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Another still takes me to my grandmother’s kitchen — apple-themed, always — with a half-used jar of Smucker’s blackberry jam wedged between the Miracle Whip and the fat-free Italian dressing.

What about that half-used tin of paint in the cupboard?

A second planter took one of the trees — some of which had leaves and roots and were the height of a half-used pencil, others of which were the size and shape of a marble — and tucked it into the hole.

As I laid out every half-used bottle of vinegar and seasoning jar in front of me, I felt like I had been slapped in the face.

So when I found myself with piles of leftover quinoa in my refrigerator and a couple of half-used bags of frozen vegetables, my mind went straight to one of the best and easiest ways I know to turn them into a crave-able meal: Cook them up like Chinese fried rice.