So, it is the Monday after Thanksgiving. Most likely we have already forgotten about the holiday we are onto Christmas. In full shopping mode and thinking about what cookies we are going to make! BUT, we may still be holding onto some turkey, ham and mashed potatoes. If that is the case, here are a few Thanksgiving leftover recipes for you to use up the rest of those yummy bites that we do not want to throw away!
Let’s start with the Turkey
2020 of all years is probably where we have the most turkey leftover. We all celebrated with much smaller groups than normal. Even though we gave leftovers to our few guests, we still have too much turkey to just heat and eat. Here is a recipe that you can make that the whole family will love and they won’t even realize it was the leftovers. These turkey dish is perfect anytime.
Turkey Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry fussili or corkscrew pasta
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ pound cremini mushrooms sliced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 ¼ cups homemade chicken stock or reduced sodium store bought
- 8 ounces boursin cheese garlic and flavor
- 1 ⅓ cups half & half
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- 2 cups leftover turkey chopped
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese divided
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated if possible
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cook the pasta to al dente and according to package directions.
- Heat a skillet to medium high heat and add the butter, onions and garlic and saute until softened. Add the cremini mushrooms and cook until softened, about an additional 3 minutes. whisk in flour and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in the broth and cream all at once. Cook until thick & bubbly, let boil 1 minute. Whisk in the boursin cheese just until melted. Add chopped parsley and dried oregano or Italian seasonings
- Combine pasta, turkey, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and sauce. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Top with remaining mozzarella, cover and bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake an additional 10-15 minutes uncovered until hot & bubbly.
Let’s talk about that extra ham
Now, my go to with left over ham is always to pan sear it up the next day with some fried eggs, hash browns and toast. Yet, if you have already done that and made some sandwiches and still starring down a hunk of ham in the fridge; then this next recipe is for you. Even if you and the family are feeling like you don’t even want to look at ham for a whole other year, this recipe will be a hit. This will not feel like another dish you are just using the extra ham in to get rid of.
https://thecozycook.com/ham-casserole/
*recipe coming from the cozy cook
You can also throw the diced ham into some bagel bombs and then freeze them to eat each day or at a later date if you just can’t do anymore ham right now!
Lastly, let’s chat about mashed potatoes
I feel like mashed potatoes is one of those sides that you usually have a lot left over. You definitely don’t want to throw them out, but how many times can you heat up and eat mashed potatoes before you feel like a mashed potato.
You can certainly make some potato cakes or even loaded potato cakes. You can use them to top a Shepard’s pie. You can even layer them under some broccoli and cheese and make a yummy potato casserole. Yet, I think this is the most fun way to use your left over mashed potatoes. This is a way the whole family, especially the kiddos is sure to LOVE! Use your leftover mashed potatoes to make donuts! YEP, that is correct, I said donuts! Here you go… and you are welcome!
Mashed Potato Donuts
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup leftover mashed potato
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 quarts 3 pounds lard, shortening, or vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs and mashed potatoes to the shortening mix.
- Measure out the milk. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- The resulting dough will be quite soft, more like a drop-biscuit dough instead of a "rollable" dough. The dough can be covered and refrigerated overnight, if desired.
- Turn the dough out onto a very well floured surface and knead a few times to make it stiff enough to roll with a rolling pin. Roll the dough using a well-floured rolling pin until it's about 1/2" thick. Dip a doughnut cutter in flour (each time you cut), and cut out the doughnuts. Save the holes; or re-roll them with leftover dough. Try to handle the dough as little as possible; the less you work the dough, the more tender the doughnuts will be.
- Heat the oil or shortening or lard to 365°F. Test the temperature with a thermometer; or with a slice of bread, as follows: lower half a slice of bread into the hot fat. If it takes 1 minute for the bottom side to brown nicely, the fat is at the best temperature for frying doughnuts.
- Fry doughnuts about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on brown paper bags or paper towels. Check one of the fried donuts after it is cooled to be sure the center is cooked through.
- While still warm, shake doughnuts in cinnamon-sugar or plain granulated sugar.
