A delicious work of art in progress!
For this particular evening, I had no idea what to cook. We had some leftover marinated pork chops, a bunch of odd pastas (partial boxes or bags of linguine, spaghetti, and bucatini), and of course some odd pantry ingredients that were available to me for cooking. I decided to cook some various pasta, dice up the pork, pick some fresh basil from our garden, chop some garlic, and use up the last of an old package of grated parmesan cheese.
The great thing about having leftovers is that you can be creative with them rather than throwing them away! Two diced pork chops, some pasta, and herbs and seasonings all of a sudden can become something great for your family to eat. This meal was essentially made from things that were sunk costs – stuff we already have that may have gotten thrown away.
Recipe:
2 leftover boneless pork chops, diced
1/2 lb. pasta, any kind
2 cloves garlic, chopped
palmful of fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
This isn’t fancy and doesn’t require any special cooking techniques. After the pasta is finished, strain it but keep a little water in it and then combine all the ingredients and toss it lightly. The flavor is all about the garlic, basil, and parmesan.
Diced pork chops, basil, and garlic