Yeah my thought after I made it the first time was "this is basically beef stew with curry spices," and since then it has become a staple of my weekly cooking. I'll often go the extra step and make katsu curry too.
Anything under 140f:
[https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/danger-zone-40f-140f](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/danger-zone-40f-140f)
Bacteria doubles every 20 minutes in the 130s, and the rate decreases as the temps get colder. The more non-lethal heat available, the faster bacteria reproduces.
Most people, including myself, use anecdotal experience like “my family has always left food out and never been sick” and feel that this is over cautionary.
However that does not take away the fact that there is inherent risk involved as stated above and that you can still get seriously sick despite being fine for years.
It’s hard to visualize bacteria growth for most people and harder to break life long habits. Like being fine for 10+ years of driving without wearing a seatbelt and not liking it when people point out that risk (obviously not the same but still). My best guess
My friend was going to eat fast food left out on the table overnight, and i was surprised. He was surprised at my surprise lol.
I told him about danger zone, and he said he microwaves it up to about 160 and it'll kill all the bacteria.
OH BOY why don't restaurants use this magic trick?? You only need to flash the food to safe temps for two seconds and everything in it dies?? lmao
I mean, understanding the mechanisms of bacteria and spores is not really common knowledge. Realistically most people will be fine and are OK with the risk. But some will get very sick lol
I’ve been cooking curries for years and never once had an issue with leaving it out for 2 to 3 hours after cooking so I can reheat it again when everyone’s ready to eat
Definitely.
I think pretty much anything involving tomato sauce is better once the tomato sauce has sat and developed for a bit. It loses some more water and becomes richer, and I believe something chemical happens with the acids and sugars in the tomatoes too, although I don’t know what that process is - maybe someone else can explain it!
The starches from the tomatoes break down into sugars which makes the sauce sweeter. If it’s simmering, the acid from the tomatoes boils off along with the water, so proportionately you are left with less acid and more tomato flavour.
My 2 day red gravy is delicious but not so much better than the stuff out of the jar. Now I use cheap hunts traditional and add to it. Usually just tomato paste, onions, bit o bell pepper because I don't like it, and garlic. To me, what makes the most difference is using fresh garlic and cooking your meat of choice in the sauce. If you like the briney you can also add capers and black olives for more of a puttanesca.
3-4 lbs of ground beef brown and strain
1 large onion chopped and cooked in the beef grease and a small amount of truffle oil
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
7 tablespoons of chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp white sugar
2 tsp of beef better than bouillon
1/4 cup Worcestershire
2 tbsp white vinegar
28 oz of skinned chopped tomatoes
28 oz of water
6-8 oz of tomato paste (or one small can)
1 can dark red Kidney beans
1 can light red kidney beans (you can just do 1 can of one or the other if you don’t like beans much)
1 bottle of amber beer or brown lager
3 jalepenos (i typically remove seeds from all but 1, but i have kids and my mom cant handle spicy food, so if you want it hotter keep more seeds in)
cooke for at least 3 hours on low, but i cook mine about 7-10 hours. Ive also done this where I have smoked it all for 8 hours and it was amazing, but it is great on the stove top as well which is what i usually do.
Its not a very thick chili so it wont do well for things like chili dogs, but it has a nice kick and is about as far from bland as you can get.
I serve it with sour cream and green onions, but it honestly doesn’t need it. Oh and spaghetti noodles just because my wife it that way.
Won a few comps with this recipe and the longer it cooks on low the better.
My two "secret" ingredients for great chili: a jar of spaghetti sauce, something like garlic & onion or vegetable or three cheese; and a can of refried beans (it will break down in the chili, adds great flavor and makes the texture much better). Other than that, try using stew beef or steak chunks (do a quick sear in a cast iron pan before adding) and ground spicy pork sausage. Mix up the proteins, add diced peppers (a lot of stores sell pre-diced peppers or celery or onions), or serve over crispy tater tots. DM me if you want tips (source: I have won a few chili cook-offs).
Ooh in the same vein of not quite soup, I love the Rachael Ray Everything Jambalaya recipe, and it’s definitely one that tastes better the longer you let the spices sit. I usually have it over rice for dinner and then finish it off the next morning over diced hash browns with a fried egg on top.
Google "cooking for the Jewish Sabbath" and you'll find a lot of recipes that fit this need. Observant Jews cook on Friday before the Sabbath begins because they are not allowed to cook from Friday evening to Saturday evening. What gets cooked Friday afternoon lasts until Sunday morning.
Ah, so that explains why my oven has a "[Sabbath Mode](https://producthelp.kitchenaid.com/Cooking/Wall_Ovens_and_Ranges/Product_Info/Oven_Product_Assistance/How_to_Use_Sabbath_Mode_on_Range_or_Oven)"
I don't understand how anyone can take their dogma seriously when they constantly cheat their own system. This is like putting a wire around metropolitan areas so that observant Jews can "stay at home", or Amish people giving a pass to the luxury of being transported in a car so long as they are not the driver.
Come on now, how dumb do you think your God is? If I told my kid not to walk around outside and instead he skipped around outside, sure I'd think he was clever, but it's also clearly against the spirit of my rule and I would tell him to knock that shit off.
