The Friday after Thanksgiving is here, and you can’t let Christmas in until you are done with all of the turkey and Thanksgiving leftovers!
You are used to having a house full of friends and family, but Covid 19 had other plans. Still, you bought, roasted, smoked, or fried a whole turkey and prepared endless sides just because. Today, you just realized that you have more leftovers than your fridge can handle.
Don’t panic! Repurposing leftovers is my specialty.
Best of all, it doesn’t require much prepping time. Below I will list a few options that use ingredients you already have in your kitchen and leave your family asking for more.
Thanksgiving dinner is over… Now what?!
Sweet potato pancakes
Ingredients:
- 1-2 cups sweet potato casserole (Pumpkin, butternut squash, carrots work too)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1+ tbsp honey or maple syrup (to taste)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt and cinnamon (or pumpkin spice)
For a comforting Thanksgiving, weekend breakfast, mix all the ingredients and cook like your usual pancakes.
Turkey Salad
Ingredients
- Hand shredded turkey meat
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 apple peeled and diced or 1 cup quartered grapes
- 1 bunch chopped parsley or cilantro
Dress with:
- ½ cup Mayonnaise (give or take)
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1tsp curry powder, 1 tsp cumin, salt, and pepper to taste.
Mix all ingredients and serve with bread, crackers, lettuce wraps, etc.
Turkey Shawarma
Ingredients:
- Shredded or diced leftover turkey meat
- 2 onions sliced (Optional: Add bell peppers)
- 1tbsp soy sauce
- Sauté onions and olive oil on high heat for 4 minutes.
- When onions are translucent and sizzling, add soy sauce and toss around until caramelized.
- Add turkey meat to the caramelized onions (add an extra splash of soy sauce) and toss for 2-3 minutes before removing it from the heat.
Sauce 1: Equal parts mayo, dijon mustard, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1tsp cumin
Sauce 2: I cup greek yogurt, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 baby cucumber diced, salt to taste.
How to serve: Stuff a pita pocket with the caramelized meat and top with sauce. Don’t hesitate to add some leftover (preheated) green vegetables. You can also serve as taco’s or top with sunny side up eggs.
Tuscan Turkey Pasta
Ingredients:
- 1 small onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4-5 diced tomatoes (or 1 can)
- shredded leftover turkey meat
- basil + leftover greens (collard, spinach, etc.)
- 1 Package short length pasta
- Sauté onion until translucent, followed by garlic, basil, and tomatoes for 15 minutes.
- Add turkey meat and toss for 2 minutes (Add any leftover spinach or collard greens).
- Add boiled pasta + 1 ladle pasta water and toss on high heat for 3-5 minutes.
- Top with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
Turkey Pho
Ingredients:
Broth
- Turkey bones
- 1 onion
- 1 pepper
- 1 garlic head
- Leftover herb stems +4 bay leaves
Pho
- 1tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
- 1 package of rice noodles
- Raw vegetables thinly sliced (Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, radishes, green onions, etc.)
- 4 boiled eggs shelled and cut in half.
- Put turkey bones, herbs, garlic, onion, and pepper in a stockpot.
- Add water until covered and bring to a boil.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low, and let it simmer, half-covered, for 2-8 hrs. (Put your slow cooker to use the night before if you prefer).
- Remove all solids and let the broth cool until the fat separates and floats to the surface. With a spoon, fish out the fat and bring your broth to a boil again.
- Add Rice noodles, soy sauce, and fish sauce (salt to taste).
- In individual bowls, layer the raw vegetables, shredded turkey meat, and one boiled egg.
- Ladle in your broth with some egg noodles and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Optional: Add sriracha.
**Please note that turkey meat exposure to heat is minimal, and the same applies to leftover steak, chicken, fish, or pork. If cooked too long, the taste will change and become less appealing to your palate.
BUT, in the end, my goal is to inspire you to make the best of what you have.
Feel free to ask any questions in the comment section below and follow me on Facebook @frommykitchentotheworld for more ideas.
Now it’s official… ¡FELIZ NAVIDAD!
