What to Do with Leftovers?

Updated on May 12, 2010
A.A. asks from Naperville, IL
18 answers

Thought I'd ask all you ladies since there are always great ideas given on this site.
We had a family barbecue for Mother's Day and now I have several bags of hot dog and hamburger buns left over. For some reason, this always happens after we have a barbecue party. I've tried freezing the leftover buns in the past, but they never taste the same after being defrosted. Any ideas on how I can use them in other meals? What do you all do?

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Thanks so much ladies for your responses. You all gave me great ideas. The recipes look wonderful and I will definitely try them.

Featured Answers

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E.B.

answers from Chicago on

We use extras with dinner. We butter the buns then put them under the broiler until the edges are nice and toasty. We sometimes add grated Parmesan cheese.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.R.

answers from Columbus on

you could make french toast with them, then freeze them in bags and use them for quick breakfasts.

M.

1 mom found this helpful

More Answers

A.D.

answers from Denver on

What about bread pudding? This is the recipe that my mom makes and it is FANTASTIC!!!

The Greenbrier Hotel Bread Pudding

15 slices white bread (your buns)
6 lg eggs
1 quart milk
1 t vanilla
1/4 c melted butter
1/4 c sugar
1 c raisins

Preheat oven to 450. cut 15 slices of bread into 1 inch cubes. Arrange in a single layer in a jelly-roll pan and bake 7 minutes. (until lightly toasted) Cool.

Reduce temperature to 350. Arrange bread in bottom of a shallow 2 1/2 quart baking dish and drizzle with melted butter. Whisk 6 eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in raisins. Pour mixture over bread. Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of pudding comes out clear. Serve warm with vanilla sauce. Makes 12 servings (about 6 in my family.. YUM)

Vanilla Sauce

4 large egg yolks
2 t vanilla
2 c heavy cream
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
1 T flour
pinch of salt
1/2 c sugar

In medium bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks, 1T flour, 2 t vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Heat 2 cups of heavy cream and 1/2 cup of sugar in saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form at edge of pan. Remove from heat. Whisk 1 cup hot cream mixture into eggs, then whisk back into pan. Reduce heat to low and cook sauce, stirring constantly until thickened , 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 scoop vanilla ice cream. Strain sauce through fine sieve. Serve warm. Makes 3 cups.

I wish I could make this right now!

3 moms found this helpful
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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

oh yummy. We use them for garlic bread with spaghetti, we make cheese bombs (put a bun on a cookie sheet in the oven for just a minute to toast the top, pull it out and put a slice of american cheese put back in for another minute and your good to go. little pizza bits, spread some pizza sauce on top with mozzarella cheese and back in the oven for a minute they make great quickie lunches. my mom used to make tuna melts. make your tuna salad (make it a little dry) put on bun halves and put in oven for a minute to warm, add slice of american cheese and put back int till cheese is bubbly. really yummy. good luck

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B.V.

answers from Chicago on

We usually use them at breakfast time. I do egg omelets and put them on a toasted hamburger or hot dog bun w/a little mayo and/or cheese and they are delish! I tell the kids they are having "McMamma's" breakfast sandwiches and they love them. We are a family of 5 so we use them up quick.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.M.

answers from Jacksonville on

I always make garlic bread out of the leftover buns. I dont' like them frozen and thawed either.

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A.H.

answers from Chicago on

I don't have time to read all your wonderful answers, but would like to tell you that in order to freeze bread there is one simple tip that works wonders. Just place a piece of paper towel on top of the loaf, buns, slices or whatever and seal the bag around it tightly. The white paper towel absorbs whatever makes it taste like "freezer" or dry. Just tuck it on top and see results. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

M.R.

answers from Rochester on

My mom used to bake the hot dog buns (separated) with some butter and garlic and such instead of garlic bread or something. She also always used hamburger buns for tuna melts in the oven, for deli sandwiches, sloppy joes, etc. You can use the hot dog buns for mini-subs for kids, or have fun (it's just bread after all) and make them into silly-looking peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cut them into tiny wedges. You could also use the open hamburger buns for anything you might bake--a base for leftover sauce with a piece of pepperoni and melted mozzerella (on a baking sheet long enough to melt the cheese).

1 mom found this helpful
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J.T.

answers from Chicago on

I usually make garlic bread out of them, just melt some butter and a little garlic or garlic powder pop them in the broiler for a few minutes and they are delicious, they get a little crispy on the outside but nice and soft on the inside. You can also let them sit on your counter for a few days to dry and then make bread crumbs out of them.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.T.

answers from Chicago on

Hot dog and hamburger buns make for great garlic bread for any italian dish or salad.
Spread a little butter, margarine, olive oil on them and top w/ garlic salt and/or some shredded parmasean, mozerella (or fresh), cheddar and put in the toaster oven or oven at 375-400 for about 5-10 minutes. Check them at different time intervals because I really don't know how long I cook them for but I think at 5 minutes you won't have a burn problem.
They are really good. My mom always made them when we were younger versus buying garlic/cheese bread and they were always a hit.
Hamburger buns also make for a nice grilled cheese if turned inside out and flattened a little. This is how they make the grilled cheese at Five Guys.

1 mom found this helpful

L.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

mmmmm breakfast cassarole, I make it every year for christmas morning so we can enjoy our present opening without someone having to be in the kitchen cooking... but it works throughout the year! Here's the recipe...

Break the bread up into 1" chunks and spread in a cassarole pan.
Stir in your favorite breakfast meat, crumble bacon or sausage work best
Mix in a bowl 1 dozen eggs and milk/vanilla extract(just like frenchtoast batter)
Pour over the bread and allow to rest in the fridge overnight.
Pour some maple syrup over the top
put it in the oven for 35-45 minutes at 375
Wallah...you made a home cooked breakfast that took almost no effort at all

1 mom found this helpful
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S.C.

answers from Fort Wayne on

The key to freezing bread is to put it in a freezer bag. It's not good if it's been frozen for a long time either. If it's in a freezer bag, I'd say maybe a month tops.
We use our for every day sandwiches. Hot dog buns make great bread sticks too! Stick them in the oven for a few minutes till the bread is kinda crispy, brush with garlic butter, top with mozzarella cheese and a little Italian Seasoning (parsley, oregano) and broil till the cheese is melted. SO good!
We do mini pizzas with the hamburger buns. I do the same as I do for the hot dog buns, but I add a little pizza sauce and pepperoni.
You cal also cube them up and bake them, or let them go stale and then bake, for home made crutons. YUM!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.K.

answers from Chicago on

My son eats the hotdog buns with chicken strips. Hamburger buns make good sandwiches for lunch.I've also heard of making hotdog bun pizzas with sauce and cheese.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.M.

answers from Nashville on

You can do breadcrumbs from them and make meatballs or a meatloaf which you can freeze. Or if you have a local food pantry, they might be able to use them.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.

answers from Augusta on

for hotdog buns you can use them for garlic bread with spaghetti. And for hamburger buns you can make spaghetti sauce sandwiches with the left over sauce!
or dry them and crumble them up and make bread crumbs.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.M.

answers from Austin on

Freeze them and then use them to make croutons or stuffing at a later date.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Garlic bread! Or you can let them dry out and make a nice ziplock bag full of breadcrumbs. (Or we feed the birds or ducks with them.)

1 mom found this helpful
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D.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

I just found a recipe for a hashbrown casserole and a french toast casserole last week that both called for lots of bread to absorb the eggs. That's another option.

The first thought that came to my mind, though, was to find a local pond, etc. and let your kids take them out there and feed the ducks/geese. That's always my favorite thing to do with them personally.

1 mom found this helpful
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