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Photo Collage: MOA; (Source: Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Diamond Crystal Salt)
Nearly 40 percent of all food in America is wasted, according to national nonprofit Feeding America. That shocking statistic is part of what prompted cookbook author, actress and television host Tiffani Thiessen, 49, to get creative. Instead of recipes that require obscure ingredients that can only be used for one specialized dish, Thiessen created a resource that helps readers make use of leftovers and ingredients they probably already have in their pantries and refrigerators. The result is Here We Go Again: Recipes & Inspiration to Level Up Your Leftovers, a collection of 85 recipes designed to repurpose ingredients into brand-new family-favorite meals. The former Saved by the Bell and Beverly Hills, 90210 star and current host of MTV’s Deliciousness finds smart ways to use pretzel crumbs, nearly forgotten veggies, yesterday’s rice and more. AARP chatted with Thiessen, who shared whom she would invite to a celebrity dinner party, her favorite food storage tip and how she plans to celebrate turning 50.
What inspired you to write a book about creative ways to use leftover meals?
It's actually a couple of reasons. At the beginning of the pandemic, I think we were all sort of apprehensive about going to the grocery store as often, so I was kind of forced to push ingredients and groceries a little longer than usual. It got me thinking that this is how my mom used to cook. She really is the queen of leftovers, not because of a pandemic or being frightened to go to the grocery store, but really because of budget. I didn't grow up with a ton of money, so my mom tried to be creative with constantly repurposing ingredients or recipes that she had made earlier in the week. It got me thinking about food waste, which is something that I really try to instill in my children — the importance of not wasting food. I thought, I've never seen a cookbook like this before. So that's how the idea kind of came about.
How do you want people to feel when they cook through this book?
I wanted them to have a little bit of nostalgia. For me, it was like a little love letter to my childhood, growing up in the late ’70s and early ’80s. I wanted the book to feel that way with the colors, the props and the style of photography. But it’s also modernized, so it's not a full vintage book. I wanted to have elements of it that people could think, Oh, my grandmother had that bowl, or My mom used the same sort of Pyrex. I think it's almost like music — it can evoke so many feelings and memories, and the food is very comforting.
What are some of the favorite dishes that are in your family's meal rotation?
Now that it’s getting a little colder, the Sausage, Beans and Greens [recipe] is a favorite. It's very nostalgic for me, and my kids love it as well. There's always a pizza night, generally once a week or once every two weeks. That's super popular. We also do some sort of Mexican or Spanish night per week, whether it's enchiladas, tacos, taco bowls or even burritos. I try to cook at least four times a week.
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