If your family is anything like mine, Thanksgiving will not be just one day of overeating and never-ending mountains of food. Instead, it will be weeks upon weeks of re-heated turkey and other Thanksgiving leftovers. With the best intentions in mind, my family always packs up some of those leftovers for me to bring back to school.
Instead of sticking to the regular turkey with gravy and a side of stuffing, try one of these creative, and super easy recipes to add some extra oomph to your leftovers.
Cranberry Fruit Dip
With a little whipped topping and fresh apple slices or crackers, this is a great way to create a sweet snack for late-night studying or for having friends over.
-4 oz. cream cheese, softened
-1 cup cranberry sauce
-1 cup whipped topping
Beat the cream cheese and cranberry sauce together. Then fold in the whipped topping. Enjoy with fresh apple slices, wheat crackers, or spread on some toast!
Vegetable Stuffing Bake
Warm and cheesy, this is the perfect way to spice up Thanksgiving leftovers. For those who like spicy food, try adding a couple dashes of chili powder or taco seasoning to the mix!
-Leftover stuffing
-Leftover veggies, cooked (like broccoli, cauliflower, corn, Brussels Sprouts)
-1 small can cream of mushroom soup
-1/4 -1/2 cup milk American or Velveeta cheese
Press leftover stuffing into a greased pan or baking dish. Spread veggies on top, then a layer of cheese to cover everything. Mix soup with enough milk to make it easy to pour and pour over the stuffing and veggies. Bake at 350° F about 20 minutes until all is heated through and bubbly.
Turkey Salad with Red Grapes
Simple but delicious, this turkey salad gives you the perfect crunch in a sandwich or on top of a salad. Try adding in dried cranberries, raisins, or apple chunks too!
-3-4 cups cooked, diced turkey
-1 cup red grapes, cut in half
-1 cup diced celery
-1/2 cup chopped onion
-3/4 cup chopped pecans
-1 teaspoon lemon juice
-3/4-1 cup mayonnaise
Combine the grapes, celery, onions, pecans, and turkey into a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine lemon, mayo, and pepper. Stir into the turkey mixture, then add salt to taste.
Stuffing Stuffed Mushrooms
Hearty and warm, these stuffed mushrooms are the perfect way to reuse all that leftover stuffing- especially for entertaining or creating a meal you can store overnight for lunch the next day.
-24 large white button mushrooms
-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
-salt
-freshly ground black pepper
-1.5 cups leftover stuffing
Preheat oven to 400°F. Wipe the mushrooms clean and remove stems (chop stems after removing). Oil a baking sheet and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat- add mushroom caps and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and golden brown (about 5 minutes). Remove the caps and add on the prepared baking sheet. Return the frying pan to medium heat and melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Add chopped mushroom stems, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender. In a mixing bowl, combine cooked stems with leftover stuffing. Fill the mushroom caps with about 2 heaping teaspoons stuffing, and bake (stuffing side up) for about 10 minutes).
Turkey Nacho Dip
Chunks of leftover turkey are perfect in this cheesy dip. With only 3 ingredients, this is the perfect recipe for a college student enjoying football games with friends on Sunday or just spending time with friends. No matter the function, this dip is sure to be a huge crowd pleaser!
-1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
-3/4 cup salsa
-1 cup cooked turkey, cubed
-Tortilla Chips
In a small saucepan, combine soup and salsa, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir in turkey. Cook until heated through. Serve warm with the tortilla chips.
*Sources:
http://www.livingonadime.com/creative-thanksgiving-leftovers/
http://southernfood.about.com/od/turkeysalad/r/Turkey-Salad-With-Red-Grapes.htm
http://www.chow.com/food-news/54205/what-to-do-with-thanksgiving-leftovers/
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Turkey-Nachos