People have no consensus on food scraps. Yet 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 food by throwing it away.
Personally, I welcome leftovers for another meal. I microwave them in under two minutes, plus there are no pots or pans to clean. The other view: after putting food scraps in the refrigerator, you look at your face every time you open the refrigerator door: “Eat me, good appetite!” I know someone who refrigerates leftovers to avoid the guilt of throwing out good food. However, she will not eat them. His decision to kick them out a week later. it’s made for her because you see (or imagine) fluff and pox-like appendages in food scraps. “Yes, I had thrown them away. They went wrong for me.”
A good meal is not bad for you. Somehow, you have harbored ill will towards your food because it is no longer fresh from the pan. Perhaps you could brand your leftovers with a more palatable name: “Second Servings”, “Eaties Redoux” or “Mange le Lendemain”. 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 can prepare a fresh garnish to accompany it. There is the limitation of having to cook the garnish quickly. Otherwise what’s the point of having the quick fix for leftovers? Consider the jump as the way to do it. In stir fry, high heat is used to quickly fry vegetables while using a little oil or fat in the pan. My favorite stir fry is garlic, mushrooms, and onions. I can cook a little of that or a lot (depending on how many leftovers to supplement), and that will go well with leftover meat.
If you are fond of mushrooms or onions, 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 later. As for garlic, that’s a matter of how little or how much you want. If you want to bury the idea that you are eating leftovers with your stir fry, use more garlic so you only taste the garlic throughout the meal.
Garlic originated in Egypt. The Europeans knew its strong flavor when the crusaders returned. 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 heading to the promised land, guided by Moses, who followed God’s guidance. Many 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 crying out to God in prayer. Isn’t it better to thank God for the grace in your life?
