Leftovers Recipe: Easy Cream And Salsa Turkey Enchiladas

This recipe makes it easy to use up those last few scraps of turkey. You're probably tired of turkey sandwiches and turkey soup by now, so why not shake things up a bit and add some Mexican flavor? These are super fast and easy to put together, so they work great for a quick meal when you don't feel like cooking (and who does, after last week??)...

Easy Cream And Salsa Turkey Enchiladas
(Serves 6-8.)

Ingredients:

3 cups leftover turkey, shredded
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp chopped green onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas
1 jar (16 oz) good salsa (your favorite)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish.
• In a large bowl, mix together the turkey, sour cream, cheese, onion, and salt.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over low heat. Put a tortilla in and fry until hot and browned slightly, turn and fry the other side, then put on plate, cover with foil, and fry second tortilla.  Continue until all tortillas are fried, making sure to keep foil on them all to keep them warm and moist.
• Lay a tortilla on a work surface and spoon turkey mixture in the middle, the length of the tortilla, then roll up, and lay in baking dish seam side down. Continue until all 12 tortillas are filled and rolled and in baking dish.
• Pour salsa evenly over the top then put in oven and bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
• (Optional: remove from oven and add more Cheddar cheese on top, then bake 5 more minutes or until the cheese is melted.)

Orchestrating The Repeat Meals: How to Plan for All Those Leftovers

When you are counting on leftovers to make your meals for the next day or two, it is important to actually try to shoot for certain dishes, ingredients, and the amounts you'll need to produce your meals. Here are some great reminders so you can plan for the leftovers you need for the meals after the feast is over.

Plan to Increase Your Production

Stuffing. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You know it is going to happen. Certain leftovers disappear faster than others, some even before they get a chance to cool off in the refrigerator. If you know this is going to happen, because it's happened year after year, then plan ahead. Assume your family will gobble up what they have in the past, and just make more. That way you can put away enough for your leftover meals and you and your family can help themselves to the rest.

If one of your favorite casseroles is scalloped potatoes and ham casserole, and the ham seems to disappear into sandwiches the day after the feast, then by all means, make a bigger ham, or even two smaller hams.  Since you have the oven going anyway, why not cook two; one for your holiday dinner and one for leftovers.  That way your family can devour the leftover ham and you'll have another supply to turn into your casserole.

When the stuffing disappears from the turkey the first night, it can be disappointing the next day when you're looking to make those wonderful deep fried cheese stuffing sausage balls.  So, while you're working on one batch of stuffing for the bird, make a second batch and put it in a casserole dish. You'll now have enough stuffing leftover for your treat the next day.

Plan to Have the Right Extras

Along with the amount you need to create meals with your leftovers, comes the actual ingredients you'll need to put your favorite leftover meals together. Not all flavors work well with others, and not all ingredients compliment certain dishes. If you plan out the meals you want to prepare with your holiday leftovers, you can tweak the dishes themselves so they fit in with your plans.

Thanksgiving leftovers! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For instance, if you want to fill the freezer with little stuffed muffin cups, you'll have to decide what you want to stuff them with.  A simple mixture of chopped turkey and stuffing will mean you need leftovers of both. Not only will you want enough turkey and stuffing, but you'll need to consider the type of stuffing you make for your holiday meal.  Will it work in your stuffed muffin cups?  If you're making an apple walnut stuffing, or an oyster stuffing, it may not be the right ingredient for your stuffed muffin cups.

You can see how planning how your dishes will translate into your leftover meals is important. If cranberry citrus glazed pork tenderloin is on the menu the following day, you will want to be sure to have cranberry orange relish on the menu. If you're choosing between corn or broccoli for your holiday meal, and cheesy broccoli soup is on the menu the next day, then by all means choose the broccoli.  Of course, if you plan on making corn chowder, too, then make corn along with the broccoli and you'll have what you need for your leftover meals.

If you don't plan your leftover dishes ahead, there is no guarantee that you will actually have any of the leftovers there when you need them for your next dish.  Or, you may be looking at your marshmallow, brown sugar, walnut, and maple syrup sweet potato casserole and realize that your plan to make savory sweet potato soup just went out the window.  Yes, casting the players for your holiday meal means planning the right amount, and the right type.  This will help ensure that the repeat performances are big hits, just like the original!

