Thank you for all the recipes everybody :)

[conuly]

I definitely want more-more-more if possible! MOAR.

I should share a recipe of my own. I have two, neither of which is really a proper recipe and I think I shared at least one before:

1. Pasta with optional

I actually call this "pasta with vegetables" to differentiate from "pasta with $sauce" and "pasta with just cheese", but every specific item in this recipe is optional except the pasta part. Even that, I guess, but you'd have to call it something else.

Sundried tomatoes, preferably in oil
Pancetta (cubed) or anchovies
Garlic cloves, crushed or diced
Not-green bell peppers
Summer squash
Fresh basil or spinach
Grated parmesan or romano cheese, yes you can sub in nutritional yeast
Italian seasoning
Red pepper flakes
Salt
Butter and/or olive oil
Pasta such as rotini or fusili - this won't work very well with "strand" pasta like spaghetti

You'll notice there are no measurements. There don't have to be. Just guesstimate everything based on "how much of this do I have?" and "how much do I really want?"

Cook the pancetta or anchovies in oil for a bit until it smells good and, if using pancetta, the fat has started to release. If not using, just heat up some vegetable oil. Add the garlic cloves and stir over a low flame until they soften. (Note: Garlic likes to burn, especially if it's lonely in the skillet. LOW FLAME.) If using bell peppers, add them and start the water boiling for the pasta. Once the water boils, you can add the summer squash if using - though you may prefer to roast that and add it later so it doesn't release water into the rest of the stuff. Chop your leaves reasonably. Drain the pasta, add the leaves, seasoning, and butter or olive oil if using. Stir a bit so your basil/spinach leaves wilt. Add all the stuff from the skillet. Top with the cheese. I always want to stir the cheese in, but melted parmesan is gross so don't do that.

2. Eggs with leftover fried rice

Heat up a small skillet. Add oil. Add in your leftover fried rice and stir until it's heated through. Scramble some eggs in a bowl, pour on top of the fried rice, cook however you normally would - you can continue to scramble in the skillet or just let it set and flip when done.

You can also make this with leftover biriyani, leftover string hoppers, leftover mashed potatoes (add cheese and jarred jalapenos, trust me), and probably leftover lo mein. I haven't tried that one yet. It's the one way of eating leftover fried rice that I'm willing to do, and it really tastes good.

I did clean out the fridge and I think I finally answered the question of "Why does water pool under the veggie bins?" which is "The fridge is tilted". I'm going to need help to untilt it, though. Hm. I think it only needs a little bitty prop up under that one corner, but it's shifting it enough to shove a shim there that's the problem.

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Comments

[dine]

your leftover fried rice idea sounds super-easy, and delicious. I'm often left wondering what to do with my leftovers, as they just don't taste as good to me the next day

[conuly]

Credit goes 100% to my sister. She is brilliant sometimes.

[fred_mouse]

assuming smallish amounts of leftovers ('not quite enough to go around'), the go to in our house is scrumble, which is a bit like that leftover fried rice recipe. I get out the wok, heat whatever oil and spices I think I'm going to need (depends on the mix of leftovers), then throw in one egg per person. Scramble the egg in the wok, with whatever implement is easiest (I use a wooden spoon with a good handle for me to hold). When the egg is about half way to all cooked, throw in the leftovers. Stir until egg is all cooked, leftovers are mixed through and heated.

[dark_phoenix54]

My preferred method of leftover rice (hell, I make rice specifically for this for breakfast!) is to fry it in just a tiny dab of butter or oil, add tamari and a tiny bit of hot sauce, remove to plate, fry an egg or two in the skillet, just over easy, and flop them on the rice and moosh the eggs up so the yolks saturate the rice. It is SO GOOD. At least, it's what I crave for breakfast these days.

[conuly]

Mmm.

[hashiveinu]

The yolk in rice reminds me of Tamago Kake Gohan. (I've never had it and don't eat eggs anymore, but I've seen other people say they really like it.)

[dark_phoenix54]

Looks like the same thing, other than that I fry the whole egg. My mom was from the Philippines, so I'm going to guess it's one of those pan-Asian things, like adobo and egg rolls (lumpia in the PI)

[hashiveinu]

If you have a lot of tomatoes sitting around:

Tomato Sauce

5-6 pounds tomatoes (plum tomatoes are traditional, but any tomato bigger than bite size should work)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
Basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, other spices if you want them
Salt
1-2 finely chopped carrots if you want
1 finely chopped sweet pepper if you want

Bring a big pot to a rolling boil. Prepare an ice water bath in a big bowl. Draw an X lightly with a knife on the bottom of each tomato. When the water is boiling, put the X-marked tomatoes into it and boil them for 1-2 minutes. Take them out with a strainer and put them in the ice bath to stop their cooking. When they're not hot anymore, pull the skins off.

Dice the skinned tomatoes. Put them and all the other ingredients in a big pot. Bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered on low-medium heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Serve immediately over pasta, or refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze. If you have a really big pot, you can multiply this recipe to store up a lot of tomato sauce.

[movingfinger]

Depending on where the fridge tilt is, you may be able to just use the adjustable feet it should have in the front to level it.