WE OPEN THE fridge and there, a collection of unknowns in foil confronts us. Translucent baggies with a cup and a half of something test our memory. God bless those of you that when you are packaging up the residue of ghosts of dinners past, you mark them with tape, date and freeze them! I tend to think I know what they are, when they appeared in this kitchen, and surely will use them soon. Slowly they are pushed to the rear of the fridge by newer additions, there to languish and become specters of their former being.

What one of us has not paused with a mound of foil in our hand and been slightly afraid of what it might contain?

Starting with:

Mashed Potatoes

(From Christmas dinner)

I had mashed small-cubed red potatoes with their skins on for a side dish. After boiling until tender, they were steamed with the top on the pot for a few minutes to get rid of excess liquid. The potato pieces were broken down using a hand masher leaving some small lumps. Then butter, (at least 1 tablespoon per medium potato) salt and pepper were added, finishing with warmed whole milk. I have recently read recipes where grated cheese was added prior to any liquid. In that case, the potatoes were not being served with gravy as a topping.

Note: Sometimes you could use sour cream instead of milk, or a combination of 1/2 and 1/2 and milk to add to the richness.

Those potatoes not used for dinner, were formed in a meatloaf shape and wrapped in foil and put in the front of the fridge.

Potato Chowder 1 slice thick bacon, or two thin

1 medium onion, diced

2 packages of Herb Ox Chicken bullion

1 1/2 or 2 cups water 2 cups mashed potatoes 1 cup Half and Half

Cheddar Cheese for garnish

Cut bacon in 1/2 inch slices crosswise, then sauté in a sauce pan till almost crisp. Remove bacon, and most of the fat. Drain bacon on paper towels, and reserve as garnish for the soup. Sauté the onion in the bacon fat till onion is translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the two packages of the chicken bullion, stir water in, and simmer mixture for about 20 minutes. Add the mashed potatoes, and stir together. Simmer for 10 minutes plus. Taste and correct seasoning. At this point, the mixture can be cooled and refrigerated. When ready to serve, heat soup to boiling, then add cream, re-heat, but do not boil. Serve in heated bowls. Top with grated cheese and bacon bits.

Mashed Potatoes Revisited It is difficult to have mashed potatoes have the same consistency that they had when first mixed. My grandmothers would mix the cold potatoes with a beaten egg for every 3/4 cup or so, also adding some whole milk. But don’t make them creamy. As the potatoes reheat, they become less thick, but some liquid must be added. The egg tends to puff-up the mixture. The reconstituted potatoes can be used as a topping, for example a cubed meat-gravy mixture, or can be reheated in the microwave. I find glass pie plates super for reheating leftovers. Sometimes I will serve one or two “instant casseroles” Left over vegetables, and those newly cooked can be added as well. Grated cheese is useful as a binder and as added flavor.

Rice reheated

Cold rice is super starting point for the “second time around” Often when I serve it the first time, I have mixed sautéed mushrooms or parsley and olive Tapenade with it just as it is taken off the heat. That way the flavors of the mushroom/ olive mixture will be more readily absorbed. When it cools, the excess is easily combined with other ingredients. The olive oil in the mixture stops the rice kernels from clumping

Often I will add grated parmesan to it (initially or in reheating stage)

Ideas

Rice To be combined with

Lots of sliced mushrooms and thinly sliced red onions:

Cubed ham with peas and sautéed onions and grated cheese

Sautéed green peppers

Grated carrots

Sautéed onions and spinach plus grated cheese

A Stuffing for baked

chickens

Sauté an onion and mushrooms in butter. Add a few tablespoons frozen peas, Add just enough rice to fill chicken’s cavity, stirring and mixing in the sauté pan. Correct seasonings prior to stuffing.

Mexican Rice and Eggs

Using two cups cold rice. In olive oil, sauté: one large onion, 1/2 of both red and yellow peppers, cut up, 1-3 crushed garlic cloves. Add Mexican seasoning to sautéed vegetables as they cook. I sometimes use barbeque seasoning to which I add more chili powdear. Sauté vegetables till they are tender. Add cold rice to vegetable mixture. Taste. Mix well, then add 1/2 +cup grated cheese.( I use jalapeño Monterey Jack) Put in warm oven to keep hot. Fry an egg for each person, sunny side up in olive oil (or bacon drippings) spoon a layer of rice mixture on the middle of a warmed plate, twice as large as the diameter of the egg, add egg and top with heated Enchilada sauce…great for breakfast or dinner…Serve with warmed tortillas, or tortilla chips.

You can have a salad for dinner tomorrow. Add lots of things to it!

I’m going to look in the back of my fridge now. Happy New Year. pgg.