Thanksgiving can often mean lots of leftovers. We’ve got a few ideas for reinventing the reheat in this month’s Home Hack.
SIMPLE AND FAST OPTIONS
“Thanksgiving Sandwich Style” Using: Toast, Turkey, Stuffing, Cranberry, Mayonnaise, Gravy
Make it: This one is our favorite. Select a bread that toasts well, like small ciabatta loaves or Texas-style slices. Spread mayonnaise on one side of the bread. On the other side of the bread, spread cranberry sauce. Layer in leftover turkey, and top with stuffing. Toast in oven, panini press, or pan. Serve with a small side of gravy for dipping or topping.
Pro Tip: If using a pan to toast a sliced bread sandwich, use a minimal spread of mayonnaise on the outside of the sandwich instead of butter. It spreads evenly so easily and toasts the bread perfectly!
“Turkey Salad Style” Using: Turkey, Mayonnaise, Celery, Honey, Red Grapes
Make it: This is a sweet turkey salad. Cube or loosely shred leftover turkey. Half red grapes and dice celery. Combine everything with light mayonnaise. Add in honey, salt, and pepper to taste. Gently mix in the red grape halves. Garnish with a small dash of poppy seeds and/or dried minced onions, if desired. Serve with crackers, on a bed of lettuce, or make into sandwiches.
“Turkey Taco Style” Using: Turkey, cheese, toppings…
Make it: Shred or slice leftover turkey into small strips and cook with taco seasoning packet. Make tacos or nachos!
OPTIONS THAT TAKE A LITTLE MORE TIME
“Burst Pasta Style” Using: Linguini, Cherry Tomatoes, Vegetables, Broth, Parmesan
Make it: Cook fresh linguini (or boxed pasta if preferred), reserve the pasta water after cooking. At the same time, in a separate pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil with a few cloves of fresh minced garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add a 1/2 pint of halved cherrie tomatoes, cook for additional minute. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth, OR reserved pasta water if you don’t have broth. Cook tomatoes until “burst,” which looks wilted. You can stop there, or add in other leftover veggies like kale, spinach, mushrooms, etc. Add bite-sized pieces of leftover turkey heat until the turkey is properly reheated. Add in some reserved pasta water as desired to loosen mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss cooked pasta in with the mixture and a pad of butter. Top with parmesan.
Pro Tip: Mix in a tablespoon or two of cream cheese in the liquid of the cooked vegetable mixture to make it a creamier sauce.
“Skewers Style” Using: Turkey, Vegetables
Make it: Compose skewers with chunks of leftover turkey and vegetables. Most vegetables work; cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, peppers, zucchini, potatoes, and carrots, all work and are often plentiful leftovers on relish trays. Roast skewers in oven or on grill for a few minutes. Serve plain skewers with gravy on the side for dipping OR brush cooked skewers with Italian dressing for a different flavor profile.
“Soup Style” Using: Turkey, Vegetables, Broth
Make it: In a large pot heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil with a few cloves of fresh minced garlic. Heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in a few cups of broth (make your own if you like) and vegetables. We like carrots, celery, diced onions, potatoes, and shredded turkey. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a few sprigs of leftover spices from the stuffing like fresh thyme and/or rosemary sprigs. Cook on med-low until cooked through. Remove thyme and rosemary sprigs and serve.
“Turkey Cowboy Skillet Style” Using: Turkey, Carrots, Peas, Mushrooms, Gravy, Canned Biscuits, Cream of Mushroom Soup
Make it: Heat a drizzle of olive oil in pan with some fresh minced garlic until fragrant, about one minute. If using raw onions and carrots; chop, add, and cook until softened. Add shredded turkey, peas, mushroom, even green beans, and cook until warmed up. Mix in gravy (OR cream of mushroom soup), adding small amounts of leftover broth or water to loosen the mixture. Season with salt, pepper, and leftover fresh spices like thyme or rosemary to taste. Transfer mixture to an oven-save dish. Top mixture with biscuits, keeping the biscuits away from the edge of the dish. Cook in oven until biscuits are golden. Brush melted butter (or melted butter with minced garlic if you prefer) over the biscuits and serve in bowls.
DeAnna & company 