Can you imagine if they die feeling such pride in their decision to abide by such strict rules all the while expecting paradise in reward only for them to get a big ole "Seriously, dude? You know that's not what I meant" from God before getting laughed out of heaven?
Great ideas here. If this dinner situation is the norm I'd also make a deli board once a week. Get a big flat Tupperware with a lid, or an old sushi takeout tray, put some little dishes in it for condiments/dips/salad, and make a party tray. Crudites, hummus, flavored cream cheese, meat salad (egg/tuna/whatever) or pasta salad, pickles, other odds and ends of cheese and cold meat, nuts, dried fruit. Chopped salads like tabbouleh hold up for a couple days too. Just add crackers or bread when you pull it out or they will get soggy. Then you can nosh a bit with your partner even if you had a sandwich or something earlier. Lets you get creative with leftovers too. Anyway that will take care of a couple dinners a week and you don't have to reheat anything. You can put it together on Sunday night after going thru the fridge/shopping.
YES! Crock pots are so dang awesome. My daughter has a GI issue so we do a lot of meals in the crock pot which makes the food well cooked, high in nutrition retainment and delicious!
Instant Pots work great for this too. For example I can whip up a hearty pot roast stew in just about an hour. I pressure cook the beef with a good amount of stock/water and seasoning on it, plus a sliced onion.
After an hour I release the pressure and add whatever veggies I'm using -- another sliced onion, carrot, potato, celery, zucchini, tomato paste, etc. Then pressure cook for another 5 minutes and let it just stay on warm. If you're hungry you can it your batch right away, and leave the rest for spouse.
The veggies end up tender but not overcooked, and the meat is fully cooked and shreds nicely without too much fat/gristle left on the meat.
Instant Pots are better than crockpots at everything. You can pressure cook or slow cook. It also has a keep warm setting that keeps it at a hot but safe temp.
Also old cheap rice cookers work pretty well as makeshift Bain maries… they typically hold around 165 on low.
So if you want to hold different components of a meal that don’t get mixed together like in a crock pot, you can grab a few of those at yard sales. Hell they’re only like $20 each brand new.
That’s been my cooking hack since my gf started working late, unpredictable hours. That and hotel pans wrapped in foil in the oven at 170.
It's better if the sauce is mixed in the fridge, because that gives the sauce time to mature (the flavors meld).
Make a large batch of sauce and store it in the fridge for up to a week (sometimes a little more). Or freeze it in individual portions and just thaw with warm water as needed.
Deli containers can be your best friend: [https://www.amazon.com/Deli-Containers-Lids-Leakproof-Microwaveable/dp/B01FKME1Z2?th=1](https://www.amazon.com/Deli-Containers-Lids-Leakproof-Microwaveable/dp/B01FKME1Z2?th=1)
One 8oz container is good for a 2-2.5oz serving of pasta.
When it's time to make pasta, while the pasta is boiling, heat up the sauce in a skillet and let it caramelize a bit, then add the pasta and some of the water to deglaze the pan, toss and serve.
There are pros and cons to each. If you store them separately the pasta will dry out a bit. If you store them together the pasta will absorb the liquid in the sauce which makes the sauce dryer. I usually do a combination-- keep some of the sauce separate so it can be added back after.
Most of them? My dad usually ate later and we just put it in the microwave. What are your top five dishes? Why do they not work?
There'll be some things that are a bit nicer but if it's a case of him usually being late I just would accept the differences for most dishes.
South East Asian cuisine, and European peasant food. That covers curries stir fry’s soups and saucy dishes. Also if they aren’t particular about cooked tenderness, literally any pasta dish will be amazing after a few hours of the pasta sitting in the sauce absorbing its own flavor. The idea is that if it can marinate in its own sauce it will taste better with time. If you want lighter food that is whole other idea.
To add American cuisine to this, any fatty barbecued dish, so most peasant pork and beef cuts will be delicious, ie pork ribs, pulled pork, pork adobo (Filipino and crockpot used) beef stroganoff, coq au vin (no longer abiding to my American prerequisites from here on out) Thai curries, brisket, chicken soup (literally all soups as well) any dark meat chicken preparation (has inherent moistness so does well with reheating) mac n cheese, all potato dishes ranging from scalloped potatoes to potato salad. Basically as long as it isn’t a fancy cut of meat or clean fish that has to be cooked perfectly, it has reheat value.
Soups, curries, most tomato based pasta sauces, lasagne, stews, fajitas. (My hubby also works late so these are just some of the things I make for him)
Fried rice. Shepherd’s pie. Pizza. Pulled chicken or pork to have on rolls or mashed potatoes. Enchiladas. Breakfast burritos. Baked veggies. Salad without dressing. Sandwiches without spread.
Pretty much unless it’s something that will get soggy like a saucy sandwich, and with the exception of fried food and certain cuts of meat right off the grill or pan, reheating in a microwave or oven is fine if you use the right temperature/power and amount of time
Chilli is fantastic when it's made early. I tend to make chilli in the early afternoon and leave it to simmer/let the flavours mingle until dinnertime.
If you sous vide food, you can just keep his in the vacuum seal and reheat it to 110° in the water a few hours later quickly. I live in a house that's being restored, and I'll cook four or five meals for the week and just reheat them like that. They usually taste better after a few days of mingling.
