAT TO DO WITH THAT LEFTOVER SHREDDED MEAT?

Usually, there are a few leftovers, so I thought I'd give you some ideas on how to make that delicious pulled pork and beef last just a little bit longer, with some awesome yummy ideas that are more than just trying to finish it all off; these are delicious ways to make the best of those tasty leftovers. I took some online recipes and revamped them with my leftovers. See what you can do with yours!

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IT'S NACHO TIME

Having pulled pork or beef as the featured ingredient on nachos is a great way to celebrate the 4th of July all over again.

• Just chop up some of your favorite veggies: peppers, onions, tomatoes, and maybe even some corn from those leftover cobs.
• Heat your oven to 450, and line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
• Heat some refried black beans ( if you want).
• Put a layer of nacho chips on the bottom, followed by some refried black beans, and then start layering on the pork or beef, followed by your veggies, and then top it with your favorite shredded cheeses.
• While that's baking, you can mix up some sour cream with a couple squirts of lime juice and set it out for dipping the nachos.
• Chop up some avocado and put a dollop on top, along with the sour cream mixture.

You can make a double layer by repeating the above process if you want.
Bake it in the oven until the cheese is melted and the chips are toasty. This usually takes about 5 minutes.

Now I'm hungry. Let's dig in.

GRILLED PORK AND CHEESE SANDWICHES

If you've got a craving for a sandwich, why not try a grilled cheese with added pork or beef?

• Simply butter your bread and place it in a frying pan with your favorite sliced cheese. I either use Kraft Deluxe American or Sharp Cheddar cheese slices. Two slices of cheese.
• Now, add a thin or thick layer of your shredded meat on top of one of the slices of bread with cheese.
• Add a dab of BBQ sauce for a little zing, and then put the sandwich together, and then remove from the heat. It's a tasty twist on the always-popular grilled cheese sandwich.

LEFTOVER MAC AND CHEESE?

Why WOULDN'T you add some shredded beef or pork? I think twice-baked mac and cheese is always delicious, and now that you've got some protein to add to the mix, why not?

• Just heat your existing mac and cheese on the stove. You may want to add some half-and-half or milk to thin it out just a bit.
• Add your shredded meat
• Pour it all into a baking dish to bake. Maybe add some extra cheese to the top to give it that nice melted coating. You can preheat your oven to 350°F and bake your hot dish until it looks bubbly.

Do you have some great leftover recipes to share with us? Send your photo and recipe to Kelly@minnesotasnewcountry.com, and I'll do my best to share your recipe with the rest of the world.