On Wed 01 Jul 2009 09:50:18a, Kate Connally told us...

> Omelet wrote:
>> In article 0>,
>> Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>>
>>> On Mon 29 Jun 2009 12:55:33a, Omelet told us...
>>>
>>>> I personally like to send dinner guests home with leftovers so always
>>>> make sure I have some of those "disposable" containers on hand prior
>>>> to cooking. The relatives especially. I sent them home with more
>>>> leftovers than I kept for dad and I yesterday, including some of my
>>>> clam dip.
>>>>
>>>> They always seem to appreciate me doing this, and heaven knows there
>>>> are tons of leftovers from holiday dinners! Yesterday was not a
>>>> holiday, but I just felt like grilling and when I grill, I tend to
>>>> grill a LOT since my coals last so long when I do a wood fire. Wood
>>>> fires last a whole lot longer than charcoal fires! Sometimes up to
>>>> 12 hours...
>>>>
>>>> Anyone else send dinner guests home with "doggy bags"?
>>> It depends totally on what I've cooked. I won't send main dish items
>>> unless they taste as good reheated as they did originally. That often
>>> limits it a lot. I will almost always send dessert portions home with
>>> guests, since most hold up extremely well.
>>>
>>> On the recipient end, I gracefully turn down offers of food to take
>>> home for the same reasons.
>>>
>>> I'm not overly fond of leftovers in general, mine or others.
>>
>> You know, that's just begging a whole new thread, or even a survey. ;-)
>> Dad and I practically live on leftovers. I'd say about 75% of what we
>> eat.
>
> Me, too. As I'm mentioned in previous posts I generally cook
> something on the weekend, most likely stews or soups but sometimes
> casseroles and other stuff, and it is meant to feed me for a
> week or 2, sometimes 3 in the case of my Brunswick stew which
> always ends up needing a bigger pot!
>
>> It's why I have strict timing rules for cooked food safety.
>>
>> I even used to drink leftover (refrigerated) coffee, either iced or
>> nuked.
>>
>> I'd love to try to understand some people's aversion to leftovers,
>> either re-heated or eaten cold?
>
> Only reheated for me. I don't like cold things except for
> beverages and ice cream. ;-) Anyway, that's why microwave
> ovens were invented!
>
>> I swear that crab dip I made on Sunday is even better today! The
>> flavors have had more time to mingle. I'm very careful about
>> monitoring both refrigerator and freezer temps. I actually have
>> thermometers. <g>
>
> I don't mess with all that stuff. I do keep my refrigerator
> colder that usual - in fact some stuff freezes slightly if it's
> at the back of the fridge. I have to watch where I put fresh
> produce and eggs.
>
>> There are a number of things that actually taste better the second day.
>
> You bet!
>
>> But I also understand that there are some things that are just no good
>> re-heated, but that (imho) generally involves fast food. Things like
>> tacos, prepared fast food burgers, french fries,
>
> Actually, I have found a good way to reheat fries. I fry them
> in a skillet in about a quarter inch of oil. Perks them right
> up. However, some of those dang skinny fries that are ubiquitous
> these days (Damn you McDonald's!!!!) are a little too thin and
> when re-fried sort of have a crisp outer surface but no inner
> potato! (I really miss real french fries like we had when I was
> young - about 3/8" thick. I especially liked the crinkle cut
> fries - more surface area to get crisp. And they had plenty of
> soft potato in the middle. I really, really, really hate skinny
> fries!)
>
>> tater tots, etc. Those
>> are usually horrible re-warmed. Some can be rescued using a toaster
>> oven
>
> The toaster oven works pretty well for a lot of things. Or just
> the regular oven.
>
>> however, but I eat out so seldom any more.
>>
>> Can't afford it.
>
> Me, too!
>
> Kate

What I consider leftovers and like to avoid are small amounts of food that
one might typically eat the following day for lunch or perhaps for dinner.
That's the type I don't like. In the case of many foods, I try to
carefully calculate what the two of us will consume in one meal, and it
works out most of the time.

In the case of many dishes which make a large quantity, e.g., soups, stews,
etc., I make them in quantities that can be divided into portions to feed
the two of us and freeze them to be eaten some weeks or so in the future.

I intensely dislike eathing the same food two days in a row.



--
Wayne Boatwright
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Strawberries are the angels of the earth, innocent and sweet with
green leafy wings reaching heavenward. ~Jasmine Heiler