The day after Thanksgiving, when you’re still suffering the effects of a tryptophan-laden Thanksgiving meal and aren’t feeling inclined to do much more than lay on the couch in your pajamas and watch daytime TV, you’re probably not thinking of what to do with all of the excess food.
Eventually, you’ll emerge from your food coma and realize the amount of GladWare containers in your fridge packed with turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes could nourish your entire campus for a week. While you immediately may want to resort to the classic open-faced Turkey sandwich for lunch every day this week, that can get really boring pretty quickly. Not to worry, collegiettes, HC is at the ready with some delicious meals to help you make the most of your Turkey Day leftovers!
Cranberry Sauce Muffins
It’s the morning after Thanksgiving. Odds are, you’re not ready to tackle a massive turkey sandwich this early in the day. Well, it’s time to get your Betty Crocker on, ladies. These tasty breakfast creations will have you running out to buy more cranberry sauce than the allotted leftover amount required by the recipe.
Potato Pancakes
Easily the most delicious thing short of actual pancakes (and a great way to make the 10 pounds of mashed potatoes mom sent you back to school with disappear! Just scoop out piles of cold mashed potatoes, mold them into a circular patty and pan fry in a little bit of oil on the stove. If you need a garnish, mix a little bit of parsley into the potatoes. Quick, easy and delicious!
Turkey Cobb Salad
Add some of your leftover turkey meat to a classic Cobb salad. All you need is bacon, hardboiled eggs, avocado, bacon, blue cheese and tomatoes. Mix all of the ingredients together with a red-wine vinegar and olive oil dressing or whatever dressing you prefer (honey mustard works great!) and you have an easy, hearty salad.
Turkey & Sweet Potato Quesadillas
Transform the traditional trappings of the Thanksgiving meal into a Mexican classic. Take leftover turkey and sweet potatoes and pile on your favorite fiery toppings, like salsa, sour cream and chipotle pepper. Wrap in a flour tortilla, break out your sombrero and viva la quesadilla!
Turkey Reuben
If you don’t want to stray too far from the tried-and-true basic turkey sandwich, amp up the ingredients and make a turkey Reuben! All you need is some rye bread, sweet pickle relish, Swiss cheese and drained sauerkraut. This option is way more satisfying than a turkey and cranberry combo on white.
Turkey Dinner Pizza
This indulgence will get rid of half of your leftovers in one meal. Just buy a can of refrigerated pizza dough and some shredded cheese then add on your stuffing, cranberry sauce, turkey and gravy. Let it cook for 30 minutes and you’ll have a Thanksgiving pizza worthy of delivery status!
Pumpkin Pie Parfait
Pie, the one thing everyone around the table loves but is too full to eat after three helpings of turkey and Grandma’s stuffing. Thus, you’re left with a surplus amount of dessert. This recipe combines four sweet components that will instantly take care of any sweet tooth cravings. Just mix together your pumpkin pie custard with vanilla ice cream and heap that heavenly duo on top of a gingerbread cookie bottom. Finish it off by completing your homemade parfait with cinnamon whipped cream and cranberry sauce syrup. Yes, please!
Leftover Pie Shake
Not sure what to do with that leftover pumpkin/apple/pecan pie that’s lingering in your fridge? Just throw it into the blender. Toss in a slice of your leftover pie, two scoops of vanilla ice cream, milk, vanilla extract and just a pinch of cinnamon and blend until frothy. In less than 5 minutes, you’ll be enjoying your leftover pie in a more creative (and arguably more delicious) way!
So there you have it, collegiettes, eight lip-smacking meals that can be born from your Thanksgiving leftovers. What are your favorite leftover recipes? Let us know below!