Photo: Jennifer Iserloh.

It was one of those things that my granny always insisted on: finding ways to use leftovers and never wasting food. Even though I've grown up eating leftovers, I've never liked eating a big plate of odds and ends, a spoonful here and bite there.

I wondered if that's why Americans waste about 27 percent of their available food. But what if you could turn those tidbits into something luscious? I guarantee that you won't be tempted to toss that handful of broccoli florets, those spoonfuls of blue cheese crumbles or your remaining half a jar of olives.

First I took a look in my freezer before proceeding on to my self-imposed "Top Chef" challenge. Frozen dough disks didn't look that interesting resting in my freezer door, until I remembered that they're Goya empanada wrappers that you can fill with just about anything. Bingo!

The wrappers defrost quickly, are low in fat and calories and can be flavored any way you want -- you can even make each one different. I had leftover blue cheese, so I set out to caramelize some onions that I could use in other recipes throughout the week. I also had just a half cup of beef stew left over, so for my second variety I added in some raisins from my freezer, along with few chopped olives.

Just defrost the disks on the countertop for about one hour, then stretch them out with you hands before filling. Press the edges closed with a fork or squeeze and fold the edges over to seal. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the filled empanadas in the oil, about 1 to 2 minutes turning once. Then slide the skillet into the oven and bake about 5 minutes, until the dough is cooked through and the filling is hot. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and serve immediately.