Fried rice

The one dish on the list that needs leftovers to begin with. Rice that has spent a night in the fridge firms up and dries out, so it fries into separate grains instead of a sticky clump, which makes a big Sunday batch from Saturday's rice the natural order of things. Eggs, frozen peas and carrots, scallions and diced ham, chicken or shrimp turn it into a full lunch, and it reheats better than most rice dishes. Cool the cooked rice quickly in shallow containers before refrigerating it, and be generous with the egg, since that is the protein holding the meal together.