Just make it up!

Do you ever just open your refrigerator and start cooking whatever you grab?  Tonight was one of those nights! I had been out of town taking care of a family member and had no idea what to fix for dinner. I opened the fridge and started cooking. Here's what we threw together tonight:

Fresh squash - I got them in the skillet first because we like to cook them down and get a little crust on them. Olive oil, onions, S/P are all you need to add to squash for the perfect flavor.
Cabbage - Remember that spicy cole slaw recipe we made some time ago?  The Neelys on Food network make the absolute BEST cole slaw!  It is sweet and spicy! Super easy and very good! Our favorite cole slaw recipe!
Potatoes - For some reason, scalloped potatoes struck my fancy.  I know most of the recipes call for an hour cook time; we would be starving by then..lol!  So, what to do?  Just make it up!!  Bill sliced some potatoes really thin - they actually were waffled.  I made a quick roux (butter, flour, milk, S/P), adding a little more milk than normal and cooked the potatoes until they began to get tender.  Then we poured half in a casserole dish topped with a couple of different kinds of cheeses, added a touch of nutmeg, repeated the layer and then topped with bread crumbs.  I had several misc bags of different cheeses....so I just mixed them up.  There are no rules with cheese!










Green Beans - I love green beans, Bill doesn't!  Fresh are my absolute preference. For some unknown reason I had one of those steamer bags of green beans.  Honestly, frozen green beans are not my thing because they tend to be mushy.  Why I had the steamer bag is beyond me! I threw them in the microwave and got the surprise of my life when the beeper went off.  Apparently, the bag had a hole in it and all the water that was supposed to steam the beans was in the microwave plate. The beans not only looked pathetic and shriveled but were really bland!!  Now, how could I fix them in a hurry?  Everything was ready to eat.  Lightbulb moment! Melt some butter, add some brown sugar and drizzle.  Redemption!

We have decided to continue eating (primarily) vegetarian with the occasional meat when eating out or with friends. We just do not miss it.

Don't be afraid to try something new......or make a recipe up.  Just open your fridge and start cooking. You just might surprise yourself!