Making leftovers

In high school and college, I had part-time jobs as a cook. I worked on the graveyard shift at a local 24-hour coffee shop, and I was a “chef” at Pizza Hut.

Those experiences and my current skills at making macaroni and cheese and hot dogs for grandkids have enabled me to declare myself a culinary wizard.

A while back I had an idea that I would write “John’s Leftovers Cookbook.” A sure-fire approach to rustling up some tasty leftovers. The cookbook has only one recipe (that’s all you need to deal with leftovers) which means that anyone can easily make a very fine meal based on whatever is in the refrigerator.

The outline for the cookbook is below.

John’s Leftovers Cookbook

One Recipe. Endless Possibilities.

By Chef John Glaser

A Note from the Author

Cooking does not have to be complicated.

You do not need exotic ingredients. You do not need a sous vide machine. You do not need to know what a sous vide machine is.

You need a skillet, some leftovers, a huge glob of cheese, Worcestershire or hot sauce and confidence.

This cookbook is the pinnacle of my cooking experience and skill. The book fills a niche long neglected by existing cookbooks – what do I do with leftovers?

The Recipe

1. Heat oil in a big skillet.
2. Add some leftover meat — chicken, steak, or hot dogs.
3. Add some leftover starch — rice or potatoes.
4. Add some leftover vegetables — broccoli, green beans, or asparagus.
5. Heat and stir from time to time.
6. While stirring, add a huge glob of cheddar cheese.
7. Sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce or hot sauce.
8. Serve.

Quantities are intentionally unspecified. Trust yourself.

Chef John’s Notes

Serves: Depends on how much was left over.

Preparation time: Almost none. You might have to chop up an ingredient or two.

Cooking time: Until it’s hot.

Difficulty: If you can find the skillet and turn on the stove, you can make this.

Wine pairing: Whatever is already open.

Substitutions: Encouraged.

Most important culinary principle: When in doubt, add more cheese.

About the Author

John is a cooking maven and a pioneer in the field of leftover cuisine.

Rejecting the unnecessary constraints of measurements, recipes, planning, and grocery shopping, he developed a culinary philosophy based on a simple question – “What’s in the refrigerator?”

John’s Leftovers Cookbook represents the culmination of his culinary career. It is likely to be his last cookbook; it is hard to imagine that a simpler and tastier meal exists than a dinner of leftovers prepared using the recipe in this book.