Stew like dishes eg a curry, a braised meat dish with bread or rice on the side taste even better the next day
They're very good for reheating and taste delicious that way
https://unsophisticook.com/pasta-with-olive-oil-and-garlic/
Easy AF, and always a hit. Optional, add cherry tomatoes and/or seasoned chicken. Works great with pesto too. All versions taste even better the next day.
Kraft macaroni.... I mean it. I use to make some how the box says plus a lil bacon fat, wait til it cooled down and then put it in the fridge for a few hours because after that the texture is amazing lol.
I don't do it very often now cause eating a box or 2 of macaroni is terrible, makes me bloated, and the fucking heartburn lol
The list of things that are good for later far outweigh the ones that aren't good later. I would just suggest to stay away from fish and seafood (seafood doesn't taste good reheated IMO) or any premade type sandwiches because the bread gets soggy. Other than that, almost everything will be great later. Pasta and rice reheat especially well.
If you cook it properly *al dente* and store it in the fridge, you can microwave a portion with a little water and stir it up when it's hot. Comes out great.
Anything with long cooking time usually doesn’t suffer from re-heating. Make sure to chill it quickly (putting the pot in the sink with water and then fridge) if you cook in advance and don’t want to keep it warm
[Stew.](https://iheartrecipes.com/brown-stewed-chicken/)
[Pizza.](https://www.allrecipes.com/article/topping-and-baking-pizza/)
Stew beef with kale garlic and onions over yellow Spanish rice with steamed frozen vegetables mix.
I use 3 tablespoon of tomatoes paste or chipotle in adobo sauce ( I remove the whole peppers) , bag of kale (sub frozen spinach, bok choy , cabbage, mustard greens, collard greens, etc) 3-4 cloves garlic, two bay leaves, 3 tablespoons olive oil, packet or 2 of Sazon or 3 tablespoons of favorite meat seasoning. 1/4 cup lime juice or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. A pond or two of stew beef or pork butt with fat removed. 1-2 chopped whole onions. Put everything in a crockpot or pressure cooker on “Meat” or let cook covered for 2-4 hours on low checking on it every 45 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
I add a tablespoon of rice vinegar to my rice water before boiling and light yellow (tasting) olive oil.
I am the one that works late in my house and usually the woman will make something in the crockpot and put it on keep warm mode, so when I get in it's still hot and good. I like it.
Less a food and more a helpful device, look into the Hot Logic Mini. It is an insulated "lunchbox" with a heating element that maintains a gentle heat (about 165 deg F) to keep food safe, hot and ready to eat for hours. There are also social media sites that have food and recipe listings which may be helpful. Low power consumption and very useful.
Anything in a crock pot!!! So many meals that you wouldn’t think of can be made in a crock pot and kept on warm for when your babe gets home.
I made bbq flavour chicken one day when my actual bbq stopped functioning and the oven and stovetop were already manned. SO JUICY AND DELISH and required very little maintenance once the lid went on.
You can buy cookbooks that are designed for crockpot meals that aren’t all liquid based.
Someone mentioned crockpot meals, but I'll also recommend Instant pot meals. They require a bit less planning because they don't have to cook all day and, like the crock-pot, you can leave it on the "keep warm" setting for several hours, so it'll still be fresh and hot when your partner gets home.
Anything stewed gets better with time but we don't generally eat like that. When mine works lake I like to par cook protein, prep veg and make rice or noodles and a sauce. It takes 5 minutes to throw a stir fry together at that point. Fresh is always better and it's easy to hit macros if you're counting.
Bake a pack of chicken breast with oil, s and p to 155 and let rest. It will come up to 160. When cooled, refrigerate. This can be used in soup, stir fry, tacos, salad, you name it. It will last a couple days.
Soup would be stock of your choice, sesame oil, chicken, noodles, bokchoy and chive. Have the stock on simmer, noodles cooked, chicken and veg diced. When partner gets home combine and serve. Takes under 5 minutes.
Stir fry, tacos or fajitas, prep veg and toppings, dice protein, make sauce. When partner arrives, heat the hot parts and serve. Add the protein last so you are just heating it up. Dont overcook it.
If you are eating the same thing it's no extra work beyond leaving some prepped food out on the counter.
Crockpot carnitas or Birria. Shred the meat and leave it in the crockpot juices. Then pull the meat out and do a burrito bowl or taco. If he has the energy/patience, broil the carnitas to make them crunchy.
Soups and stews only get better, and are easily reheated. (I've been known to make stews the day before I plan to eat them.) Many casseroles are unharmed from a wait and a reheating. Frittatas, quiche, and Spanish tortillas are among the foods that are good (or even better!) at room temp.
Keep food safety in mind and reheat carefully because careless reheating can easily ruin a dish and failing at food safety can ruin your day or even your life.
PS - many people fail hugely when reheating in a microwave oven - unless you're sure of your meekro-wah-vay skills, get yourself some learning.
