I usually dtermine how to heat a meal by what it is. Sometimes I think things just taste better in the oven etc but if I am in a hurry I do the microwave too. I really haven't had them shapeless, textureless or yucky though or maybe it's just that I generally love leftovers.

I eat leftovers out of laziness mostly. I don't need to cook everyday anymore so I don't. There are some things that don't do well with a reheat, potatoes for one, even in a stew. The rest of the stew may be fine but the spuds suffer. Doesn't mean I won't eat the stew, just means I don't like them as well. As for chicken cacciatore, I might have to make some now. This recipe looks good. I won't use thighs though. Don't like chicken thighs... Chicken Cacciatore Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis Prep Time:15 minInactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time:40 min Level: Easy Serves: 4 servings Ingredients 4 chicken thighs 2 chicken breasts with skin and backbone, halved crosswise 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large red bell pepper, chopped 1 onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3/4 cup dry white wine 1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 3 tablespoons drained capers 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves Directions Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly. In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve. Here is a link that might be useful: Recipe link

Michael, probably to late to help you. But when I freeze pies, I freeze them baked. And I don't always reheat them in the oven. Especially if I only want a couple of slices. I just leave on the counter to defrost. I do the same thing with my Christmas Tourtieres. I make a couple of extra pies to freeze. I just reheat the number of slices I want, not the whole pie. Ann

lydia, my sister used to grill extra on purpose, wrap and freeze, then in bad weather she would pull out the saved portions and microwave them till hot. Outdoor flavor in indoor weather. I say used to because her family is grown now + plus she has two german shepherds with big brown eyes who luv table leftovers :), I don't mean to imply she's no longer with me.