Recipes by Maggie Gorman and Angela Lin
The scenes are frightening but familiar: a forlorn, half-eaten Cinnapie peers sadly from its cardboard grave after last night’s boozy bacchanal. Its once-glistening icing is now a sad, dry ghost of its former glory. Or there’s the shame of uneaten fries, abandoned when you passed out before you could even shovel them from their greasy paper bag to your mouth. You want only to dispose immediately of these offenses, and with them any remaining morning-after regret. But leftovers harbor hope for the broke, hungover and hungry. These three leftover makeovers are designed with empty fridges in mind, utilizing the inherent flavorful-ness of takeout. No need to show your face to the outside world on a grocery run — score! On days when Chinese fried rice is the best option, it’s small victories like this that keep you going.
Chinese Fried Rice
Photo by Naib Mian
Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
Leftover Chinese (meat or vegetable dish)
White rice
1-2 teaspoons of oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 egg
Directions:
1. Heat oil in pan over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add leftover Chinese and sauté until heated through.
2. Add rice and soy sauce. Sauté to coat rice with sauce.
3. Add egg and scramble.
Cinnapie French Toast
Photo by Maggie Gorman
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
Remains of one Cinnapie
4 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream or milk
2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Maple syrup (optional)
Directions:
1. Whisk together eggs and cream or milk in large bowl.
2. Break Cinnapie into sticks and soak each one in egg mixture, flipping over to thoroughly coat each side.
3. Melt butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Place sticks in skillet and cook until light golden-brown on each side, about 3 minutes per side.
5. Serve French toast with maple syrup, if desired.
French Fry Hash
Photo by Naib Mian
Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 6 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
Leftover French fries, chopped
Fresh vegetables like bell peppers or onion, chopped
1 egg
Deli meat like turkey or ham, chopped
Shredded cheddar
Directions:
1. Sauté vegetables and meat in pan over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes.
2. Add chopped fries and crack in egg.
3. Scramble on low heat until eggs have just set and fries are crispy.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Top with shredded cheddar.
Spaghetti Skillet Pie
Photo by Maggie Gorman
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
½ cup milk or cream
¼ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
½ pound leftover cooked
Spaghetti (with tomato sauce)
Directions:
1. Whisk together the milk, cheese, salt, pepper, parsley and eggs in a small bowl.
2. Heat oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Sauté garlic, stirring constantly, until lightly browned.
3. Pour leftover spaghetti into skillet, arranging to form a neat, slightly raised circle. Pour egg mixture evenly over spaghetti and cook, without stirring, until bottom is crispy, or about 5 minutes.
4. Flip pie to cook other side by setting a plate the same size as the skillet on top of the pan and inverting the pan. Add more oil to pan if necessary.
5. Slide inverted pie, crispy side up, back into skillet and finish cooking over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until browned.
6. Slide pie onto a plate, cut into wedges and serve with Parmesan.