This week has been a great week for leftovers!
We have been enjoying all kinds of reheated meals from Butternut Squash Mac ‘n Cheeze, to Tomato Barley Risotto, and some Holiday Soup For The Soul that I defrosted from the freezer. I don’t know why leftovers get such a bad rep…I’m always so happy when I realize that dinner is already cooked for me. I like to pretend that I have a personal chef when I eat leftovers.
After making Butternut Squash Mac ‘n Cheeze this week, I had some leftover cheeze sauce to use up. I have been drizzling it on wraps and sandwiches and even dipping tortilla chips in it. It is quite a versatile little sauce!
Then I decided to put a new spin on a favourite recipe of ours, Tomato Barley Risotto.
I made a double batch this time, which is always great for leftovers. This dish reheats nicely and it is really fun to sprinkle on wraps or just reheat in a bowl with a splash of milk.
But back to the sauce.
I think you know where I’m going with this idea…
It was such a simple addition to the Tomato Barley Risotto, but the outcome was amazing. With just a bit of sauce stirred in, this dish was transformed!
I mixed in about 1/2 cup of the cheeze sauce for a double batch (I didn’t really measure, but just added it to taste). It was mind-blowing good food.
Eric said, ‘Who knew you could eat something that tastes so creamy and cheesy and it would be vegan?’
I lit up like a Christmas Tree.
This dinner is going on a regular rotation for sure. I think it was the creamiest and most cheesy tasting vegan dish I have ever made (aside from the mac ‘n cheeze of course).
Lunch
I don’t show too many lunches on the blog, but this lunch was new and unusual so I thought I would share it with you.
The star of the show was Fresh Dill!
Do you guys ever cook with fresh dill?
I have been in love with anything Dill flavoured ever since I was a kid (but mostly just Lays Dill Chips!). Growing up, I couldn’t get enough of those salty, deep-fried, crispy, tangy bites of processed crap. I needed an intervention.
Fast forward to today, and while I love the idea of cramming a bunch of dill chips into my mouth, I’m not so keen on the idea of MSG or other mystery ingredients that lurk in these foods. I’ll take fresh dill any day.
For some reason though, I don’t buy fresh dill very often (I guess I just don’t know what to use it in!), but I really think I should. I originally planned on making Homemade Dill Chips (adapting the Salt & Vinegar Chip recipe), but I forgot to buy potatoes, so I decided the next best thing would be to make Dill Chip Chickpeas. They turned out wonderful.
Eat your heart out Lays.
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Dill Chip Chickpeas
Yield: 2 servings (~2 cups)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup fresh dill, minced with stems removed
- 1/2-3/4 tsp kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions: Mix all ingredients to taste. Note: I tried roasting the chickpeas, but I preferred the flavour much more before roasting. Eat them on their own or sprinkle them onto salads or wraps for a fresh kick to any lunch.
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I roasted these, but I preferred the flavour before roasting, so next time I will just mix and serve!
I enjoyed it with a rainbow of chopped veggies, sprinkled with dill and lemon, and served with hummus.
It was such a great lunch and it really got me in the Spring mood. 
In home décor news, we finally have something on the walls I can show you.
I picked up this plate-inspired wall décor on sale at Pier 1 last week. I thought it was perfect for the warm colours in our house.
Eric said The Crazy Dish Lady now has dishes on the WALLS and he laughed at me.
I guess he has a point…
Today we are knee deep in taxes (personal and business), bill payments, and I also have a bunch of paperwork to complete. It’s one of those days when you wake up and you realize that you can’t put it off another day longer or two men will show up in dark suits and you’ll never be heard from again.
On a happier note, don’t forget to Spring Forward tonight! Yawhoo!! I have some fun Spring-inspired recipes coming up this week to get you in the mood.
i love that you have a collection of crazy lady dishes, angela! that is what i am aspiring to collect this year (a goal for 2011). i would like everything to be mismatched and to make me happy with either colour or “vibe.” just picked up a rather kitschy plate on vacation – but it will make me smile when i used it at home.
i really like the wall art! good choice!
