Vegas claims not to like leftovers.
Both of us used to compete basically constantly ate leftovers.Â
At the prime of my meal prep, I was eating leftovers 7 meals a day, 7 days a week. Â I got used to it. Â Vegas got sick of it. Â She claims not to like leftovers.
Until I put them in front of her…
The other night I made Ina Garten’s Coq Au Vin recipe. It was time consuming and fun.  I actually love to spend hours in the kitchen (in case that wasn’t already obvious to you).  I basically followed the recipe, except I added rosemary and used a good Merlot.
This recipe, while delicious, makes a TON of food. Â I had to get creative and repurpose it. Â That’s the theme of my WIAW this week – a day of making leftovers taste like a whole new meal! Â I didn’t get the first complaint from leftover-hating Vegas.
Check out Jenn’s WIAW baby over at Meghan’s this week, and then check out everyone else’s delicious eats!
Breakfast:
I had the usual morning cocktail and morning sludge.
Then I turned Coq Au Vin into a breakfast food. Â It turns out you can add egg and turn anything into a tasty scramble.
Lunch:
More Coq! Â And pita. Â This one I warmed in a skillet with some brussels and stuffed in a pita with melty cheese.
Snack:
Ok, so this wasn’t Coq Au Vin… but it was leftovers! Â Hard boiled egg and my Basil Avocado Hummus. Â Is that strange? Â It’s kind of like a deviled egg…
Dinner:
So what about the actual Coq Au Vin? Â We ate it with bourbon braised Brussels and yellow squash with bacon. Â And wine. Â It was delicious.
All hail Ina.
***
It’s fun cooking outside of your comfort zone! Â I’ve never actually cooked French food. Â What to try next…
Who is your favorite Food Network chef?
Have you ever made Coq Au Vin?Â
That looks so delicious! I think there is a big difference between leftovers like this and five day old, dry chicken breast. I love spending all afternoon in the kitchen too, but it seems so excessive when I’m only cooking for myself!
Oh yeah… I’ve been there with the dry chicken too. And fish. Blech.
I WILL EAT ANYTHING WHEN IM NOT MAKING IT.
then or the initial creation time 🙂
thankfully Im raising a leftoverlovingCHILD as well.
The coq au vin? I wonder if she’d love!!!
No leftovers? Leftovers are my survival!
That’s what I said!!!
I’m usually intimidated by the fancy recipes like that, but I keep telling my husband that once a month we should have a super fancy at home dinner, something like this or lobster, etc.
Without leftovers, we would starve! I have never attempted Coq au Vin before. It seems like a very intimidating recipe. And Ina is my favorite, How easy is that?
Ina rocks! It’s not that it is super hard – she give good instructions. It does take some time though!
I love the look of that Pitta! And the hummus does sound strange but also can imagine it being quite tasty!
Yay for leftovers! I never liked them until I moved out on my own and realized how great they are to have any life-saving. I love adding an egg to dinner food and making it breakfast. I’m a fan of savory (and chicken!) breakfasts.
I love hard boiled eggs with any type of hummas, so if you are weird, so am I! I’m pairing mine with TJ’s roasted garlic hummas this week. That and their organic breathmints.. 😉
Believe it or not, I don’t think I’ve ever had coq au vin, but I’ve considered cooking it a time or two. Sounds yummy! (and maybe I’ll make that recipe since I’m not opposed to leftovers!)
I’d totally make it if I were you… just so I could have the wine. LOL! The booze cooks out. 😉
Ina can do no wrong. I love Alton Brown circa Good Eats, but now he’s kind of off the handle. I love redoing lefotovers – that pita re-do looks so good!!
Favorite will always be my girl “Ray Ray” 😉 She was the first one I ever watched with her 30 minute meals (that really took longer) 😉
And…leftovers rocks! Most of the time they taste better than the original anyway 😛 Especially chicken!
She was one of my first too! I think Giada was the first one whose meals I cooked though.
Lol, your leftover eats remind me of myself when I cook a whole chicken. I’m eating rotisserie chicken for days. All it takes is a little creativity- which you’ve obviously got!
Oh gosh this looks delicious.
I LOVE cooking French cuisine. It does take more time but I am always proud of myself afterwards. Have you tried boeuf bourguignon? Again, time consuming but totally delicious, plus BACON.
Thank you! The boeuf has loooong been on my list. This winter it’s on! Ina’s coq recipe has bacon – that is always a selling point for me. 🙂
The “throw egg into anything and make it a scamble/omlete” and it will taste good sentiment has always made me happy (and gotten rid of a lot of leftovers in my fridge). I really want to use leftover pizza and make a pizza omelete one of these days. How bad could that be?
P.S. I love Ina too 🙂 Definitely want to try her Coq Au Vin recipe!
I’d totally eat a pizza omelet! I love just throwing a fried egg on it.
Oooo, it’s hard to pick a favorite Food Network Star. But I do love Alton Brown (I love the science of food + recipes tend to be reliable, hence I also love America’s Test Kitchen). I also like to watch Damaris (Southern at Heart), but have yet to make any of her recipes, so I can’t vouch for them. I also like Trisha Yearwood.
Alton is really cool. He lives in Atlanta (where I just moved from)!
I need those brussel sprouts!! They have been one of my favorite side dishes lately. I’m sure the bourbon compliments the bacon really well!
Gotta love my Bobby Flay ;)! Alton and Giada are pretty cool too. Your Coq looks so freaking fantastic- I wish I could cook like you!
Oh, its not that impressive. Following a recipe isn’t too hard – just takes patience! 🙂
You are a food genius! I can barely make one meal, let alone “repurpose” it. Bravo! And leftovers? I claim to hate them too. It’s a thing.
I don’t mind leftovers but my husband and kids hate them and most times refuse to eat them (unless it’s pizza and then my kids love eating it cold for breakfast the next day, shudder). I cut down recipes most times, so there’s no leftover issues 🙂
I have to admit… I do enjoy a slice of cold pizza every so often. 🙂
i so want to try this. love hours in the kitchen too…with wine, right?
Goes without saying!
I love repurposing leftovers! Makes me get creative 🙂
I am a leftover person for sure.!
Bourbon braised Brussels!!!??? That sounds amazing! Do you just sauté them in a little bourbon? (Of course whilst sipping a wee dram at the side 😉 )
It was delish! The brussels weren’t bad either. 😉 I basically did this: http://taketwotapas.com/2015/04/20/bourbon-bacon-brussels-sprouts/
Look at you! SO innovative!! I don’t think I’ve ever made leftovers into breakfast… maybe a few times, but not recently!! Def should! Thanks for the fun idea!
Thank you! I really just hate to waste food. 🙂
Fave chef? Definitely Alton Brown. I’m a fan of the croque monsieur though. When I traveled through France, I jumped on that one—-same with crepes. They have sidewalk crepe stands like we have hotdog stands. Delicious! But I’m with Vegas…not a fan of leftover food. I can taste “old”. The only food that I like days after is my black bean brownies. They taste better after a few days in the fridge than fresh out of the oven.
I LOVE croque monsieur. Like a lot. And I definitely got a crepe when I was in France. Would have gotten more than one, but I was only there for a day. Next time!
I need to make those brownies.
I LOVE coq au vin! I made it for the first time a little while back and it was so delicious. I love that it’ a one pot meal, too. You make me want to make it again so that we have a lot of leftovers!
Basil avocado hummus on eggs?! HELL YES