Does anyone else make a second turkey so you can be sure to have leftovers? Just me? I LOVE having Thanksgiving leftovers, but I don’t really want to eat the traditional Thanksgiving meal for a full week after the holiday. If your stuck on what to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers, let me share some of my favorite ways to repurpose them. You’ll be planning a second turkey for it next year too!
Thanksgiving Sandwiches
I like to toast some ezekiel or squaw bread. Use whatever you like, but I do suggest toasting it! Spread cream cheese on one slice of bread and cranberry sauce on the other. Then season with salt and pepper before adding the turkey and alfalfa sprouts. We usually make these the day after Thanksgiving while decorating for Christmas. It’s a good quick lunch so you won’t lose your decorating momentum and you still get to enjoy the flavors of the holiday.
Pavo Enchiladas
Unlike most of my recipes, this one isn’t made from scratch. But it IS a crowd-pleaser! Pavo enchiladas are a perfect meal for lingering Thanksgiving house guests.
Maybe you have family staying for the weekend and you’re going to need to feed everyone again. Include the enchilada sauce in your Thanksgiving prep and store it in the refrigerator or the freezer. Then include your guests in the job of rolling up enchiladas. Many of my favorite extended family memories are set in the kitchen and this is mindless work that allows for conversation. Pour everyone a glass of wine and form as assembly line!
You can find my pavo enchilada recipe here!
Turkey Bone Broth
Save the turkey carcass!! Always save the turkey carcass. It makes the most beautiful clear, light colored broth. You can drop the carcass right into your instapot or a big stock pot on the stove while you cleaning up from Thanksgiving. Let it do its thing and in a few hours, and with very little work, bone broth!
If you aren’t ready to make broth after all the cooking you just did for the holiday (totally understandable), just put the carcass in a bag and freeze it for another time. When you’re ready to use it your house will smell like Thanksgiving all over again. You’ll be happy you saved it!
Here is an instapot bone broth recipe for you to use!
Soups
You can use your delicious homemade turkey broth to make any number of soups!
My kids have a favorite that we call “Thanksgiving Soup”. I don’t have a recipe, but you don’t need it… here is what we do:
Pour some broth, a big scoop of mashed potatoes, and almost the same amount of pumpkin puree (just a little less than the mashed potatoes) into a blender and give it a quick mix until smooth. It should look slightly orange and almost creamy. Put this new soup base into a pot and warm it up! Season with salt and pepper and a little bit of nutmeg to taste. Throw in a couple of handfuls of pastina and cook until the pasta is al dente.
- Pastina is any little pastas. You can use stelline or even ditalini. My kids usually want ABC pasta!
Kids LOVE this and any adults who are around will want some too. Such an easy way to use up leftovers and to fill little bellies!
Turkey and Mushroom Risotto
Turkey and Mushroom Risotto is a fancier way to use some leftover turkey. It is creamy and robust and simply decadent! I like to make it on the Sunday after Thanksgiving… when the house is decorated for Christmas, the guests have mostly gone home, and I am serving just my little family. When it feels like the world is slow and we have time to enjoy each other. The best way I can describe it… it feels like home.
Mashed Potato Pancakes
All you need are leftover mashed potatoes and a bit of butter for these pancakes. The trick is to get your pan very hot first. Toss in a little bit of butter (it should sizzle and melt instantly). Then gently place a big scoop of mashed potatoes in the pan and flatten it a bit. Now here is the important part… leave it alone. Be patient and let a crust form before flipping. Serve it with a fried or poached egg on top… YUM!
- I do not suggest substituting the butter in this recipe. The milk solids give the pancakes their golden crust.
Enjoy!
These are just a few ideas of how to repurpose your Thanksgiving leftovers. I hope you’ll enjoy them as much as. we do! Happy Holidays.
Keep Smiling!
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