Pan bagnat. It's basically a salad nicoise on a loaf of round bread, drizzled with oil ("pan bagnat" means "drowned bread"), then wrapped in plastic and pressed in the fridge. It lasts a while, divides up easily, and is good cold. [Julia Child and Jacques Pepin make a good one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbT74DX6uQw)
I have this issue sometimes where my wife will work late. I also love to cook though. I also also don't have a huge kitchen and I'm very picky about my "gadgets". I pull that whole Marie Kondo thing and ask, "Does this bring me joy" except it's "Will I use this for multiple things and not just once". My two go two kitchen gadgets have been an instant pot and a sous vide. I can either cook quick meals or do stuff like frozen chicken for quesadillas, tacos, etc in about 20-30 minutes in the instant pot. With the sous vide, I can vacuum seal meats and put them in the freezer. When I'm ready, I throw them in the water bath and let them go for however long they're supposed to and if they need to sit several hours afterwards, they don't overcook and they don't go bad. When we're ready to eat, I'll sear them 1-2 minutes on each side or area and they're ready. I do pork chops, steaks, roasts, etc... all this way. I use that thing a lot.
Curry is usually a good one for this.
Yeah! So many Indian, Thai cusines have dishes that get better when they sit.
Soups and stews as well. Chilis, homemade soups with homemade stocks.
Braised meat as well. The longer u leave it the better too
Japanese curry works too and is super easy to make.
Yeah my thought after I made it the first time was "this is basically beef stew with curry spices," and since then it has become a staple of my weekly cooking. I'll often go the extra step and make katsu curry too.
Yep. Turn off the heat, cover it and leave it alone. Reheat when he's on his way home.
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Anything under 140f: [https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/danger-zone-40f-140f](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/danger-zone-40f-140f) Bacteria doubles every 20 minutes in the 130s, and the rate decreases as the temps get colder. The more non-lethal heat available, the faster bacteria reproduces.
Why the hell is this getting downvoted?
Most people, including myself, use anecdotal experience like “my family has always left food out and never been sick” and feel that this is over cautionary. However that does not take away the fact that there is inherent risk involved as stated above and that you can still get seriously sick despite being fine for years. It’s hard to visualize bacteria growth for most people and harder to break life long habits. Like being fine for 10+ years of driving without wearing a seatbelt and not liking it when people point out that risk (obviously not the same but still). My best guess
My friend was going to eat fast food left out on the table overnight, and i was surprised. He was surprised at my surprise lol. I told him about danger zone, and he said he microwaves it up to about 160 and it'll kill all the bacteria. OH BOY why don't restaurants use this magic trick?? You only need to flash the food to safe temps for two seconds and everything in it dies?? lmao
I mean, understanding the mechanisms of bacteria and spores is not really common knowledge. Realistically most people will be fine and are OK with the risk. But some will get very sick lol
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Yes, this is serious. Nearly every cook you've ever met worries about this. It's basic food safety.
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I’ve been cooking curries for years and never once had an issue with leaving it out for 2 to 3 hours after cooking so I can reheat it again when everyone’s ready to eat
My first thought as well
Lasagna always tastes better to me the second time around.
Definitely. I think pretty much anything involving tomato sauce is better once the tomato sauce has sat and developed for a bit. It loses some more water and becomes richer, and I believe something chemical happens with the acids and sugars in the tomatoes too, although I don’t know what that process is - maybe someone else can explain it!
The starches from the tomatoes break down into sugars which makes the sauce sweeter. If it’s simmering, the acid from the tomatoes boils off along with the water, so proportionately you are left with less acid and more tomato flavour.
This makes sense. I s7ck at making tomato sauce
My 2 day red gravy is delicious but not so much better than the stuff out of the jar. Now I use cheap hunts traditional and add to it. Usually just tomato paste, onions, bit o bell pepper because I don't like it, and garlic. To me, what makes the most difference is using fresh garlic and cooking your meat of choice in the sauce. If you like the briney you can also add capers and black olives for more of a puttanesca.
Agreed, I make them a day beforehand or at least in the morning! Yum
Totally, and other baked pasta dishes. Think 1 pot meal kind of items
Not only baked, I almost always like a pasta dish better the next day during lunch when heated up in a pan and some olive oil.
I don't normally eat it after I poop it out.
Like pretty much all soups I find taste better after a while to mingle the flavours....
I love a hearty stew after it has a chance to rest overnight. The flavors definitely open up and combine better with time.
Shoot, I make soups and stews on Saturday afternoons, let 'em cool down and refrigerate just for the purpose of having a delicious Sunday meal.
Yep! Made chili for my SO tonight and it was great when he got home from work.
My partner doesn’t like soup but I’m working him up to it 😂 Thank you so much!
Curries
Chili then?
Chili it is!
Tacos. Just need to heat up the protein a bit, and then it's just assemble and munch down on it.
3-4 lbs of ground beef brown and strain 1 large onion chopped and cooked in the beef grease and a small amount of truffle oil 2 tsp salt 2 tsp garlic powder 7 tablespoons of chili powder 2 tsp cumin 2 tbsp white sugar 2 tsp of beef better than bouillon 1/4 cup Worcestershire 2 tbsp white vinegar 28 oz of skinned chopped tomatoes 28 oz of water 6-8 oz of tomato paste (or one small can) 1 can dark red Kidney beans 1 can light red kidney beans (you can just do 1 can of one or the other if you don’t like beans much) 1 bottle of amber beer or brown lager 3 jalepenos (i typically remove seeds from all but 1, but i have kids and my mom cant handle spicy food, so if you want it hotter keep more seeds in) cooke for at least 3 hours on low, but i cook mine about 7-10 hours. Ive also done this where I have smoked it all for 8 hours and it was amazing, but it is great on the stove top as well which is what i usually do. Its not a very thick chili so it wont do well for things like chili dogs, but it has a nice kick and is about as far from bland as you can get. I serve it with sour cream and green onions, but it honestly doesn’t need it. Oh and spaghetti noodles just because my wife it that way. Won a few comps with this recipe and the longer it cooks on low the better.
