Leftovers stirred into a cash-saver

When all you have in the fridge are bits and pieces of other meals and a few stray vegetables, coming up with dinner can seem like a daunting, if not impossible task.Those are the nights when I find myself tempted to order takeout or delivery.

But the cost of delivery quickly adds up (as do the uneaten leftovers that get tossed in the trash), so last week I decided it was time to face the challenge of dinner when there’s “nothing to eat.”

The produce bin content was paltry - a bell pepper, some almost-limp green onions, a shriveled lime and the dregs of a bag of “baby” carrots - and on the leftovers shelf I found a bit of beef (from the Beef Satay recipe on Page 2E) and some rice.

The result was a delicious fried rice dish that, sadly, I’ll likely never be able to duplicate. But that’s the beauty and the drawback of improvisational cooking. Next time I’ll create something similar yet different and, possibly, even better.

This recipe is merely a guideline, and amounts listed are approximate. Almost any combination of vegetables would work, and leftover pork, chicken, shrimp or tofu could easily stand in for the beef.

Beef and Vegetable Fried Rice

2 tablespoons stir-fry oil or high-heat vegetable oil, divided use

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 generous handful baby carrots, cut into matchsticks

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

¼ cup fresh or frozen green peas

1 medium-hot chile pepper, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger

4 to 6 ounces cooked lean beef, cut into thin strips or diced

2 to 3 cups chilled cooked rice

Soy sauce

½ lime

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, carrots, white parts of the green onion, peas and the chile pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are almost tender. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Stir in the beef. Push the beef and vegetable mixture to one side of the skillet. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then add the cold rice. Stir to incorporate and cook, stirring frequently, until rice is sizzling hot. Stir in the sliced green onion tops. Season to taste with soy sauce and lime juice.

Makes 2 servings.