Now that Thanksgiving is over, it's time to use up the leftovers. Properly wrapped, most leftovers will keep well in the freezer, but you've still got to find a way to use them. Leftovers are a fabulous way to be frugal, but turkey sandwiches get old pretty quick (unless you grill them with some swiss cheese, red onion, pepper mayonnaise and pesto, in which case you can eat them forever.) Here are some recipe ideas to beat the turkey dinner leftover doldrums:
Turkey
I usually don't like recipes that start with canned soup, and I never eat canned vegetables, but this exceptionally easy Pot Pie is an exception. Substitute turkey for chicken to use up your leftovers and have a fabulous winter dinner. You can even dice up the turkey, freeze it, and take it out in a few weeks so it won't seem like leftovers. This recipe is so good that my friend's college son listed it as his favorite food.
Go south of the border for Turkey and Green Chili Enchiladas. I like to add some cream cheese to my filling for extra creaminess.
Warm and healthy, Turkey Corn Chowder will keep your belly full. Turkey Tetrazzini will, too, plus Trent has thrown a few other recipes in this article.
Stuffing
Mix leftover stuffing with diced apples and stuff pork chops: yum!
Enjoy a little nibble with stuffed mushrooms. You can use whatever kind of stuffing you have, or jazz it up with fruit, sausage, or cheese.
Mashed Potatoes
As if mashed potatoes weren't already amazing, someone had the idea to fix them up into Mashed Potato, Cheddar and Chive WAFFLES! Amazing, and oh, so yummy looking. I am going to make some tomorrow!
Having potatoes cooked is the biggest hurdle in making Shepherd's Pie. Or, use the potatoes to frost your favorite meatloaf recipe, pop it in the broiler, and top with a little cheese for fabulous frosted meatloaf.
My favorite way to eat leftover mashed potatoes? Dressed up like nachos, with melted cheese, salsa, green onions, and sour cream.
Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry pairs perfectly with pork in Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork.
Add cranberry sauce to grilled cheese sandwiches made with sharp cheddar cheese. You can even sneak some turkey in there, if you want.
Buy a can of orange sweet rolls, unroll them, and spread cranberry sauce inside. Add some fresh ground black pepper for spice, and then roll them back up. Slice and bake as usual. Amazing.
Pumpkin Pie
Think there is no way to repurpose pumpkin pie? Think again! You can assemble a simple using the cake of your choice (gingerbread is nice), vanilla pudding, pie and whipped cream, or try one of these recipes:
Pumpkin Pie Holiday Breakfast Casserole combines pumpkin pie with a baked oatmeal.
Pumpkin Pie Brulee is super-simple, though I think it needs a bit of actual custard to be even more perfect.
I'm not even sure there are words to describe a Pumpkin Pie Milkshake - made with real pie.
Multiple Items
Turkey Dinner Bites mix various dinner ingredients in phyllo cups for a bite-sized taste of wonderful, perfect for nibbling while watching football. A less dinner-y option is to put turkey and brie in phyllo cups, pop in the oven until the brie melts, and top is cranberry sauce.
Depending on your selection, you could eat for weeks on a wide variety of meals that are all based around your leftovers. How great is that?
