OK, so, if you have read my pantry chili blog, you'll notice that I have only posted recipes...but what I didn't realize was that, there is much more to cooking than just recipes! I mean, of course I knew that, but I never thought to write them down...I guess that's a bit "old school"...I meant, type them up!
These past few weeks, I've made it a top priority to cook everyday...no eating out...and I've got to say, KUDOS to me! Now with that said, there is an issue of leftovers. A lot of times, things don't taste as well when they are reheated than when they were originally cooked. I suppose I could have "Googled" the solutions to these problems, but I wanted to try it out myself, so here goes:
Leftover pasta:
This is in regards to any type of starchy noodle. Fill a saucepan half way with water and pour a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, or EVOO, as Rachael Ray refers to it... Cover the pot and bring to a rapid boil. (I put the temp on high while trying to bring the water to a boil, super impatient...) After it comes to a boil, drop in desired amount of pasta, I recommend putting it in for each individual portion. Wait 1-2 minutes and spoon out with a pasta spoon. OMGee!!! I couldn't believe how well the pasta had re-heated! 100% better than in the microwave. The EVOO not only adds a hint of flavor, giving the pasta dish some extra depth, but it also keeps the pasta from sticking! Brilliant!
Leftover rice:
When rice is refrigerated, it gets hard and clumpy. This is easy, add 1-2 tablespoons of water per serving and place in microwave for 2-3 minutes. I place a microwave lid over the bowl, but if you don't have one, you can wet a paper towel and place it over the bowl. It literally is steaming and rehydrating the rice!
