Leftovers Guide: Make Thanksgiving The Gift That Keeps Giving

The big meal is always over faster than you think.But make the hours you've already spent in the kitchen the gift that keeps giving by turning that turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie filling into leftovers to write home about.

Got a favorite of your own? Share your leftover ideas at the end of the post. - Christy Strawser

Stuffing

The easiest way to re-use stuffing is to use it as the base for something else. For instance, take a casserole pan, line the bottom with a bag of frozen broccoli (thawed), top it with stuffing, then toss leftover turkey or a cut-up rotisserie chicken on top and cover it with a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Everyone loves the crispy part of the stuffing, so extend the crispy parts the next day by adding an egg to the bowl of leftover stuffing, forming it into flattened patties and frying them up in a pan. You can also put leftover stuffing in muffin pans and broil the tops to get that just-from-the-oven crispiness.

Turkey

Tetrazzini it up by taking that leftover turkey and chopping it into cubes. Mix with cooked linguini, parmesan cheese, thawed frozen peas and cooked mushrooms. Toss it all together while the linguini's hot, top a few handfuls of mozzarela cheese and a little bit of cream and butter and let it melt into yummy goodness. Bake it with bread crumbs dotted with butter on top if you're feeling extra decadent.

Make a classic leftover sandwich with sliced turkey, salted, topped with crisp romaine lettuce, mayo and the best bread you can get your hands on.

Turn that turkey into a pot pie the easy way: Grab a leftover pre-created pie crust, fill it with a pound or so of cooked turkey, a cup of sour cream, a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup, and a bag of your favorite frozen vegetables (thawed). Top with a second crust, poke holes in it to let the steam escape, and throw it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Use a variation on the above pot pie theme by placing the ingredients (without the pie crust) in a heavy skillet and topping it with several layers of thawed Filo dough or puff pastry. Bake as directed.
If you're trying to keep things light the day after Thanksgiving, top romaine lettuce with leftover turkey, dried cranberries, walnuts, feta cheese and a favorite dressing for a Thanksgiving leftover salad.

Keep it light again by using a classic chicken soup kit, substituting turkey for chicken.

You can use the turkey carcass for a more ambitious soup; Cover the carcas with water, boil, then simmer for an hour, remove the carcass, chop the turkey meat, and strain the broth. Add turkey and broth back together, add your favorite soup seasonings and vegetables, and simmer for another hour.

Mashed potatoes

Potato pancakes make a delicious post-Thanksgiving lunch or dinner. And they're super simple. Take your cold mashed potatoes, drop in some chopped ham, peas or corn, mix an egg into the bowl to hold it together. Flatten into thin patties and put it in a hot frying pan with oil. Brown on both sides.

You can also brown a pound of ground beef or ground turkey in a heavy pan, mix in cooked or defrosted peas, carrots and/or green beans, top with a jar of brown gravy, then top it all off with your leftover mashed potatoes. Broil until the mashed potatoes are browned on top. Voila -- you've got leftover Shepherd's pie.

 

Cranberry sauce

Don't know what to do with that cranberry sauce? Here's an idea: Cook up pork chops the simplest way possible, by searing thick chops 5 minutes per side in a heavy saucepan, then throwing it in the oven at 350 degrees to roast for 25 minutes or so. Nuke the cranberry sauce, then top the savory chops with the sweet tart sauce.

Cranberry sauce also makes a great sandwich addition, either by slathering it on top of turkey between two slices of hearty bread, or by mixing it with mayo for just a little extra bite.

Biscuits/Bread

Nothing makes a better post-Thanksgiving breakfast that leftover rolls, biscuits or homemade bread. Nuke for 5 to 10 seconds, top with butter and jelly and indulge in a leisurely morning.

Pumpkin

Americans are used to thinking of pumpkin as a sweet pie filling, but it also makes a great savory sauce for pasta. Mix your extra 15 ounce can of pumpkin pie filling with a half-cup of cream, a pinch of cinnamon, and two cups chicken stock. Cook it down to a thick creamy sauce and use it to top your favorite pasta or ravioli.