Juice it Up

I hate throwing out food.  Hatehatehate it.  I've been known to make leftovers out of leftovers.  Not so you could recognize them, of course, but they're still leftover leftovers.  You can ask my husband if they're tasty, and if you happen to ask him in person, please note that he is a robust and obviously well-fed individual.  So laugh at me if you must.

Not only do I hate throwing out food, I hate throwing out what comes with the food.  So I am going to share my latest secret with you: Juice.  That's right, juice.  Juice from pickles, olives, hot peppers, capers, pickled vegetables, beets, literally anything in your refrigerator.  When you use the last pickle, do not even think about throwing out that juice.  Save it, and if you're really clever, save it with all the other juices you've accumulated so you have a zesty mix.  Now, here's what you do with it:

1)  Mix it with a little olive oil for a salad vinaigrette.

2.) Add it to soups or sauces to liven them up.  

3.) Combine it with olive oil to saute meat or vegetables.

4.) Add it to plain Greek yogurt and fresh herbs for vegetable dip or for baked potatoes.

5.) Use it to deglaze the pan after browning meat or fish.  

6.) Combine it with mayonnaise or Greek yogurt to moisten tuna, chicken, or egg salad.  

7.) Add it to the tomato juice in your bloody Mary.  

8.) Dirty PICKLE martinis, anyone?

The beauty of this kind of juice is that it will keep for quite a long time, and you can just keep adding to it.  Of course, if the idea of old pickles sitting around in your refrigerator gives you the willies, just forget you read this article.  This tip is not for you.  But that also means that you have no sense of culinary adventure and are quite possibly no fun.  (Insert raspberry here.) 

Other ideas?  Let me hear them!