Cold spaghetti for breakfast

[Jenise]

Mmmm...mmmm...mmmm. Having some right now. Am I the only one who loves this?

[Robin Garr]

Mmmm...mmmm...mmmm. Having some right now. Am I the only one who loves this?

Ummm ... can't speak for others, but in general, Italian-style pasta needs to be hot to excite me. Some Asian cold pasta dishes are okay - thinking of Sichuan spicy noodles here - and I've had some truly memorable Japanese summer noodle dishes made with cold soba. But leftover cold spaghetti - or cold pizza, for that matter - have never appealed to me.

Mmmm...mmmm...mmmm. Having some right now. Am I the only one who loves this?

Nope, you are not alone. I would need to heat it just a wee bit, but the other day I made Spokane Pizza for the grandkids for dinner and the next day I had a cold wedge for breakfast. It consists of, refried beans, with onion, garlic, Ortega peppers, taco sauce, hamburger, topped with cheese, tomatoes, avocado and some lettuce. My very favorite thing to eat cold for breakfast is Halupki...a stuffed cabbage roll made with hamburger, rice, tomatoes, smothered in sauerkraut and tomato sauce. Oh my, it is heaven! I make it only once a year, because it is the one food that I have no resistance to. I could eat the entire batch if I had three stomachs. Can't believe I actually found this recipe on the INTERNET. I've been making it for over for over thirty-five years. Here it is, as written by the poster, just two years ago.

Serves 4 - unusual and spicy, this isn't for the kids! This recipe was written down by a pilot friend of mine who got it in Spokane, Washington. Let me know if you are from Spokane and this is your recipe!!!

Spokane Pizza
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1-4 ounce can diced green chiles
1/2 cup tomato-based chili sauce
5 flour tortillas, large ones
2 tablespoons melted butter
1-1 pound can of refried beans
1 can sliced, ripe olives, drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2-1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 large ripe avocado
Bottled taco sauce
sour cream
How to make it
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crumble beef into a wide frying pan and cook over medium heat.
Stir while cooking to break it up, until beef is browned.
Add onion and cook until soft.
Stir in garlic salt, green chiles and chili sauce until blended.
Set aside.
Brush tortillas on both sides with butter and overlap in a 14-inch pizza pan.
Broil about 3-inches from heat until lightly browned and crisp. Just about 3 minutes.
Spread refried beans over tortillas and top with meat mixture.
Sprinkle evenly with cheeses. (I blend cheeses in a bowl first.)
Bake on lowest rack of a 450° oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Meanwhile, peel, pit and slice avocado.
Arrange on pizza.
To serve, cut into wedges.
At the table, pass the taco sauce and sour cream to spoon over individual servings.

[Jenise]

...the other day I made Spokane Pizza for the grandkids for dinner and the next day I had a cold wedge for breakfast. ...

So it's essentially a giant tostada-like thing. Nothing about that not to love. Do you make your own refried beans?

So it's essentially a giant tostada-like thing. Nothing about that not to love. Do you make your own refried beans?

I do make them, however with the ten and eight year olds who wanted to be in the pool all day, the extra time involved is at a premium when they are here. I like Rosarita refried beans, but I add sautéed onion, garlic, Ortega chiles or my roasted Hatch chiles, and Lindy's Red Taco Sauce to them. Sometimes I add peppered thick sliced bacon, which is cooked to crisp. If I am making this for a side dish, I always add a good sharp cheddar to the top and then bake in the oven. I always make it a day ahead, because it is one of those dishes that is better the next day. The dried beans are made the same way, it just takes more time.

[Jenise]

So it's essentially a giant tostada-like thing. Nothing about that not to love. Do you make your own refried beans?

I do make them, however with the ten and eight year olds who wanted to be in the pool all day, the extra time involved is at a premium when they are here. I like Rosarita refried beans, but I add sautéed onion, garlic, Ortega chiles or my roasted Hatch chiles, and Lindy's Red Taco Sauce to them. Sometimes I add peppered thick sliced bacon, which is cooked to crisp. If I am making this for a side dish, I always add a good sharp cheddar to the top and then bake in the oven. I always make it a day ahead, because it is one of those dishes that is better the next day. The dried beans are made the same way, it just takes more time.