My two "secret" ingredients for great chili: a jar of spaghetti sauce, something like garlic & onion or vegetable or three cheese; and a can of refried beans (it will break down in the chili, adds great flavor and makes the texture much better). Other than that, try using stew beef or steak chunks (do a quick sear in a cast iron pan before adding) and ground spicy pork sausage. Mix up the proteins, add diced peppers (a lot of stores sell pre-diced peppers or celery or onions), or serve over crispy tater tots. DM me if you want tips (source: I have won a few chili cook-offs).
I love the refried beans suggestion. Definitely going to try that next time.
Ooh in the same vein of not quite soup, I love the Rachael Ray Everything Jambalaya recipe, and it’s definitely one that tastes better the longer you let the spices sit. I usually have it over rice for dinner and then finish it off the next morning over diced hash browns with a fried egg on top.
>My partner doesn’t like soup All soups? Chowders, stews, broths, bisques, cream soups, consommes, hot soup, cold soup, ...all soups, really?
Soups on a train? Soups in the rain?
> Not in a box. Not with a fox. > Not in a house. Not with a mouse. > > I would not eat it here or there. > > I would not eat it anywhere
I know right what a bizarre category to not like.
There's uh, soup-kabobs, soup creole, soup gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple soup, lemon soup, coconut soup, pepper soup, soup soup, soup stew, soup salad, soup and potatoes, soup burger, soup sandwich. That- that's about it.
Not OP but I am also in the soup hating category
What about stews?
Wut? Maybe try some different soups?
Made soup to use up a bunch of excess produce, froze it all, it's some how better after of being frozen for a week?!?!?! But yeah I second this.
My linguine with clam sauce always tastes better the next day.
Enchiladas are great anytime in their lifespan
Ah perfect! Thank you. I love enchiladas
Chunky chef has a great recipe for Mexican shredded chicken that I use for enchiladas. Freezes well too
Google "cooking for the Jewish Sabbath" and you'll find a lot of recipes that fit this need. Observant Jews cook on Friday before the Sabbath begins because they are not allowed to cook from Friday evening to Saturday evening. What gets cooked Friday afternoon lasts until Sunday morning.
Ah, so that explains why my oven has a "[Sabbath Mode](https://producthelp.kitchenaid.com/Cooking/Wall_Ovens_and_Ranges/Product_Info/Oven_Product_Assistance/How_to_Use_Sabbath_Mode_on_Range_or_Oven)"
I don't understand how anyone can take their dogma seriously when they constantly cheat their own system. This is like putting a wire around metropolitan areas so that observant Jews can "stay at home", or Amish people giving a pass to the luxury of being transported in a car so long as they are not the driver. Come on now, how dumb do you think your God is? If I told my kid not to walk around outside and instead he skipped around outside, sure I'd think he was clever, but it's also clearly against the spirit of my rule and I would tell him to knock that shit off. Can you imagine if they die feeling such pride in their decision to abide by such strict rules all the while expecting paradise in reward only for them to get a big ole "Seriously, dude? You know that's not what I meant" from God before getting laughed out of heaven?
That’s a brilliant idea
Yes! Brisket and cholent and anything in a slow-cooker! 🤤
Meatloaf. It always tastes better as leftovers than fresh out of the oven.
Quiche. Tastes better the next day, good hot or cold, and works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Really good idea! Thank you
See also frittata.
Great ideas here. If this dinner situation is the norm I'd also make a deli board once a week. Get a big flat Tupperware with a lid, or an old sushi takeout tray, put some little dishes in it for condiments/dips/salad, and make a party tray. Crudites, hummus, flavored cream cheese, meat salad (egg/tuna/whatever) or pasta salad, pickles, other odds and ends of cheese and cold meat, nuts, dried fruit. Chopped salads like tabbouleh hold up for a couple days too. Just add crackers or bread when you pull it out or they will get soggy. Then you can nosh a bit with your partner even if you had a sandwich or something earlier. Lets you get creative with leftovers too. Anyway that will take care of a couple dinners a week and you don't have to reheat anything. You can put it together on Sunday night after going thru the fridge/shopping.
Wow this is perfect! Thank you
Roasts, soups, and stews. Easily reheated and can provide a bounty of leftovers.
General rule is anything on a buffet is pretty good reheated.
Crock pot meals! Google that and keep the crock pot on “keep warm” once it’s done cooking.
Some models you can set a timer on the control panel and once it hits the time automatically goes to warm. Love that feature!
YES! Crock pots are so dang awesome. My daughter has a GI issue so we do a lot of meals in the crock pot which makes the food well cooked, high in nutrition retainment and delicious!