Holiday Leftovers Recipe: Shrimp And Green Bean Casserole Pasta Skillet

Still got that green bean casserole hanging around from last week, and not quite sure what to do with it? This recipe will transform that old casserole into something totally new that no one would even recognize as as leftovers! It's quick and easy too - just cook some pasta, and this quick skillet meal will help you get dinner on the table in no time.

Shrimp And Green Bean Casserole Pasta Skillet
(Serves 2-3.)

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove, minced
pinch red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp olive oil for frying
1 lb medium sized shrimp, cleaned
3 cups leftover green bean casserole
1/2 cup white wine
8 oz penne, cooked, drained (keep warm)
grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions:

• In a large skillet over medium-low heat, put garlic, red pepper flakes, and olive oil, cooking just long enough until the garlic gets fragrant and softens.
• Immediately toss in the shrimp, cooking until just pink.
• Add the leftover green bean casserole and the white wine, stirring to combine; turn heat to low and simmer gently until just heated through, about 4 or 5 minutes.
• Dump cooked pasta into skillet and toss to combine.
• Serve hot with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Holiday Leftovers Recipe: Simple Seconds Turkey Stuffing Casserole

This is a great way to use up just about everything you  have left over from Thanksgiving dinner! Repurpose the leftover turkey, stuffing, gravy, and some cranberry sauce, and save that green bean casserole for Friday's recipe, and you'll finally be done with leftovers (at least for this year). Plus it's super simple and easy!

Simple Seconds Turkey Stuffing Casserole
(Serves 4-6.)

Ingredients:

4 cups leftover stuffing
2 cups leftover turkey, diced or shredded
2 cups leftover turkey gravy
1/3 cup leftover cranberry sauce

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter or oil a large casserole dish.
• Put half the stuffing in the baking dish and pat gently to cover the bottom of the dish evenly. 
• Add half the turkey, arranging evenly, then half of the gravy. 
• Repeat the layers, then evenly distribute the cranberry sauce over the top of the casserole.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Low-Carb Leftovers Recipe: Cranberry Orange Vinaigrette Dressed Salad

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! With all the excess of yesterday's feast, you may be in the mood for something lighter today, and this delicious salad will hit the spot - while helping you use up leftovers at the same time! Use the remnants of Thanksgiving dinner to create a scrumptious dinner salad that won't leave you feeling bloated.

Cranberry Orange Vinaigrette Dressed Salad

Ingredients:

Leftover cranberries. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1 cup cranberry sauce (whole berry)
1 small sweet orange, zested and squeezed*
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp honey
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 olive oil
fresh spinach
leftover turkey
chopped walnuts

Instructions:

• Put the cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, mustard, honey, and salt in a bowl and stir until blended.
• Drizzle in the olive oil, slowly, whisking constantly, adding a bit of olive oil at a time until the vinaigrette becomes smooth and thickens.
• Arrange a bed of spinach and turkey pieces on salad plates and top with generous amount of vinaigrette.
• Sprinkle walnuts on top of salad and serve cold.

* You can make this also with leftover cranberry orange relish.  Just substitute the sauce with the relish and eliminate the zested and juiced orange in the recipe. Everything else remains the same.

Beyond The Typical Sandwich - Treating Holiday Leftovers With Creative Direction

Thanksgiving, with it's short nature and over-abundance of food, is the quintessential leftover holiday. Even though it's the week after, many of us still have those good old leftovers sitting around. What to do with them? This week we'll share some tasty new twists on the same-old leftovers song. We are all familiar with the classic turkey or ham sandwich. You know, there was way too much turkey or ham at the holiday feast and now it can either sit in your fridge and go bad, or you can make sandwiches with the leftovers, over, and over, and over... you get the point. Sure, your home-cooked turkey tastes great and the sandwiches are tasty, but unless you do something different, even your best sandwiches will get boring quickly. Here are a few ideas to keep your taste buds entertained - and stock your lunch-box this week!

Dress It Up

Sandwiches (Photo credit: Joe Shlabotnik)

A turkey sandwich will always be a turkey sandwich and a ham sandwich will always be a ham sandwich. That is, unless you dress up your sandwich and bring out an entirely different flavor with the simple addition of a few key ingredients. For instance, instead of the typical mayonnaise and mustard, try adding a new spice to your favorite sandwich. Try using a chipotle mayo or sweet chili mayo, or use exotic sprouts instead of lettuce, or arugula, shredded cabbage, or even sauerkraut.

