Playing with Left-Overs...and Dessert

First off, I apologize for my absence this past week. First week is classes tends to be a busy time in the jet setting world of academic advising, as students come to us about changing majors, changing schedules, or just generally freaking out about the transition back to school. So there was cooking in our house, but it wasn't exciting cooking, and not something I figured anyone would want to know about.

Sunday, however, I had some friends over for dinner, and I cooked German food. I had a package mix for Sauerbraten (German Pot Roast) gravy. Unfortunately, I have no idea what brand it was. So I made this roast and the gravy (with mushrooms) and in a second pot, a mix of potatoes, yellow onion, and carrots boiled in butter water with herbs. Well, my guests demolished the meat and the sausage sampler and most of the veggies that made it to the table, but we had a lot left in the pan. And Gravy. Hmmm.... So I turned the heat up to mid-low, and added the gravy and then let the pan simmer for a while. The results? Tasty tasty beefy vegetable soup for lunch today. There was just enough for two of us.

The lesson here isn't the soup itself, but to take a look at what you have left over and see if it can be re purposed in someway. Having the leftovers be different from the meal can make all the difference in wanting to eat them the next day. And sure, left over lasagna may be hard to re purpose, but other things aren't. Left over spaghetti in Sauce? Layer it on top some sauteed Italian vegetables in a cooking spray coated pie pan, and then top with cheese and bake until you have a cheese crust. Ta-Da- Spaghetti Pie! Remember, half the battle in the kitchen can be won with a little creativity.

And now, because I like to leave you with a tasty recipe, here is a quick and easy dessert.

8 shortbread cookies crushed
10 ripe strawberries, hulled and cut up
3 tbs sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tsp lemon extract or the zest of one lemon

In a large bowl, toss the strawberries with 2 tbs of the sugar. Let them set out for 20-30 minutes so the sugar can draw the juice out and make them good and goey. In two large wine goblets, split 1/2 of the cookie crumbs into two equal portions. Add a layer of strawberries. Repeat with the other 1/2 of the cookies and the other half of the strawberries. In a bowl, use and electric mixer to whip the cream with the rest of the sugar and the lemon extract or zest. Top the goblets with the whipped cream. Enjoy.