Leftovers that Make You Say "Yes!"

[David A. Goldfarb]

Last week I made a Basque chicken dish which yielded as a byproduct about 3 cups of reduced gelatinous chicken-chorizo stock, which I've saved in the freezer. I don't know what I'll use it for yet, but it was too good to throw away.

[Darienne]

My husband's macaroni and cheese reheated on the second day. He always makes enough for two meals and it's even better the second time around. I love the crunchy bits.

[JimH]

Fajitas, I'll stand at the kitchen counter and eat them cold the next day. Beef, it's what's for breakfast.

[jgm]

Add me to the leftover meatloaf sandwich camp, except I like to fry it first, getting the edges nice and crispy (everything's better with butter, you know). Either ketchup or mayo on that sandwich works well.

[Jaymes]

If no one else is at home and there are leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge, I reheat them on the stove, adding cheeses I have on hand and maybe sour cream if I have it. I then add a large amount of frozen peas to the mixture, which is something I only eat secretly because it's so trashy.

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My Mexican friends adore leftover mashed potatoes. They take a handful, pat it out, put some cheese and rajas (roasted green chile strips) in the center, fold it over and seal the edges to make a fat patty, and then fry it. Unbelievably good.

And you really must have cold, leftover rice to make a proper fried rice.

[Niki Heber]

i gotta say homemade curry is my fave. i like it cold with hot rice, or hot with cold rice. so delicious.

[sebastian wilde]

Adobo sitting in the fridge for a couple of days.. yum

[Chris Amirault]

Cold, grilled chicken with charred skin awaits me tonight.

[nakji]

Leftover Indian food of any description, but at my house it's usually aloo gobi or baingan bartha.

With toast, for breakfast, of course. If I'm really ambitious, I run up a fresh omelette with cilantro and tomato to go alongside.

[Toliver]

My mom's pork roast and sauerkraut is one of those leftovers-taste-even-better-the-next-day type dish.

The first night it all tastes great with all of the elements seperate (pork roast, sauerkraut and dumplings) but then she combines everything for easier storage in the fridge and it just elevates it to a higher level of flavor the next day.

Her Navy Bean soup is another that tastes better the next day as leftovers.

[ErinM]

Definitely leftover Indian or Thai food of any description, especially if it's a curry.

Stuffed naan. I'll eat that cold, for breakfast, any day of the week!

[patti]

Maybe I am not as sensitive to taste changes, but I eat vegetable leftovers from the fridge all the time and don’t seem to detect enough of a change in taste to stop me from enjoying. Cheesy broccoli and cauliflower are still great a couple of days later. Air fryer roasted green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower aren’t especially good as leftovers, but I never have that problem because I air fry my serving size and eat them all! Are you worried that green beans won’t hold up well for the CFM? I don’t plan on cooking them two days ahead.

 

[Darienne]

15 minutes ago, patti said:

Maybe I am not as sensitive to taste changes, but I eat vegetable leftovers from the fridge all the time and don’t seem to detect enough of a change in taste to stop me from enjoying. Cheesy broccoli and cauliflower are still great a couple of days later. Air fryer roasted green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower aren’t especially good as leftovers, but I never have that problem because I air fry my serving size and eat them all! Are you worried that green beans won’t hold up well for the CFM? I don’t plan on cooking them two days ahead.

 

You're right.  I do eat leftover cooked vegetables straight from the fridge cold with no sauce or anything...but Ed would never do this.  In fact, he constantly complains...and it's one of the few things he actually complains about...that the cheese sauce which I make and which he slathers all over whatever vegetable it is..is too thin.  (It has enough flour and cornstarch and cheese to sink the proverbial ship. )