Hey, everybody! Reader here, and tonight, I’m talking leftovers.
On Monday, I decided to fire up the slow cooker, and make a batch of something I haven’t had for a while – pulled pork!
I have some of the prepackaged pulled pork seasoning mixes in the cupboard, but instead of going that route, I decided to have a look on YouTube and find a recipe that looked good. After making sure I had the necessary spices, I picked up a nice four-pound pork shoulder, seasoned it up, and popped it in the slow cooker, with a litre of Coca-Cola, to help flavour and tenderize the meat, and I let it go for about six hours. After taking it out, shredding it up, and adding a little Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce, it was ready to go, and it turned out delicious!
But here’s the thing. You can only have so many pulled pork sandwiches.
After a while though, you need to get creative.
Tonight, I decided to make something simple. I made a pot of KD, and added in some of that pulled pork. It was great, and I put in just enough meat, so that it was filling, but not too filling, know what I mean?
But what to do with the rest? Do I make some pulled pork quesadillas? Maybe make some hot dogs and add some of the pork to the mix?
Realistically, I think I’ll freeze the rest, and save it for a rainy day, when I don’t feel like making anything, and I can just heat it up and have a quick supper solution!
Some people aren’t a fan of leftovers. Depending on what they are, I love me some leftovers!
They go beyond simply being a ready-to-eat meal. They carry with them the delicious memories of yesterday’s kitchen adventures, ready to bring you satisfaction and a full tummy with minimal effort. Picture this: you’re home after a long day, and instead of having to cook up a storm, you simply open the fridge to find a rich, flavorful dish that’s had time to truly come into its own. Maybe it’s that lasagna where the layers have perfectly melded together, or that pot of homemade soup that’s now infused with a richer, deeper taste—leftovers have this magical way of getting better with time. Case in point… a pot of chili is great when it’s fresh, but over the next couple of days, the spices and flavour just mixes and it gets better and better!
Leftovers are there for you when you need a break, a cozy blanket in the form of food that lets you unwind and enjoy the moment without the stress and irritation of prepping and cooking.
(By the way, I know many people love the process of cooking and find that relaxing in and of itself. I totally get it! But sometimes, especially on a super-busy, go-go-go kind of day, you don’t want to think about what to make, and rather just nuke up something you’ve already got ready to roll.)
It’s these little pleasures that can turn a regular day into something special. All day at work or school, we find our minds wandering to what we’re going to eat later on, in anticipation of chowing down on what we know’s ready to go in the fridge.
So, next time you’re savoring that second-day stir-fry, or enjoying a slice of day-old pizza, take a moment to appreciate the simple joy of leftovers!
