5 Ingenious Recipes to Use Up Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

5 Ingenious Recipes to Use Up Your Thanksgiving Leftovers


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Photograph by Scott Suchman (Food and Prop Stylist: Lisa Cherkasky) Facebook Twitter LinkedIn


Ever wake up the morning after Thanksgiving, open your refrigerator, and wonder what to do with all those containers of leftovers crowding the shelves? My family is not big on eating the


same dinner two nights in a row, so I've gotten creative with repurposing leftovers.


Some of my go-to solutions are turkey Waldorf salad with cranberries, turkey sliders on leftover rolls, turkey chili or our family's most requested meal: turkey soup. But some more inventive


recipes use up all those leftover side dishes from the Thanksgiving feast.


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Here are my favorite repurposed dishes.

Stuffing Stuffed Mushrooms can be a great appetizer, but adding a little sausage turns it into a main dish. Photograph by Scott Suchman (Food and


Prop Stylist: Lisa Cherkasky) Stuffing Stuffed Mushrooms


These make a great appetizer, or you can use them as a main meal by adding cooked sausage to the stuffing mix.


Serves 6

20 button mushrooms, washed and patted dry2 tablespoons olive oil1/2 cup finely diced onion1 garlic clove, minced2 tablespoons parsley3 cups leftover stuffing1 cup parmesan


cheese, dividedSalt and pepper to taste2 tablespoons melted butter


Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Remove mushroom stems and chop. Melt olive oil over medium heat in a deep skillet, then sauté onions, mushroom stems and garlic until onions are tender.


Remove pan from stove. Stir in parsley, stuffing, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix until blended. Place mushroom caps into a greased casserole dish and evenly stuff them with


the mix. Drizzle melted butter over the mushrooms, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan cheese over it all. Bake for 20-30 minutes until tops are golden brown.

Mashed Potato


Pancakes are a savory way to repurpose this holiday staple. Photograph by Scott Suchman (Food and Prop Stylist: Lisa Cherkasky) Mashed Potato Pancakes


Mashed potatoes are so versatile — leftovers can be mixed into casseroles, added to sandwiches, fried, stirred into soups for thickening or used as a topping for shepherd's pie. I love


making them into savory pancakes with leftover turkey gravy for the “syrup.”


Makes 12 pancakes

3 cups leftover mashed potatoes, room temperature3 eggs1/2 cup flour1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powderSalt and pepper to taste1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese3 tablespoons


fresh chopped chivesOil for frying


*Optional toppings: sour cream, chopped green onion, or leftover turkey gravy


In a large bowl, mix together mashed potatoes, eggs, flour and seasonings until blended. Fold in the cheese and chives. If the potato mixture is too moist, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a


time, until you can form 12 patties (1.5 centimeters thick). In a large skillet, add enough oil to coat the bottom. Heat, then add pancakes a few at a time. Fry them in groups, 2-3 minutes


per side, until golden brown. Drain pancakes on a paper towel. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream and chives on top or leftover warm turkey gravy.