Some time ago, I posted a recipe for a carrot salad that is a refreshingly different side, perfect for summer potlucks and picnics. You can find it here:  https://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2012/03/piquant-carrot-salad.html

One thing I didn’t note in that earlier post is an extra benefit of the salad. When I have served it for the last time, there is always, always some of the dressing left. The first time this happened, I realized I had some really flavorful liquid that could be used for other things. Since then, I have marinated fish and chicken in the liquid (or just poured it over microwaved fish as a sauce) and added it to tossed salads as a kind of “French dressing.”

Today, I still had a few of the carrots left as well as a small amount of the dressing. After tossing together some tomatoes, mixed greens and herbs from the garden and some peppers and radishes from the farmers’ market, I poured the few carrots and dressing over the salad. A few cubes of cheese (today I had Jarlsberg Swiss) and a grind of fresh pepper and I had a colorful main dish salad with a “homemade” dressing, with very little prep time needed.

I have done the same thing with “leftover” coleslaw dressing as well–for the recipe I most often use, check this out:  http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-best-cole-slaw-ever.html

And, one more “stretcher” hint:  There was a special on potato salads in the deli department of a local grocery store, so I picked up a couple of pints. As usual, while the salad was delicious, the ratio of dressing to potatoes was way too large, so I tucked a couple of potatoes in the microwave, “baked” them just until done, cut them to about the same size as in the purchased potato salad, and stirred them in. This doubled the amount of potato salad and reduced the total cost by a lot–without having to make any potato salad myself!