Ways to Jazz Up Thanksgiving Leftovers

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

Last night my 5-year-old devoured so much Thanksgiving turkey she actually declined dessert. (Cue the choir of angels.) As hard as it is to believe, my little turkey was so stuffed from eating nutritious dishes that she actually passed on her favorite pumpkin pie.

Thanks to my daughter's voracious appetite, I have less leftover turkey than I had anticipated. (Cue the angels again.) Still, there's some holiday bird left and I don't plan to waste any of it. The leftovers will be used in other dishes that will be eaten in the coming days.

If you are looking for ways to breathe new life into your Thanksgiving leftovers, consider the following simple recipes:

THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

4 cups sliced cooked turkey

2 cans of cream of mushroom soup

1 (16-ounce) container sour cream

1 cup milk

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon dried parsley

2 (6-ounce) boxes of stuffing (prepared according to directions) or 4 to 6 cups leftover stuffing

2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together sour cream, mushroom soup, milk, broth and seasonings.

Add turkey to mixture.

Grease a large casserole dish.

Spoon in turkey mixture.

Top with prepared stuffing.

Dot with butter.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

KICKED UP TURKEY SANDWICHES

Experiment with different breads and toppings, and then add the following kicked-up spreads to your turkey sandwiches:

CRANBERRY MAYO

Ingredients:

Leftover cranberry sauce

Mayonnaise

Directions:

Combine two parts cranberry sauce to one part mayo in a small mixing bowl.

Spread on turkey sandwiches.

CRANBERRY CREAM CHEESE

Ingredients:

4 ounces softened cream cheese

4 tablespoons cranberry sauce

1 teaspoon orange zest

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together until smooth.

Refrigerate mixture for at least an hour before serving.

Great for spreading on bagels or on turkey wrap sandwiches.

Related Articles:

Making the Most of Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

Ideas for Leftover Chicken

Turkey Burgers and Grandma's Potato Salad

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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