Risotto is my all-time favorite dish! I cannot wait to try this! I’m always looking for new ways to prepare it! :-)
I love dill too! Oh my gosh… definitely making those dill chickpeas.
First … that does look ultra creamy and ultra delicious!!
Second … I love the new wall decor, it’s perfect!
I love your new Pier One purchase ~ how appropriate!
I love chickpeas and I love Lays Dill Pickle Chips, so I will definitely be trying this recipe!
I love this — I have the exact same wall decor in our apartment! You have good taste :) In food and decor!
The salesclerk was telling me that the wall decor was featured on some home decor TV shows and in magazines…I suspect many people have it on their walls! haha
I love dill too! I like to add fresh dill to green salads- it makes them so flavorful!
me too! I added fresh dill to the salad I posted yesterday…it was fun!
Wow, that risotto looks so creamy and delicious! I cannot wait to try it. I’ve had chickpeas on the brain lately too, and that hummus plate looks like a perfect lunch for a warm day like today (finally :) ) The wall decor is beautiful! I love how it harmonizes and accents at the same time.
I love love love that plate decor! It’s so cute.
I am all about left overs too. I eat left overs basically every day for lunch and love when I can recreate them into something even better the next time. The cheezy risotto sounds delicious!
Have you ever thought of growing your own dill? You could even do it indoors in a window sill or something until the weather warms up. There’s nothing like fresh herbs growing in the kitchen and then actually being able to cook with them that makes you feel like you’re in touch with nature!
I love the plates on the wall too!
Taxes…yes, taxes. My hubby and I are still dealing with all the prep. work that goes into it, especially when you have you own business….so fun.
Good luck!
Yes! I do want to grow my own herbs definitely. I have tried growing basil a few times and had NO luck at all, so I’m a bit apprehensive, but hopefully I can grow some this year!
I seriously just dropped everything I was doing to make those Dill Chip Chickpeas. I.love.dill.
I’ll have to try in in my salad soon. Two of my favorite recipes include dill: 101Cookbooks’ Carrot, Dill & White Bean Salad Recipe & Veganomicon’s Dill Basmati Rice with Chard and Chickpeas. SO DELICIOUS.
mm thanks for the suggestions!
I love that plate with the little place on the side for a fork or hummus!
Your barley rissoto looks amazing Ange! I love risotto, anything cheezy and also barley. Match made in heaven. I feel the same way about leftovers and especially like them when they can be frozen and eaten long after the dish has been cooked. I almost always enjoy it more the 2nd time when there are far less dishes to do afterward. :D
I love fresh dill can’t wait to start getting it in our csa box! Im so excited for spring, bring on the recipes :) If only the weather would cooperate!
I forgot about the clocks…oh darn.
Eek – I need to start on that tax thing myself. I’m scared to face the (gulp) truth…
i never know what to do w/ dill either! i’m def. gonna pick some up next time and try this, i mean can anything w/ chickpeas be bad? well….. let’s not tempt fate… :P
and i had to giggle cuz i have those SAME Pier1 plate/hanging in my house!!! :D
thanks for the great inspiration as always!
xo
Creamy + cheezy + chickpeas = in my belly. You are a deliciousness conisseur Ang!!:)
I’m a huge fan of dill as well. It adds such great flavour to summer grain salads and dips! I was never a huge fan of dill flavoured chips, but those chickpeas sure look good! :D
I think leftovers get a bad rap because the texture is almost always different. I’m a huge texture person and I can’t stand leftovers becaue they are never as fresh or as crisp as when they were originally made.
I love PIer 1 — I worked for them for 6 years – all through high school and college. Sometimes I wish I still worked for them!
The chickpeas sound delicious! You are so creative in the kitchen :)