Do you add milk to them? I'm thinking that would get you closer to Mexican restaurant taste. I've only purchased canned RB's once, or maybe someone gave them to me? I can't imagine the circumstance under which having a choice, I'd choose Taco Bell, but that's the brand I had--and they were horrible. Tasted like a Nacho Cheese flavored Dorito. Which is a good enough taste on a chip, but it completely masked any bean flavor. Which might have been the point. I do remember that when I was a kid (and wouldn't eat beans of any kind), my mother bought Rosarita too.

Do you add milk to them? I'm thinking that would get you closer to Mexican restaurant taste. I've only purchased canned RB's once, or maybe someone gave them to me? I can't imagine the circumstance under which having a choice, I'd choose Taco Bell, but that's the brand I had--and they were horrible. Tasted like a Nacho Cheese flavored Dorito. Which is a good enough taste on a chip, but it completely masked any bean flavor. Which might have been the point. I do remember that when I was a kid (and wouldn't eat beans of any kind), my mother bought Rosarita too.

I haven't ever added milk. I use bacon drippings and black valentine beans. I don't keep lard in the house but always have some bacon drippings. Sometimes I like to keep them simple with just onion, garlic, jalapeño peppers or the Hatch. The Rosarita are bland from the can, but when I jazz them up they are great. Years ago when kids came home with notes from school to bring a dish for a special event in their class room, (and they forgot to tell me, until the night before) I'd make those Rosarita refried beans. They got to be hit with the kids, and I was always asked to make them. Sure save my A-- a few times!
By the way, I have not found a Mexican restaurant with good refried beans or rice, (in our area) except for Tia Maria in Monterey CA. I think they were bought out by someone and renamed. They were right above the ocean as I recall, and had the best margaritas! The chips and salsa were outstanding.
If anyone knows of a great authentic Mexican restaurant in the Sacramento area or along the NO CA coast, I love to know!

Bleh, that's the nicest thing I could say about cold spaghetti or pizza for breakfast. My Italian mother would have said either one cold is a criminal offense.

Mmmm...mmmm...mmmm. Having some right now. Am I the only one who loves this?

Ummm ... can't speak for others, but in general, Italian-style pasta needs to be hot to excite me.

That sums it up for me as well.

To me, pizzas, spaghettis, lasganas, etc are meant as hot delights, so to speak

I do think some foods can be "interchangeable". In other words, hot or cold preferences are perfectly understandable. I just never think of pizza/spaghetti items as one of these. Much in the same way that I wouldn't want to "drink" melted ice cream. I prefer it frozen and cold.

I also think their is a physical/textural aversion that is maybe more "mental" with cold pizzas etc. There's something in the way that the coldness solidifies the fat components that kinda makes me cringe with cold fat-based foods. You literally see what you've been eating and it's not always pretty! LOL

I realize this is a bit hypocritical and illogical on my part since I often have no problem loving the fats and oils when they're fresh and hot. Yet, cool them down, and suddenly the fresh tasty delight of warmness is gone but the byproducts are left before your eyes. I admit it's not too alluring...

Jeff

My favorite cold pasta is leftover shrimpy linguini. It acquires a whole new dimension that I like even better. I like any leftover pasta cold as long as it does not have a ton of solidified olive oil or butter. Then I let it get to room temp. Yes, I like cold pasta but I do not purposely make it for cold leftovers as I do some other things...like meat.

Halupki...a stuffed cabbage roll made with hamburger, rice, tomatoes, smothered in sauerkraut and tomato sauce. Oh my, it is heaven! I make it only once a year, because it is the one food that I have no resistance to. I could eat the entire batch if I had three stomachs. Can't believe I actually found this recipe on the INTERNET. I've been making it for over for over thirty-five years. Here it is, as written by the poster, just two years ago.

Sounds a little like Sarmas.

[Jenise]

I also think their is a physical/textural aversion that is maybe more "mental" with cold pizzas etc. There's something in the way that the coldness solidifies the fat components that kinda makes me cringe with cold fat-based foods. You literally see what you've been eating and it's not always pretty! LOL

But my cold spaghetti marinara was virtually fat free. No cheese. Just pasta and an exquisitely seasoned tomato sauce. So now your excuse is...?

I also think their is a physical/textural aversion that is maybe more "mental" with cold pizzas etc. There's something in the way that the coldness solidifies the fat components that kinda makes me cringe with cold fat-based foods. You literally see what you've been eating and it's not always pretty! LOL

But my cold spaghetti marinara was virtually fat free. No cheese. Just pasta and an exquisitely seasoned tomato sauce. So now your excuse is...?

