On the surface, it seemed like DH and I had everything in common. That is, till we sat down for our first solo meal together. Suddenly, all our inherent differences came to light.
Whereas, he grew up with the philosophy of finish-everything-that-is-on-your-plate-AND-in-the-serving-dishes, I grew up with the attitude of, I-can-eat-as-much-or-as-little-as-I-want and not care if there were leftovers.
Yep, as you can image, this interesting difference of philosophy came more so to the forefront after the kids started eating at the table. We both tried to reason with the children, based on our growing up ideologies and suddenly the dining table started resembling more of a battlefield than a peaceful array of delicious dishes.
This is when I realized that other than the obvious solution of taking some "time-out" for ourselves and deciding who will wear the pants on the dining table (of course, that would be me), I needed to put my thinking hat on and show how leftovers don't amount to wastage. In fact, as you will see below, the leftovers become the star of the meal.
Once you realize that this is a standard pattern in any relationship - basic differences cropping up in unexpected situations (I say, "the hills are calling out to me this December" and he says, "Mysore has a hill nearby that we can go and climb- should be fun"; I say, "I have NOTHING in my closet!" and he decides to stay mum; and so many more), you can start taking them in your stride and creating solutions that are more out-of-the-box than a true compromise for either of you.
So, with that, here is the first of my leftover miracle!
Whereas, he grew up with the philosophy of finish-everything-that-is-on-your-plate-AND-in-the-serving-dishes, I grew up with the attitude of, I-can-eat-as-much-or-as-little-as-I-want and not care if there were leftovers.
Yep, as you can image, this interesting difference of philosophy came more so to the forefront after the kids started eating at the table. We both tried to reason with the children, based on our growing up ideologies and suddenly the dining table started resembling more of a battlefield than a peaceful array of delicious dishes.
This is when I realized that other than the obvious solution of taking some "time-out" for ourselves and deciding who will wear the pants on the dining table (of course, that would be me), I needed to put my thinking hat on and show how leftovers don't amount to wastage. In fact, as you will see below, the leftovers become the star of the meal.
Once you realize that this is a standard pattern in any relationship - basic differences cropping up in unexpected situations (I say, "the hills are calling out to me this December" and he says, "Mysore has a hill nearby that we can go and climb- should be fun"; I say, "I have NOTHING in my closet!" and he decides to stay mum; and so many more), you can start taking them in your stride and creating solutions that are more out-of-the-box than a true compromise for either of you.
So, with that, here is the first of my leftover miracle!
Who does not love the classic combination of "beans on toast". You may have thought that adding some onions and chopped green chili or some cheese is the best way to increase the oomph factor on the tried and tested breakfast meal. Well, consider adding some pesto (leftover after a meal of pesto and spaghetti dinner - see recipe here) to the buttered toast and then top with the beans and some cheese (preferably parmesan). You will never go back to the traditional version again!!
Is there anything more heartwarming than pumpkin soup during the cold winter nights? Truly, it is a more of a meal that brings the whole family together - when your children clamor for more and more and you realize that all you did was take the left over Moroccan stew from last night, blended it and heated it up!!! See the stew recipe here.
Which meal can be complete without a dessert? How about a chocolate pecan oatmeal cookies with some warm salted caramel sauce in the center? Oh yes, please! All you have to do is, bake the cookies following the recipe here and when they are fresh out of the oven, use the back of a spoon to push the centers down. Then, while they are still warm, add the caramel sauce (see recipe here or use store bought) to the center and allow to set for a few hours or have it like I did.....
How do you make a good thing into something outstanding? Add a dollop of vanilla icecream to it!! Yes, this is how I ate my leftover cookies - with the gooey sauce spilling over into the ice cream. How will you eat yours?
Truly, whether it is converting leftovers into meals or differences in thinking - the key to bridging the gap is to find a happy and creative medium!!
