Leftovers are the 800lb gorilla of my fridge. I see them there and think "man, I hate to throw this stuff out, but I don't really want to eat warmed-over chicken breast." This usually results in a bowl of completely usable food being ignored and eventually tossed into the trash. Last night, however, I was feeling inventive and thought I'd see what could be done with the remnants of Monday night's Kickin' Chicken Kabobs.
It turned out that using the kabobs again was easier than I had thought. While at Kroger purchasing some salsa and bread bowl (post forthcoming) ingredients, I grabbed a box of fusilli pasta. Fusillis are the twirly-looking kind. I got back and cooked the pasta to al dente. While the pasta was cooking, I tossed my leftover vegetables and chicken into a skillet with a healthy dose of olive oil and basil pesto and cooked until warmed through. I drained and seasoned the pasta and served with the chicken-vegetable mixture on top. There was a nice byproduct in my skillet from the kabobs as well - a pan sauce in the skillet that I drizzled over the pasta before serving. I really wish I'd taken the time to snap a photo of the end result, because it came out beautifully. All the colors from the vegetables and chicken were too appetizing to wait for, so I just dug in.
So what have we learned today? Don't fear the leftover (cue the cowbell). Yesterday's meals have the potential to be more than just microwave fodder. Chicken can be tossed with sauce or oil and thrown over pasta, beef can be put on top of a pizza or mixed in casserole, and so on. With a little imagination, your diners may not even notice the repeat.
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