In that case, I have no good excuse...

Other than to say that even if the spaghetti is just sauce and pasta, I'd still favor warming it myself. Seeing any solidified fat isn't the only excuse I have for enjoying spaghetti/pizzas hot, it's just the most visibly persuasive one...

If it helps though, there are "cold pastas" I enjoy. That is, ones that are made with that intent a la potato salad fashion. My grandmother often made a chicken salad-style dish with the seashell pasta, diced celery, peas and just a modest
amount of mayonnaise to hold it all together. Very delicious!

But I believe you've mentioned not being fond of any mayonnaise at all, so that probably isn't of much help...


Jeff

When I made a comfort-food casserole the other day with ground beef and elbow macaroni among the ingredients, I did have some cold the next day for lunch.

[Jenise]

That is, ones that are made with that intent a la potato salad fashion.

Ah, you've made my work easy! This is what I wanted you to confront: if it's called 'salad', you accept cold pasta. If it bears the name of a hot dish or one you previously knew of as a hot dish, then you don't. Yet technically there may not be any actual difference. No congealed fats, for instance, which I agree would be a turn-off. No rafts of cheese, melted and solidified. Just ingredients entirely wonderful in cold form, think gazpacho: braised tomatoes, silky onions, garlic and herbs. Of course you're not a tomato fan but still. There's really nothing in there you should object to. Whether or not you'd accept it or seek it out as a replacement for your MaltOMeal is another issuse.

Funny you should bring this up. We just got back from vacation at my parents. There's a restaurant there that we always go to, nothing special but consistently good. Their sign features Greek, Italian and American flags. It's basically your typical neighborhood casual dining specializing in no one style. (And according to my 12 year old has the best Ranch dressing on the planet. We asked and they make it from scratch daily.) But anyway, the special when we were there was Chicken Livers and Gizzards. I haven't had them there in ages, as they're no longer a regular menu item. As a side I got linguini with marinara. Well the mound of chicken parts was huge, as was the side, and I took about half of it home with me. Breakfast on Thursday? Linguini w/ marinara and livers and gizzards, straight outta the fridge. It was awesome!

[Jenise]

As a side I got linguini with marinara. Well the mound of chicken parts was huge, as was the side, and I took about half of it home with me. Breakfast on Thursday? Linguini w/ marinara and livers and gizzards, straight outta the fridge. It was awesome!

Yum! I knew all along you were a sensible guy.

That is, ones that are made with that intent a la potato salad fashion.

Ah, you've made my work easy! This is what I wanted you to confront: if it's called 'salad', you accept cold pasta. If it bears the name of a hot dish or one you previously knew of as a hot dish, then you don't.

Exactly!

But I assume that's true of most of us. After all, we're all shaped by preferences as we've come to best know and love them.

And you're right that the makeup of ingredients in that dish shouldn't be an issue. I was just speaking in regards to the original topic of eating spaghetti hot or cold and the preference. I do find any tomato-based pasta best when warm.

It may sound seemingly like a trivial matter. After all ingredients should be ingredients no matter if they're hot or cold. But I do find instances (spaghetti/pizza/ice cream) where simply the temperature and, thus, its play on the textural nature and freshness of the food makes all the difference. I often talk about onions in a similar way. You'd think an onion would always be an onion. Yet, somehow, finely dicing them makes them something completely different than just cutting them in rings. Am I just completely imagining things? Possibly...

But, like in all beautiful things (and arts) I do find that subtleties can sometimes make all the difference! Even if it's just choosing something hot or cold.

Surely that's not to say that there needs to be a right or wrong way. That's the other side of the beauty - both sides can be right! Heck, I often enjoy iced coffees frequently. To me, coffee is one of those "foods" that is interchangeable. Yet I also know not everyone feels that way and might roll their eyes at the fact that I could be so silly as to think coffee is enjoyable when chilled and mixed with cold cream. And maybe they're right. But if you enjoy it, then you enjoy it...

So I actually fully support and defend your enjoyment of cold spaghetti, as a free right...

Jeff

Mmmm...mmmm...mmmm. Having some right now. Am I the only one who loves this?

Jenise

You KNOW where I stand on this issue

gobble, gobble