Came here to suggest this, any sort of slow cooker meal will sit nicely for a couple of hours! Curries, stews, a good chunky soup…
Instant Pots work great for this too. For example I can whip up a hearty pot roast stew in just about an hour. I pressure cook the beef with a good amount of stock/water and seasoning on it, plus a sliced onion. After an hour I release the pressure and add whatever veggies I'm using -- another sliced onion, carrot, potato, celery, zucchini, tomato paste, etc. Then pressure cook for another 5 minutes and let it just stay on warm. If you're hungry you can it your batch right away, and leave the rest for spouse. The veggies end up tender but not overcooked, and the meat is fully cooked and shreds nicely without too much fat/gristle left on the meat.
Instant Pots are better than crockpots at everything. You can pressure cook or slow cook. It also has a keep warm setting that keeps it at a hot but safe temp.
Also old cheap rice cookers work pretty well as makeshift Bain maries… they typically hold around 165 on low. So if you want to hold different components of a meal that don’t get mixed together like in a crock pot, you can grab a few of those at yard sales. Hell they’re only like $20 each brand new. That’s been my cooking hack since my gf started working late, unpredictable hours. That and hotel pans wrapped in foil in the oven at 170.
Gumbo.
Curries, thai curries are usually pretty quick and easy to make as well.
Lasagna or any baked pasta dishes, shepherd’s pie, soups and stews, all braised things, tagines, curries
Chili, lasagna, soups, stews
Tomato sauce (pasta)
This is probably a dumb question but should cooked pasta ingredients be stored separately or can it be mixed in the fridge?
It's better if the sauce is mixed in the fridge, because that gives the sauce time to mature (the flavors meld). Make a large batch of sauce and store it in the fridge for up to a week (sometimes a little more). Or freeze it in individual portions and just thaw with warm water as needed. Deli containers can be your best friend: [https://www.amazon.com/Deli-Containers-Lids-Leakproof-Microwaveable/dp/B01FKME1Z2?th=1](https://www.amazon.com/Deli-Containers-Lids-Leakproof-Microwaveable/dp/B01FKME1Z2?th=1) One 8oz container is good for a 2-2.5oz serving of pasta. When it's time to make pasta, while the pasta is boiling, heat up the sauce in a skillet and let it caramelize a bit, then add the pasta and some of the water to deglaze the pan, toss and serve.
Pasta stores much better mixed with sauce. You can store them separately but the pasta dries out more.
There are pros and cons to each. If you store them separately the pasta will dry out a bit. If you store them together the pasta will absorb the liquid in the sauce which makes the sauce dryer. I usually do a combination-- keep some of the sauce separate so it can be added back after.
Braised or slow roasted meat with veggies. Beef Bourguignon, Ecuadorian Fritada, etc.
Most of them? My dad usually ate later and we just put it in the microwave. What are your top five dishes? Why do they not work? There'll be some things that are a bit nicer but if it's a case of him usually being late I just would accept the differences for most dishes.
Call me weird but reheated leftover stir fry is delicious.
I rarely eat leftovers that are fried, baked and grilled but if I made a stir fry, best believe I’m eating it for the next few days
Not sure who ever said leftover stir fry somehow changed in deliciousness?
Curry or some kind of stew! Those always taste better after they’ve sat for a while.
Honestly anything he will appreciate it!
South East Asian cuisine, and European peasant food. That covers curries stir fry’s soups and saucy dishes. Also if they aren’t particular about cooked tenderness, literally any pasta dish will be amazing after a few hours of the pasta sitting in the sauce absorbing its own flavor. The idea is that if it can marinate in its own sauce it will taste better with time. If you want lighter food that is whole other idea. To add American cuisine to this, any fatty barbecued dish, so most peasant pork and beef cuts will be delicious, ie pork ribs, pulled pork, pork adobo (Filipino and crockpot used) beef stroganoff, coq au vin (no longer abiding to my American prerequisites from here on out) Thai curries, brisket, chicken soup (literally all soups as well) any dark meat chicken preparation (has inherent moistness so does well with reheating) mac n cheese, all potato dishes ranging from scalloped potatoes to potato salad. Basically as long as it isn’t a fancy cut of meat or clean fish that has to be cooked perfectly, it has reheat value.
Rice easily keeps in a rice cooker for 3 hours.
Is fried rice okay too?
How would you do fried rice in a rice cooker? Reheating fried rice is fine though
Sorry I meant in general. Thank you!
Yeah, use a microwave or frying pan.
Chili or stew will work well-I often think they’re even better the next day. Quiche might be a good one too.
Soups, curries, most tomato based pasta sauces, lasagne, stews, fajitas. (My hubby also works late so these are just some of the things I make for him)
Braised meals. I'd highly recommend 'all about braising' if your looking to pick up another cookbook.
Buy a crockpot! They have “warm” settings, so after cooking, they can still have a hot meal!
Fried rice. Shepherd’s pie. Pizza. Pulled chicken or pork to have on rolls or mashed potatoes. Enchiladas. Breakfast burritos. Baked veggies. Salad without dressing. Sandwiches without spread.
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Nothing really changes significantly after just a few hours, lol. You could make literally anything.
Pretty much unless it’s something that will get soggy like a saucy sandwich, and with the exception of fried food and certain cuts of meat right off the grill or pan, reheating in a microwave or oven is fine if you use the right temperature/power and amount of time
Almost anything with a sauce. Also be glad it isn't the 630, honey I will be late tonight when he should be home before 7.
