Feed52
Leftovers are Fun Again
I wish I had a little more will power, because I sincerely love having leftovers. I'm not talking about cold pizza or steeped-in-its-own-oil Chinese (although, I don't not like those things), but the last few mouthfuls of vegetable pasta from that fancy Italian dinner with Mom or that last gasp of soba noodle soup that is basically just salty broth. Those things are great in the moment, but I love having them in my fridge the next day even more. Why? They're the perfect launch pads to experimental new dishes: I can make a flatbread with those veggies or use the broth from those noodles as a stock for cooking rice or top anything with a fried egg. It's not quite "out with the old, in with the new" — more "making the old new, but slightly different." Many of my most rewarding kitchen adventures have been the direct result of such leftover ingredient rearrangement. You can call me weird, sure, but after discovering the Yay, Leftovers! blog, at least I know I'm not alone. (For example, you can see the Fried Egg Trick in full effect with a slice of leftover Popeye Pie from Co. — above.)
The author's not afraid to be honest: "Sometimes leftovers are nothing more than eating straight from the restaurant's plastic packaging while standing at the kitchen counter." We've all been there, amirite?
She also transforms a disappointing steak into a revel-worthy plate of nachos, just add black beans, cheese, some sour cream and PRESTO delicious.
Her blog is brand new and she's looking for submissions, so now's your chance to join in on the fray. What's your favorite way to dress up your leftovers?
Sign up now and get $10 when we open.
Tags: What We're Reading, Leftovers, Inspiration
cassiem
Cassie loves to cook, eat, and then write about it. She can't resist anything with sweet potatoes, but if she had to pick one food for the rest of her life it might be avocado. (She changes her mind a lot.) She also believes that anything will taste better on a tortilla, and that tacos are the premier food of summertime. You can catch her reading Calvin & Hobbes on the stoop of her apartment, or on the roof in her garden. Say hello!
Comments (2)
about 1 year ago Roberta R.
I love cooking, I'm a food writer, and I just graduated from culinary school--but I LIVE on my mother's leftovers. Once a week, I go have lunch with my parents and my mother cooks for an army. I take a HUGE doggie bag home and work my way through it all week long. With a full-time job and a multitude of projects to work on, I don't have the time or the energy most week nights to cook. Some people turn their noses up at leftovers--I'm grateful to have them.
about 1 year ago kenzi
Kenzi is an Assistant Editor of Food52.
Fried eggs. On everything. Literally, everything. Best piece of advice in here.