You’ve heard The Goddess prattle on about how much she adore leftovers.  She prays at the table of leftovers.  I’m certain it’s gotten to the point where you want to gouge out your eyes and run a red-hot poker through your ears, every time she says that.  But this…this lunch right here…this is why she feels that way…not the gouging or the hot poker part, but the loving leftovers part….As you can see, this was a pull-a-stool-up-to-the-counter-type lunch.  That’s why you see plastic containers, straight out of the fridge, with plastic wrap and all.  If we’re having people in, I usually can rustle up some pretty little dish, but this was just for me and I have boxes that need to be packed up, so I’m doing lunch on the quick.  Anyway, you and I both know you’ve grabbed the jar of peanut butter out of the cupboard and grabbed a spoon and ate some right out of the container, all the while leaning against the counter.  You have…so don’t judge, okay?

So, I had some of the leftover Caramelized Onion and Dried Fruit Jam, some Dulce de Leche with Roasted Garlic (thank you for the idea, Garces Trading Company) and some Blueberry Conserve from other meals.  I also had a very nice piece of pâté I purchased at my favorite Polish deli and some bits of cheese that needed to be used.  And what better way to use them, than a grilled cheese on some good country-style bread?  I tell you, there is no better way.  It’s that simple.

I made the grilled cheese with a soft buttermilk cheese and bleu cheese on one side and some gouda-type cheese on the other side.  I smeared on a dulce de leche-roasted garlic concoction, slapped them together and placed them in my already hot pan.  I heat the pan on high heat for about a minute or two, then lower the heat as low as it will go, drizzle in some good olive oil, just a tad, and plop the sandwich into the pan.  Watch the sandwich so it doesn’t get too dark.  Have patience.  Don’t go wandering out in the garden (The Goddess is speaking from experience…enough said).  It will take about 1-2 minutes for the first side to become golden (see the picture above…that’s golden), then flip it over carefully and cook the second side.  This usually takes a bit longer, because the pan has become a bit cooler now, about 3-4 minutes.  You’ll hear the cheese sizzling in the pan, as it drips down when it melts.  That’s usually a good sign that it’s ready.

I plopped the sandwich onto the cutting board and savored my lunch.  It was just the thing; the perfect lunch with leftovers.  I have more space in my fridge….YEAH!

Grilled cheese with some Blueberry Conserve, and pâté with the same, pâté with some of the Caramelized Onion and Dried Fruit Jam, some Grilled Marinated Eggplant that just gets better each time you make it, and a smear of the dulce de leche mixture on some of that incredible bleu cheese.

And that’s all she wrote…back to the boxes.  Speaking of boxes, I’m cleaning out, rather shoveling out our home, as The Latin Lover and The Goddess are on the move again.  So, life is changing for us.  I truly believe that change is good for people.  I think it is our nature to avoid change and we shouldn’t.  People grow with change.  People have new experiences that simply wouldn’t happen without change.  Change makes us more flexible and adaptable.  These are all wonderful things and are things to be embraced. We’re going to be living in South Florida for awhile, so we will meet new people and make new friends, catch up with old friends and have new food adventures to share.  We’ve been here, in this home almost 15 years, so we’ve accumulated too much…really it’s me that’s done the accumulating.  Therefore, part of the change will be a sleeker, less-encumbered Goddess.  Yes, indeed, change is great.  The boxes on the other hand….