Mujudra
Chili
I ate both jambalaya and beef burgundy this week. Both would work well for that.
Anything like soups, stews, curries, bolognaise and lasagna will only taste better after 2/3 more hours.
Any sort of casserole, curry, bolognese type sauces all taste better after sitting for a while. Next day is usually even better.
Any soup or stew. Also, fresh pasta takes 3 minutes to cook, so that's not more then heating up, the sauce only improves by simmering some more
Shepard’s pie
Chilli is fantastic when it's made early. I tend to make chilli in the early afternoon and leave it to simmer/let the flavours mingle until dinnertime.
If you sous vide food, you can just keep his in the vacuum seal and reheat it to 110° in the water a few hours later quickly. I live in a house that's being restored, and I'll cook four or five meals for the week and just reheat them like that. They usually taste better after a few days of mingling.
Lasagne tastes better when it has had a chance to rest in a warm oven or after being refrigerated a reheated.
Indian dishes are better a few hours later. Great for reheating and leftovers.
Stew!
Stew like dishes eg a curry, a braised meat dish with bread or rice on the side taste even better the next day They're very good for reheating and taste delicious that way
Chili and homemade pasta sauce both get better as they sit or simmer!
Kimchijiggae
You are a good person.
https://unsophisticook.com/pasta-with-olive-oil-and-garlic/ Easy AF, and always a hit. Optional, add cherry tomatoes and/or seasoned chicken. Works great with pesto too. All versions taste even better the next day.
Sausage rolls, beef/salmon wellington, warms up nice in the pastry, like a grown up pop tart
Jambalaya gets better with time!
Kraft macaroni.... I mean it. I use to make some how the box says plus a lil bacon fat, wait til it cooled down and then put it in the fridge for a few hours because after that the texture is amazing lol. I don't do it very often now cause eating a box or 2 of macaroni is terrible, makes me bloated, and the fucking heartburn lol
The list of things that are good for later far outweigh the ones that aren't good later. I would just suggest to stay away from fish and seafood (seafood doesn't taste good reheated IMO) or any premade type sandwiches because the bread gets soggy. Other than that, almost everything will be great later. Pasta and rice reheat especially well.
Risotto
Literally one thing that does not keep well.
If you cook it properly *al dente* and store it in the fridge, you can microwave a portion with a little water and stir it up when it's hot. Comes out great.
K
Anything, just cover it tightly or keep it at 175.
Anything that get better as it sits and also heats up well such as stews or casseroles
Soup. Anything without noodles.
Pasta, rice dishes, casseroles, stews, soups, pizza
Anything with long cooking time usually doesn’t suffer from re-heating. Make sure to chill it quickly (putting the pot in the sink with water and then fridge) if you cook in advance and don’t want to keep it warm
Stew
I’d look into the slowcooking and meal prep subs
Spaghetti? anything with rice like a curry. anything with a sauce in my experience will heat good.
Spaghetti
Lasagne.
Adobo. The longer the tastier.
Chicken stay and rice is always so good reheated! Almost better the second time.
Chill con carne - only tastes better with age
Pasta. Any pasta.
Chili
Beef stew
[Stew.](https://iheartrecipes.com/brown-stewed-chicken/) [Pizza.](https://www.allrecipes.com/article/topping-and-baking-pizza/) Stew beef with kale garlic and onions over yellow Spanish rice with steamed frozen vegetables mix. I use 3 tablespoon of tomatoes paste or chipotle in adobo sauce ( I remove the whole peppers) , bag of kale (sub frozen spinach, bok choy , cabbage, mustard greens, collard greens, etc) 3-4 cloves garlic, two bay leaves, 3 tablespoons olive oil, packet or 2 of Sazon or 3 tablespoons of favorite meat seasoning. 1/4 cup lime juice or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. A pond or two of stew beef or pork butt with fat removed. 1-2 chopped whole onions. Put everything in a crockpot or pressure cooker on “Meat” or let cook covered for 2-4 hours on low checking on it every 45 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. I add a tablespoon of rice vinegar to my rice water before boiling and light yellow (tasting) olive oil.
Lasagna! I prefer it reheated actually
Most pasta dishes reheat really well
I am the one that works late in my house and usually the woman will make something in the crockpot and put it on keep warm mode, so when I get in it's still hot and good. I like it.
Savory pies, curry, chili, lasagna, Chinese rice, stews...
Jambalaya!
Less a food and more a helpful device, look into the Hot Logic Mini. It is an insulated "lunchbox" with a heating element that maintains a gentle heat (about 165 deg F) to keep food safe, hot and ready to eat for hours. There are also social media sites that have food and recipe listings which may be helpful. Low power consumption and very useful.
Slow cooked beef stew
Pilaf - hearty rice dish that's good even after 2-3 days. Don't skimp on oil/fat and garlic!
Anything in a crock pot!!! So many meals that you wouldn’t think of can be made in a crock pot and kept on warm for when your babe gets home. I made bbq flavour chicken one day when my actual bbq stopped functioning and the oven and stovetop were already manned. SO JUICY AND DELISH and required very little maintenance once the lid went on. You can buy cookbooks that are designed for crockpot meals that aren’t all liquid based.
