Leftover food and condiments are a nuisance: not enough for its intended use and too much to throw away. A spoonful of peanut butter or a little bit of mustard can be transformed into something delicious, so don't throw it away; use it up! Here's how to make your pantry items good to the last drop with these leftover condiment recipes:

More on Shine: 10 new ways to use peanut butter

Peanut Butter - With only a couple of spoonfuls of peanut or almond butter left, you can have breakfast in a jar. To make overnight oats with a nut-butter flavor, add 3 tablespoons oats and equal parts milk to 2 tablespoons of peanut or almond butter, then stir, screw on the top, and place in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, top the overnight oats with fruit or a drizzle of maple syrup.

Mustard - Turn that little bit of mustard left in the bottle into a mustard marinade to use on pork chops, chicken, or flank steak. Use equal parts (2 tablespoons) coffee, bourbon, and mustard, add a dash (1 teasp

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It happens to everyone: You buy a bunch of herbs for a recipe, then watch the leftovers decompose in your fridge. Carla Hall tells you how to use them up deliciously. REDBOOK.

Basil
"When you think of basil, you think of pesto, mozzarella cheese, tomato sauces, and pasta dishes. But basil is also great with corn, zucchini, eggplant, even fresh strawberries."

Chives
"Use them in place of scallions. They taste great with eggs. If you can, snip them with kitchen scissors instead of cutting them with a knife; if your knife's dull, you'll bruise them."

Related: 31 Days of Artisan Ice Cream

Cilantro
"Did you know the stems are flavorful too? Add cilantro to Mexican food: guacamole, tomatoes, rice. I make a tuna salad with cilantro and lime, peanuts, ginger, and chili. If your dish has lime in it, you can usually use cilantro too."

Related: The Hottest Summer Party Ideas of 2013

Mint
"I love it in salads, and it's great in marinades-mint, olive oil, and garlic-for meat. And it makes an amazing pesto! J

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If you celebrate Memorial Day -- and the unofficial arrival of summer -- with a big cookout or picnic, you're going to need something to drink with all that grilled deliciousness. Aside from a pitcher of iced tea or lemonade, you could just pick up any old beer or box of wine and be done with it. But with just a little bit more effort, and a few guidelines for finding a suitable match, you can make that brisket you've been lovingly tending for the last 12 hours taste even better.

Without getting too detailed (it's summer -- who wants complicated?):
- Delicate foods are natural partners with lighter style beers and wines; the opposite is true as well.
- Bubbles are great palate cleansers and are terrific with fatty foods.
- Beverages with a hint of sweetness tend to go well with spicier foods.
- Bitterness can be refreshing and is a good foil for rich foods.

Related: 4 Easy Ways to Keep Beer from Going Flat

Of course, if you know you love drinking champagne with everything from popcorn to pizz

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This easy all-purpose yellow cake takes just a bit longer to make than one from a packaged mix, but is it ever worth it. An instant test-kitchen favorite, it is absolutely delicious and will rise to any occasion.

Cake

1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus more for cake pans and parchment
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
5 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Related: 15 Kitchen Shortcuts That Will Change the Way You Cook

1. Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment; butter parchment as well. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until combin

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Are any of these items lurking in your pantry past their expiration dates? You're probably keeping these items, like flour, baking soda, and butter, longer than you should. Here are the surprising shelf lives of five common kitchen staples and tips on how to properly store them.

More on Shine: Expert tips to make your food last longer

Flours - It's a common misconception that flour will simply last forever; however, that's just not the case. Store flour in airtight containers in the refrigerator or freezer. Flour kept in the pantry will last up to six months, but in the freezer, flour can last up to one year. Remember to write expiration dates on the airtight containers.

Butter - Butter will be past its prime in about two weeks. To keep butter tasting fresh, store only one bar of butter in the fridge at a time, and place the others in the freezer where butter will last up to a month.

Baking soda - Are you using the same box of baking soda as an air freshener for your refrigerator and in

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