Leftover braised turkey and carrots remixed with udon. Brussels sprouts with fresh breadcrumbs and a little Parmesan cheese.

I almost ate cookies for dinner tonight. I was very close. But dinner is satisfying, even when I’m not particularly hungry and very tired — so I made dinner with last night’s leftovers and a brick of flash-frozen udon, which is a staple in my freezer. The broth — from when I poached a chicken this summer — was also from the freezer. The sprouts turned up while I was digging around for the parsley — quick steam; add butter, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper to taste.

“Braised Turkey Legs” from Simply Recipes. Rainbow carrots with shallots and tarragon. Leftover “Braised Rainbow Chard with Cranberries” from French Revolution.

Rice with three toppings.

I used “Gingery Ground Chicken (Tori Soboro)” from Elizabeth Andoh’s Washoku, substituting ground turkey (dark meat) for the chicken. My roommate’s cat was so interested in this part of the meal that she jumped up on the kitchen counter when my back was turned — something she literally never does.

The scrambled egg contains a little sakeé, dashi and light soy sauce.

“Soy-Simmered Kabocha Squash with Minced Chicken (Kabocha No Tori An Kaké)” from Elizabeth Andoh’s Washoku. Substituted turkey for the chicken. Eaten with rice and cucumber slices marinated in rice vinegar / shiso.