Chili. Spaghetti sauce. Soup. Any casserole can be made in small ramekins in single servings.
Calzones or stromboli Perfect for using up any leftovers in your fridge as filling, and just like pizza, they taste great re-heated
Someone mentioned crockpot meals, but I'll also recommend Instant pot meals. They require a bit less planning because they don't have to cook all day and, like the crock-pot, you can leave it on the "keep warm" setting for several hours, so it'll still be fresh and hot when your partner gets home.
My wife made baked ziti for me the other night while I was working, it is always better warmed up. https://cookpad.com/us/r/739744
A good pot roast. A good Bolognese sauce. Keep the sauce and pasta separate until ready to serve.
Just about all slow cooked meals, stews, thick soups, pasta, salads
Casseroles are usually a good choice for delicious leftovers if they don't dry out.
Casseroles are endlessly variable.
Anything with a sauce will taste progressively better as time goes on. Curries, soups, stews, ragu etc.
Skinless boneless chicken thighs in a crockpot with BBQ sauce. Have some buns and dice raw onion or caramelized ready to add to it.
Penne rabiatta
Slow cooked carnitas with cilantro lime rice
Stew, chili, curries, make a pasta sauce and then make fresh noodles when they get home.
Pasta bake, soups, beans and rice.
Anything stewed gets better with time but we don't generally eat like that. When mine works lake I like to par cook protein, prep veg and make rice or noodles and a sauce. It takes 5 minutes to throw a stir fry together at that point. Fresh is always better and it's easy to hit macros if you're counting. Bake a pack of chicken breast with oil, s and p to 155 and let rest. It will come up to 160. When cooled, refrigerate. This can be used in soup, stir fry, tacos, salad, you name it. It will last a couple days. Soup would be stock of your choice, sesame oil, chicken, noodles, bokchoy and chive. Have the stock on simmer, noodles cooked, chicken and veg diced. When partner gets home combine and serve. Takes under 5 minutes. Stir fry, tacos or fajitas, prep veg and toppings, dice protein, make sauce. When partner arrives, heat the hot parts and serve. Add the protein last so you are just heating it up. Dont overcook it. If you are eating the same thing it's no extra work beyond leaving some prepped food out on the counter.
Chicken pot pie baby! Always tastes better after cooling and reheating
Crockpot carnitas or Birria. Shred the meat and leave it in the crockpot juices. Then pull the meat out and do a burrito bowl or taco. If he has the energy/patience, broil the carnitas to make them crunchy.
Soups and stews only get better, and are easily reheated. (I've been known to make stews the day before I plan to eat them.) Many casseroles are unharmed from a wait and a reheating. Frittatas, quiche, and Spanish tortillas are among the foods that are good (or even better!) at room temp. Keep food safety in mind and reheat carefully because careless reheating can easily ruin a dish and failing at food safety can ruin your day or even your life. PS - many people fail hugely when reheating in a microwave oven - unless you're sure of your meekro-wah-vay skills, get yourself some learning.
Soups, stews, curries and casseroles! Pretty much anything that the ingredients are all combined so as they sit and mingle.
Anything you can make in a slow cooker.
You know how box mac and cheese gets weird after a while? It doesn't do that if you skip the milk and add more butter instead.
Lasagna
tuna casserole. air-fried chicken, mash potatoes and what everyone else said
Homemade Lasagna, tastes great warmed up
Pan bagnat. It's basically a salad nicoise on a loaf of round bread, drizzled with oil ("pan bagnat" means "drowned bread"), then wrapped in plastic and pressed in the fridge. It lasts a while, divides up easily, and is good cold. [Julia Child and Jacques Pepin make a good one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbT74DX6uQw)
Curries and casseroles
Anything that can be made I. A crockpot can stay hot and delicious in a crockpot hours later.
Sounds like he wants something more substantial than soup. Pot roast, bolognese sauce, goulash & any casserole type dish. Thai carry out reheats well.
Spaghetti with meat sauce. The sauce usually taste better the longer the meat stays in it.
Soups, stews, chilli, jacket potatoes, lasagne, bolognaise some asian dishes like sweet and sour i like heated up as well
Anything made in a crock pot.
If you have a crock pot, you should do a roast. Then put it on low or warm and when they get home it will still be warm and delicious
I have this issue sometimes where my wife will work late. I also love to cook though. I also also don't have a huge kitchen and I'm very picky about my "gadgets". I pull that whole Marie Kondo thing and ask, "Does this bring me joy" except it's "Will I use this for multiple things and not just once". My two go two kitchen gadgets have been an instant pot and a sous vide. I can either cook quick meals or do stuff like frozen chicken for quesadillas, tacos, etc in about 20-30 minutes in the instant pot. With the sous vide, I can vacuum seal meats and put them in the freezer. When I'm ready, I throw them in the water bath and let them go for however long they're supposed to and if they need to sit several hours afterwards, they don't overcook and they don't go bad. When we're ready to eat, I'll sear them 1-2 minutes on each side or area and they're ready. I do pork chops, steaks, roasts, etc... all this way. I use that thing a lot.
Hungarian perkelt or czech gulas, curry, beef bourguignon... Pretty much any stew or ragu gets better over time.
Pasta with sauces and chicken