When it comes to making a traditional Thanksgiving feast, customarily we stick to our favorite dishes. It’s nice to hover in our comfort zone and remake our notorious and highly requested sides each year. Don’t get me wrong, there are a select few who have the wherewithal to confidently present an unorthodox culinary concoction, which left each and every guest begging for more. But, for the not so daring group, we stick to what we know. With that being said, something that is easy to experiment with, and often times expected, is the leftovers! With an innumerable amount of ideas a Google search away, this year’s creations came from our staff members. So easy and delicious, check them out:
Left over Cranberry sauce
Jennifer Seekon-
I make Cranberry Corn Muffins. I Stir ¼ cup cranberry sauce into a prepared batter from any 8.5 ounce corn muffin mix; bake as directed. Makes about a dozen muffins.
Left over Mashed potatoes
Natalie Pifer-
The best part about the day after Thanksgiving? My Spicy Cheesy Potato Dumplings!
I take 1 cup of leftover cold mashed potatoes and add one egg and a ½ cup of all purpose flour. I like to add a little pizzazz to my dumplings, so I dice up 1 Tbsp of Jalapeño and add 1/3 cup of grated pepper jack cheese and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix until a stiff dough forms. With a tablespoon, scoop a rounded heap of potatoes and drop into either a pot of boiling broth (recipe below) or boiling water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and enjoy with a hearty stew or turkey soup! Makes about a dozen dumplings.
Leftover Turkey
Larry Reisinger –
A favorite of mine is my turkey stock. Cut up the turkey carcass and put in a stock pot. Add about a handful of peppercorns (to taste), two bay leaves, a chopped onion, two stalks of chopped celery, and a couple of chopped carrots. Put in enough water to cover the bones and bring to a slow simmer and cook for a couple of hours, uncovered. Strain out all ingredients in the pot and use the broth as a base for soups or dumplings.
Carly Cabrera-
Turkey and Sun-Dried Tomato Bruschetta
Ingredients:
3 cups chopped cooked turkey
2 tablespoons Italian spices
1 tsp red pepper flakes
4 cups fresh spinach, torn
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
8 sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil, chopped
1 (1 pound) loaf focaccia bread, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1/4 cup olive oil
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix the cooked turkey, olive oil and spices. Add spinach, feta cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Brush the focaccia bread with olive oil, and cook 1 minute per side on the grill or in a toaster oven, until lightly toasted. Place portions of the turkey mixture on the toasted focaccia to serve.
Enjoy!
