All Those Leftovers

Between Hurricane Sandy and the fast approaching Holiday season, I've been unable to dedicate much time to Mission Insatiable.  No new recipes this year, and my my advice to anyone who is cooking up a turkey for this Thanksgiving is the same as last year: brine that bird!  I don't care who you are or how your grandmother taught you to cook a turkey -- if you don't brine the bird it will be dry.  Everyone will lie to your face and tell you how delicious it is, but we both know the truth.

Regarding leftovers, I will reference a 2010 post for curried turkey salad.   It's vibrant, easy and delicious.  Give it a go this year.

I also suggest that you reheat leftover stuffing by cutting it into rounds and searing it on the griddle.  Stuffing is my favorite component of the Thanksgiving feast, and these seared rounds take the indulgence to the next level.

From your friends at Mission Insatiable -- get your binge on!

© 2012 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable - http://www.missioninsatiable.com

waste-not, want-not: "noodle caboodle" (w/ lemon-garlic crunch)

noo-dle ca-boo-dle (noun) - the generic term for any make-shift pasta hobbled together by a non-italian;the coalescence of yesterday's pasta and last week's produce, an instant american-italian classic; comfort food borne from the frugalities and hardships of the failed american dream.

i don't throw away leftovers. ever. i can't afford to. i do my best to best utilize whatever i have on hand to the limit.

leftover pasta is a great vehicle for a plethora of make-shift "noodle caboodle" type dishes. this week i have 2 cups of cooked ditalini pasta leftover from a hearty batch of pasta e fagioli. i also have a can of tuna and a can of sweet peas that i stole from my mother's pantry.

let's see if i can make it happen.

"noodle caboodle"
yield ~1 qt

2 cups leftover ditalini pasta (any small pasta will do; elbows?)
1 (6oz) can of solid white albacore tuna, flaked
1/2 cup parsely, chopped
1/2 cup sweet peas (fresh or canned)
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
1 TBS parmesan, grated
1/2 cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper to taste

1. combine the leftover pasta, flaked tuna, peas, parsley, grated parmesan and chili flakes in a mixing bowl. toss to combine. add the olive oil and lemon juice. toss to combine. season with salt and pepper to taste.



-- top with 1 TBS of the lemon-garlic bread crumbs (recipe follows) and a dash of extra virgin olive oil; serve warm or at room temperature.


lemon-garlic bread crumbs
yield 1 cup

1 TBS butter
1 TBS olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh bread crumbs*
1 TBS lemon zest
2 TBS parsely, chopped
1 TBS parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste

1. heat butter and olive oil over medium heat.



2. add garlic, saute over medium heat until fragrant and beginning to brown; 1-2 mins.



3. add fresh bread crumbs and toss to evenly distribute fat. saute over medium heat until crisp, shaking the pan often to keep the crumbs from burning; 4-8 minutes depending on personal preference.



4. add lemon zest, parsely and grated parmesan, toss to combine. remove from heat.

* making fresh bread crumbs is easy; cut the crust off of some white bread, place into a blender, food processor or coffee grinder and pulse.



- BONG!!!

© 2009 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable" - http://missioninsatiable.blogspot.com/

an eclectic thanksgiving

this was my first year taking on thanksgiving; the bird, the sides the whole shebang. needless to say, my mind was a bit scattered and i wasn't able to photo-document the event as attentively as i would have liked to. in fact, aside from the turkey salad i made from the leftovers, i failed to capture any evidence of the incredibly moist, perfectly roasted 12 pound turkey that graced our table – you’ll just have to take my word for it.

it was dinner for 6 but there was enough food for 12. italian antipasto and pastry desserts, the bird, all the conventional trimmings and various pies – yes, it certainly was an eclectic thanksgiving.

some shots of the eats i was able to capture:

prosciutto wrapped honeydew wedges


fresh mozzarella, beefsteak tomatoes, basil olive oil

robiola cheese, sharp provolone; orange blossom honey dip

tangled roasted red peppers, breadcrumbs, parsley, olive oil and fresh lemon

corn pudding: creamed corn, serrano peppers, onion and chipotle powder

roasted autumn vegetables: carrots, apples, brussel’s sprouts, sunchokes and rutabaga; cracked almonds, baby frissee and truffle oil

sweet potato casserole, decadent pecan crust

creamed spinach gratin: dijon mustard, parmesan and gruyere cheeses, bread crumbs and a dash of curry powder

classic stuffing; turkey bacon, apples, and chestnuts; maple syrup glaze

curried turkey salad; cashews, apple, red onion and shaved carrot



© 2008 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable" - http://missioninsatiable.blogspot.com/