Name: Yaka Mein
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 (8-ounce) package spaghetti; 2 quarts beef stock; 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning; 2 cups cooked meat (beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, turtle), finely chopped; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise; 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

A bowl of Yaka Mein with chopped chives and a hard boiled egg.

Yaka MeinPhoto: Cynthia LeJeune Nobles

Although the Delta Queen's cooks enjoyed this dish made with leftover turtle, you can use just about any kind of meat. If you don't have leftovers, try boiling a less-tender cut of beef until tender and use the stock for the soup.

Recipe notes

Sofrito Bolognese

An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.

Beef Stroganoff Ramen

This traditional dish of beef, sour cream, and mustard may have originated in Russia, but it’s about time for a version with ramen noodles, don’t you think?

Stir-Fried Phở Noodles With Beef

This dish is not only a quick meal option but also a practical way to use leftover phở noodles when you’re out of broth.

Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Spaghetti)

Spaghetti is a common variation in modern Thai cooking. It’s so easy to work with and absorbs the garlicky, spicy notes of pad kee mao well.

XO Sauce

Developed in the 1980s by a chef in Hong Kong, this sauce is all about umami.

Rotisserie Chicken Congee

Leftover rotisserie chicken finds new purpose in this endlessly comforting dish.

Frijoles de la Olla Ramen (Mexican Stewed Beans)

Traditionally, this Mexican staple is simmered for hours in an olla, or clay pot. You can achieve a similar result by using canned beans and instant ramen.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.