My parents were children of The Depression. The experience defined a set of values that informed their life views for the rest of their lives.

The Depression was a time of scarcity that taught the value of frugality. The saying, “waste not, want not” was taken literally. Food was not to be taken for granted, so anything that was not eaten during a meal was either to be reheated at the next meal or repurposed into another dish.

At an early age, I learned from my parents and grandparents, that food was not to be wasted. The words of the pre-meal blessing had real meaning and the gratitude was heartfelt. During The Depression, the next day’s meal was not always guaranteed.

Although I did not experience the scarcities of the Depression, nor have I ever felt the pangs of hunger caused by the absence of food, I am still loath to waste food. Leftovers for me are not to be looked at with disdain but rather are the foundation for new dishes with just a little imagination and creativity.

When my grandmother made a pot of beans, it was a big pot of beans. After a few days the allure of another meal featuring a bowl of beans began to dim. Leftover beans can be added to a vegetable soup, they can be combined with onions, cheese, and chorizo and rolled in a flour tortilla for a burrito or fried for a chimichanga.

My grandmother’s ”go-to” was bean patties. She would add some finely chopped onions to the beans and then add self-rising flour to make a mixture slightly thicker than pancake batter but not as thick as biscuit dough. Spoon the mixture into hot bacon drippings. While the first side cooks, dust the other side with some flour. Cook until both sides are browned and slightly crunchy. Top with a little cheese sauce or sour cream. Now that is living.

I like to do something similar with leftover mashed potatoes. Let the mashed potatoes come to room temperature. Mix in some shredded cheddar cheese, some flour, a couple of eggs, and some diced ham. The actual amounts are not as important as the ability of the mixture to stay together. Pan sauté in some melted butter and serve with some finely chopped green onion, crumbled bacon, and sour cream.

If you have been left with too much corn after the barbeque you had for friends and family, you might want to make corn fritters. Maybe you do not feel like cooking anymore after your party.

Consider making a corn salad. Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the corn and the zest and juice from a lime.

When everything is warm, remove from the heat. Stir in some chopped green onions, mayonnaise, cotija cheese, cilantro, chili powder and cayenne pepper. This is delicious and the amounts of the ingredients are simply driven by your taste. If you would like some approximate amounts, a recipe will be included at the end of this column.

What can you do with leftover spaghetti? A frittata is the answer. Warm the spaghetti over medium high heat. While the spaghetti warms, whisk six eggs, with a generous splash of cream, one half cup parmesan cheese. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the egg mixture. When it looks like the edges are set but there is still some moisture

in the middle it is time to flip the frittata. Place a plate on top of the skillet and invert.

Now slide the frittata back into the skillet and continue to cook for another three to five minutes. The frittata can be served warm or at room temperature.

In a future column, I will share some thoughts on what to do with leftover meats.

The old adage, “Eat everything on your plate” could be a recipe for obesity. While I do not subscribe to that, I am a firm believer in not throwing away perfectly good food. My parents and grandparents would be proud of me.

Mexican Street Corn Salad

Ingredients

5 ears cooked corn on the cob

2 Tbsp. salted butter

1 lime, zested and juiced

4 green onions, thinly sliced

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup Cotija cheese, crumbled

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro

¼ tsp chili powder

Dash of Cayenne pepper

Instructions

Remove corn kernels from cooked ears of corn and set aside.

Heat a frying pan with the salted butter. Add the corn kernels, lime zest and juice, and green onions. Cook for 5 minutes until warm.

Turn off heat. Mix in mayonnaise, crumbled Cotija cheese, fresh cilantro and chili powder. Let sit on warm burner for 5 minutes, stirring periodically. Before serving, sprinkle with a little Cayenne pepper as well as additional chili powder and Cotija cheese. Enjoy.

Dennis Patillo is a bi-monthly food columnist for the Victoria Advocate.