Leftovers Makeover
People don’t have a consensus about food scraps. However, leftovers are a fact of American life: is it a good meal to try again, or an economic necessity to eat one more time? There is only one other option left: waste the food by throwing it away.
Personally, I welcome leftovers for another meal. I microwave them in less than two minutes, plus there are no pots and pans to clean. The other view: After putting leftover food in the fridge, a star appears on your face every time you open the fridge door: “Eat me, bon appetit!” I know someone who refrigerates leftovers to avoid the guilt of wasting good food. However, she will not eat them. Her decision to kick them out a week later. it is made for her because you see (or imagine) fluff and smallpox-like appendages in your food scraps. “Yes, I had thrown them away. They came out wrong.”
A good meal doesn’t hurt you. In some way, you’ve harbored ill will toward your food because it’s no longer fresh out of the pan. Perhaps you could brand your leftovers with a nicer name: “Second Helpings,” “Eaties Redoux,” or “Mange le Lenemain.” The last name is French for “Eat the next day.”
Forget the name! The real problem is that leftover food cannot be prepared fresh. However, you could prepare a fresh side dish to go with it. There is the limitation of having to cook the garnish quickly. Otherwise, what’s the point of having the quick fix of leftovers? Consider jumping as the way to do it. In stir-frying, high heat is used to quickly fry the vegetables while using a little oil or fat in the pan. My favorite stir fry is the garlic mushrooms and onions. I can cook a little of it or a lot (depending on the amount of leftovers to top it off), and it will pair well with any leftover meat.
If you are a mushroom or onion aficionado, you know that there are different types and that the flavor will change depending on the type. Pick the ones you know and like first, then try something new. As for the garlic, that’s a matter of how little or how much you want. If you want to bury the idea that you’re eating leftovers with your stir-fry, use more garlic so you only taste garlic throughout the meal.
Garlic originated in Egypt. Europeans were introduced to its strong flavor by returning Crusaders. Garlic is mentioned in the Christian Bible. Search the web for the book of Numbers 11:5. The passage refers to the Hebrews, who were on their way to the promised land, led by Moses, who followed God’s guidance. Many of the Hebrews complained that they ate better while they were slaves in Egypt. The verse is a lesson for all of us to think carefully before whining to God in prayer. Isn’t it better to thank God for the grace in your life?