By Hannah Muehlberger
Thanksgiving is the best time to break out the food, I mean that’s why people show up to family gatherings, right? It takes time, money, and labor to make a thanksgiving meal, and usually, there are leftovers for weeks. Don’t get me wrong, turkey, stuffing, and potatoes are great, but it is understandable that most people get sick of the same dinner every night for the remainder of November. So, we have rounded up the eight best dishes to make using your Thanksgiving leftovers that don’t involve throwing a sandwich of ingredients together.
- Fried Mashed Potato Balls
Kicking off our list is the dish that two types of people will react to. The first is people thinking “why didn’t I think of that!” and the other is those who will say “yeah, what else would you do with leftover mashed potatoes?” This simple recipe can easily be made whether you have leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving, or from Tuesday. All you need is your leftover mashed potatoes, some egg, breadcrumbs, some optional bacon, and seasoning. Honestly, these deep-fried mashed potatoes will make you think “why didn’t I think of that!” Get the recipe here.
2. Thanksgiving Ring
This recipe combines the majority of your leftover ingredients, not just turkey, stuffing, or any other fixings you may have set on the table. It also includes the best ingredient ever, crescent roll dough. It just makes everything better, you could wrap your credit card debt in crescent dough and it wouldn’t be so bad then. Maybe not your credit card debt, but your thanksgiving leftovers are a guarantee. This recipe is also one that does not take much time or effort. Just roll your leftovers into the crescent roll dough and heat up some gravy for dipping, yum!
Get the recipe here.
3. Turkey and Stuffing Quiche
This turkey and stuffing quiche will for sure take care of your leftover…turkey, and stuffing? Just with some pie crust, eggs, seasoning, cheese, and your leftovers, you can create your own quiche, and maybe you can make a little cranberry sauce drizzle if you are feeling fancy.
Get the recipe here.
4. Grilled Turkey, Brie, and Apple Butter Sandwich with Arugula
I know we said no sandwiches, but this sandwich is a delicious and sophisticated sandwich. Just some of your leftover turkey, bread, apple butter, brie, and some arugula and you will be packing some fancy turkey sandwiches for your family for lunch.
Get the recipe here.
5. Stuffing-Stuffed Mushrooms
These mushrooms are just as the title suggests, they are stuffed mushrooms stuffed with your leftover stuffing. Another easy and simple recipe to make that you can have paired with some leftover turkey and gravy. The mushroom will add a nice, smoky, umami flavor to your stuffing that will have you feeling like a true chef.
Get the recipe here.
6. Cranberry Sauce Swirl Pound Cake
This recipe is for those who have made homemade cranberry sauce, rather than those who stick to the canned stuff. Not that there is anything wrong with canned cranberry sauce, it’s just that it might not be as appetizing in pound cake. A good tip to make your cranberry sauce even better is to add some orange zest to it to make it zestier. This recipe is good for either a Black Friday morning breakfast addition or a post-thanksgiving-food-coma snack. Pound cake is probably not a good thing to have after Thanksgiving meal, but who am I to judge, I will probably do it too. Get the recipe here.
7. Turkey and Biscuit Casserole
A nice classic recipe for those who maybe are visiting family after Thanksgiving and maybe forgot they were supposed to bring a food item. Or for those who just need a quick dinner for the week. For whatever your situation, this Turkey and Biscuit Casserole is comfort food at its best. While this recipe is for those who have more time on their hands, there are ways to make the recipe simpler. For example, this recipe includes making your own biscuits, they can easily be substituted for store-bought biscuit dough. No judgment, you just cooked an entire Thanksgiving meal, you deserve the break!
Get the recipe here.
8. Cranberry-Rosemary Julip
This may not be a dish, but it does technically use leftovers, and also, who doesn’t need a nice drink to unwind with after spending all that time with family, I mean cooking… This drink includes your leftover cranberry sauce muddled with some rosemary, sugar, and bourbon. If you find the drink too strong, consider adding some cranberry juice along with it. Get the recipe here.
Don’t spend the remainder of November eating turkey, stuffing, and potatoes for dinner every night, get creative and try some of these recipes that will have both you and your family and friends surprised at how innovative you are with your cooking skills.
Recipe Sources:
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/cranberry-rosemary-julep-4539861
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a80931/turkey-and-biscuits-casserole-with-lemon-and-dill/
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/stuffing-stuffed-mushrooms-recipe-2104009
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/grilled-turkey-brie-and-apple-butter-sandwich-with-arugula-recipe-1943206
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/turkey-and-stuffing-quiche-3531820
https://www.delish.com/cooking/a22999141/thanksgiving-ring-recipe/
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a22566735/fried-mashed-potato-balls-recipe/