Think high-end boutique sandwich shop when you are creating your masterpiece. If you are a fan of avocado, try adding a few slices to your sandwich, or experiment with different types of cheese. When you are trying to break out of the holiday sandwich blues, toppings can be your best friend. Put away your regular sandwich cheese and grab the bleu cheese and bleu cheese dressing. Rethink each layer of your sandwich and use something you've never used before. That is how you dress up that slice of turkey or ham.

Change Clothes

If you have your toppings down to your liking, or don't want to experiment too far from normal, you can always change the method you use to close up your sandwich ingredients; you know, the bread. You can try a wrap, or grilled on a bun, or even leftover dinner rolls. With hundreds of different kinds of breads, you have an endless supply of possibilities.

Try your next grilled ham and cheese on Rye bread instead of the familiar wheat or white. You can also try authentic Chibatta bread for a distinct and unique taste. Don't forget pita and tortillas. Or, if you are trying to cut the carbs, you can always go naked. Okay, not you, but the sandwich. Use a piece of romaine lettuce to wrap the ingredients and enjoy the crisp, crunchy and healthy alternative to your typical holiday leftover sandwich.

Brie & ham sandwich with walnuts. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Take a Flavor Trip

Now that you have dressed up your sandwich and changed its clothes, you may also want to experiment with flavors from around the world. Take your typical turkey sandwich on a trip to Italy or Mexico. Dress it up with different flavor combinations and try authentic ingredients to completely make over your sandwich.

For instance, use a peanut flavored sauce, combined with shredded cabbage and some crispy noodles to give your sandwich a Thai flare. Or try a mango chutney with some spicy peppers for a Southwestern sizzle. Choose roasted sweet peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and sliced olives for a Mediterranean inspired sandwich.

There are hundreds of different possibilities you can try with your holiday sandwiches. All it takes is a little creativity, an open mind and an empty stomach. No matter if you dress it up, get it naked or change its culture, your leftover holiday sandwich doesn't have to be boring any longer.  And all it took was a little creative direction!

Recipe: After The Feast Turkey Vegetable Soup

Turkey soup is one of my favorite ways to use up holiday leftovers. It's easy, simple, and delicious, and it helps you get rid of that turkey carcass a lot faster!  We usually make this a few days after the holiday, when we've snacked on turkey sandwiches for a couple of days, and are ready to be done with it. But if you just want to get that big carcass out of the fridge sooner, pick most of the meat off the bones and put it in stackable containers in the refrigerator, and then use the carcass in this tasty soup. The stock is filled with flavor and good healthy stuff. To get the most nutrients out of the bones, add a tablespoon of white vinegar to the stock before cooking.

After The Feast Turkey Vegetable Soup
(Serves 4-6.)

Ingredients:

(Photo credit: churl)

Stock:
Carcass from roasted turkey, picked clean
1 large yellow onion, peeled, quartered
1 large carrot,  scrubbed, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed
1 bay leaf
10 whole black peppercorns

Soup:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 cups leftover turkey meat, shredded or chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, taste as you add
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Put the turkey carcass, quartered onions, coarsely chopped carrots and celery, smashed garlic, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a large stockpot.
• Cover with cold water and set over medium-high heat and bring to boil, then immediately turn heat to simmer and slowly simmer for 1-2 hours.
• Remove pot and pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl or pot.  This should yield about 10 cups of broth.

• Dry the inside of the stockpot a little with a paper towel.
• To the stockpot add the oil and place over medium heat. 
• Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots and cook until starting to get soft, about 5 minutes. 
• Add the minced garlic and thyme, stirring to combine for just 1 minute.
• Pour in the reserved stock and bring to a gentle simmer; simmering until vegetables are just soft, about 10-15 minutes. 
• Add the leftover turkey meat, salt, and pepper, tasting to adjust seasoning.
• Simmer just until turkey is heated through. 

Recipe: Turkey Gravy Gumbo

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving!  In case you still have some leftovers, here's a great way to use the rest of them up - and it's not your same old "turkey sandwiches or soup" idea. Give your leftovers a Cajun twist on a classic favorite with left over gravy and turkey, combined with Creole flavors for a tasty treat that won't taste like leftovers!

