Sounds interesting. I do the same thing when I cook. I make taco mixture ground beef and seasoning,use less water and add salsa. When I have left over the next day I add a can of pork-n-beans and it makes a nice sloppy joe.
Something my mother use to do was slice an onion and brown in pan,set aside and brown stew meat.Then she would take a used bottle of ketchup (about half full) add water shake and add to pan. It would simmer till meat was cooked then she would take the cover off and continued to simmer till it thickend up. She would serve it over rice or would make mashed potatoes. As kids we use to take a good size spoon of potatoes,make an hole in the middle and she would put our meat and sauce in the hole. Boy! was that delecious.