Turkey Gravy Gumbo

Ingredients: 

Shrimp and turkey stock and the Cajun trinity (bell pepper, onion, celery) for gumbo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced green bell pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups leftover turkey gravy
1 cup crushed tomatoes
2 cups chopped leftover turkey
1 cup chopped andouille sausage ( or any sausage you like)
6 to 8 cups turkey stock (depending on how thin you want the gumbo)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp cayenne (more or less to taste)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp gumbo file powder (which is powdered sassafras leaves)
1 lb. shrimp, cleaned (optional)
rice for serving

Directions:

• In large soup pot, add onion, celery, and green pepper along with olive oil over medium heat and cook until veggies are tender, but not soft.
• Add garlic to pot and cook for 1 more minute.
• Add the leftover gravy and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Add the tomatoes, turkey, and sausage stirring to mix, then add enough turkey broth to make gumbo the consistency you want.
• Add seasonings and turn heat down to low; simmer very slowly for 15 minutes.
• Add shrimp (if desired) and let simmer just until shrimp is pink, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Serve in bowls with a scoop of cooked rice on top.

Note: This gumbo doesn't need a roux because the basic idea of this thickening agent, roux, is replaced with the turkey gravy which contains the same ingredients - fat and flour - and it's already made, so it makes dinner easy!

Leftovers Recipe: Thanksgiving Table Shepherd's Pie

I do have a great recipe for leftover turkey soup, but everyone does soup, so I wanted to mix it up a little this year, and give you a new option. This one uses multiple leftovers - turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, and vegetables, so you can start getting the fridge cleaned out this weekend, and won't feel like you're eating the same thing again. Plus, since just about everything's already cooked, this one's a snap to make, which will be nice after all the work you put into the Thanksgiving dinner. Enjoy!

Leftover Thanksgiving Table Shepherd's Pie

Shepherds Pie (Photo credit: seriouslygood1)

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked turkey, shredded
3 cups cooked vegetables, anything you have leftover (if you don't have leftover vegetables, just quickly steam some chopped broccoli and carrots or peas and you'll be good to go)
1 cup gravy
4 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 egg
1 Tbsp cream cheese; room temperature
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp butter or margarine, broken up
dash paprika

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a large pie plate or casserole dish.
2. Heat turkey, vegetables, and gravy in a saucepan until warmed through, then turn into prepared dish.
3. Mix room temperature mashed potatoes with egg and cream cheese until smooth and well blended, add salt and pepper to taste, then mix again.  
4. Spoon the potatoes over the ingredients in casserole, spreading to cover ingredients completely.
5. Stick pieces of butter all over the potatoes and sprinkle with paprika.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until potatoes are browning and filling is bubbling hot.

Recipe - Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Got leftover turkey??  Check out this delicious hearty recipe great for a cold winter evening! It's a tasty way to use up some of your Thanksgiving leftovers, or you could also make it anytime using leftover cooked chicken.

Image by Back to the Cutting Board via FlickrHearty Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 cup wild rice, cooked according to package
2 tsp olive oil
3 celery stalks, chopped small
2 carrots, peeled and diced small
1 onion, diced small
1 tsp dried sage
6 cups turkey or chicken stock
2 cups finely chopped cabbage
2 cups cooked turkey or chicken, cut small
1/4 chopped parsley
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

• In a large soup pot over medium heat, put olive oil, celery, carrots, onions, and sage, cooking until vegetables are starting to soften, about 4 or 5 minutes.
• Pour in the stock, add the cabbage, stir and turn heat down to low, cover pot loosely, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cabbage is soft.
• Add the turkey, cooked wild rice, and parsley, and simmer very slowly (without bubbles), uncovered, for about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in the balsamic vinegar, taste and adjust seasonings, adding more balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper as desired.

Recipe - Cranberry Ricotta Pie

Here is a tasty way to use up those leftover cranberries you didn't get to use yesterday. It's satisfying, tasty, and not too sweet - a welcome change from all the holiday candy and sugary cakes and pies.

Cranberry Ricotta Pie

Image by Shaw Girl via FlickrIngredients:
1 cup whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 1/4 cup ricotta
4 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
dash ground nutmeg
dash ground cloves

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, add the cranberries and, using a potato masher, mash them up a little bit to break them up.
3. Add to the bowl the remaining ingredients, stirring to mix; do not over-mix.
4. Grease, butter, or coat with cooking spray a large pie tin or other shallow baking dish about the same size.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 1-1/4 hour to 1-1/2 hour or until pie forms a crust-like top, browns slightly, and sets up.
6. Remove and let cool at room temperature.
7. Serve at room temperature with a dollop of whipped topping.