Thanksgiving Day has come and whether you were able to take to the kitchen and prepare a classic Thanksgiving meal or order a prepared delicious meal to go, we hope your Thanksgiving dinner was filled with great company and stuffed bellies. COVID-19 may have prevented most people from traveling to see and share dinner with their loved ones, leaving a few empty seats around our tables this year. If this did not stop you from preparing a whole Thanksgiving meal for your immediate family, you might have a lot of leftovers compared to usual. Don’t worry, the recipes below will help get rid of those leftovers by remaking them into clever meals for everyone to enjoy. Leftover Stuffing Waffles: Cook Time: 30 min Special Equipment needed: Waffle Iron Ingredients: · Vegetable oil, for the waffle iron · 4 ½ cups crumbled leftover stuffing · ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley · 2 large eggs, beaten · 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes, warm · ½ cup leftover gravy, warm · ¼ cup leftover cranberry sauce Directions: · Preheat a waffle iron to medium high. Generously brush the top and bottom of the iron with oil. · Combine the stuffing, parsley and eggs in a medium bowl. Evenly and firmly pack the waffle iron with some of the stuffing mixture. Close the iron and cook until the waffle is golden and can be lifted out easily, 4 to 6 minutes. Repeat with the remaining stuffing mixture. · Transfer each waffle to a plate, top with a scoop of mashed potatoes and then cover with gravy; finish with a dollop of cranberry sauce. Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Reubens: Cook Time: 25 min Ingredients: · 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature · 8 slices rye bread · 4 tablespoons Russian dressing · 8 slices Swiss cheese · 2 cups leftover stuffing, warmed slightly · 2 cups sauerkraut · 1 pound leftover thinly sliced turkey · Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions: · Position a rack about 4 inches from the broiler heat source, and preheat. Line a baking sheet with foil. · Spread some butter on 1 side of each slice of bread. Place 4 pieces, buttered side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Spread some of the Russian dressing on the sides facing up. Top each with a slice of cheese and evenly crumble some of the stuffing over the cheese. Top each with some sauerkraut, turkey and then the remaining cheese on top. · Put the open-faced sandwiches under the broiler and cook until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the broiler. Spread the rest of the dressing on the uncovered side of the 4 remaining bread slices, place on top melted cheese and push down, buttered side up to finish the sandwiches. Return to the broiler and toast sandwich, carefully turning once so both sides get nice and golden brown, about 2 minutes total, serve hot. Turkey Pot Pie: Cook Time: 1 hr 10 min Ingredients: · 2 tablespoons butter · 1 onion, chopped · 2 stalks celery, chopped · 3 carrots, chopped · 4 tablespoons flour · 4 cups chicken or turkey stock · 2 potatoes, peeled and diced · 2 cups shredded turkey · 2 tablespoons chopped parsley · 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed · 1 prepared pie crust · 1 egg, lightly beaten Directions: · Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. · Melt butter in saucepan and cook chopped onion until tender. Stir in celery and carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes and simmer until tender. Stir in turkey, parsley and peas. Pour mixture into casserole. Top with pie crust and brush with egg. Bake for 30 minutes until crust is golden. Fried Stuffing Bites with Cranberry Sauce Pesto: Cook Time: 14 min Ingredients: · Oil, for frying · Leftover stuffing · 2 eggs · 2 teaspoons milk · 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs · 1 cup cranberry sauce · 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper · 1/2 cup walnuts Directions: · Preheat oil to 350 degrees F. · Cut leftover stuffing into bite-sized cubes and set aside. In a small bowl whisk eggs and milk. Coat each stuffing bite with this egg wash, then dredge in the bread crumbs until fully coated and set aside. · In a food processor blend cranberry sauce, pepper and walnuts and set aside. · Once oil is at temperature fry each piece of stuffing until golden brown about 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel and serve with cranberry pesto. Hot Brown Turkey Sandwiches Cook Time: 35 min Ingredients: · 5 slices bacon · 1 small onion, chopped · 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour · 1 1/4 cups milk · 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth · 1 1/4 cups shredded Muenster or Monterey Jack cheese · Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper · 4 thick slices white bread, toasted · Dijon mustard, for spreading · 1 tomato, sliced · 3 cups shredded or sliced roast turkey or rotisserie chicken · 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley Directions: · Preheat the broiler. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour out all but about 1 tablespoon fat from the skillet. · Make the gravy: Add the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 1 more minute. Increase the heat to medium high, add the milk and chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper. · Arrange the bread on a baking sheet. Spread each slice with mustard, then drizzle with some of the gravy and top with the sliced tomato. Toss the turkey with the remaining gravy in the skillet. Divide the turkey evenly among the bread slices, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Broil until golden, about 2 minutes. · Crumble the bacon over the sandwiches; sprinkle with the parsley. Cranberry-Carrot Muffins: Cook Time: 55 min Ingredients: · 2 cups all-purpose flour · 2 teaspoons baking powder · 1/2 teaspoon salt · 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon · 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg · 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger · 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature · 3/4 cup sugar · 2 large eggs, at room temperature · 1 cup pureed cooked carrots · Zest of 1 orange · 1/2 cup leftover cranberry relish · 2 tablespoons Demererra or granulated sugar, for sprinkling Directions: · Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-portion 1/2-cup muffin tin with paper liners. · In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger together. · In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter on medium speed until lightened. With the speed on low, slowly add the sugar. Increase speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition and scraping down the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula. Add the carrot puree and orange zest and beat until well combined. With the mixer set on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined; do not overbeat. Remove the bowl from the mixer and with a rubber spatula, gently fold the cranberry relish into the batter until evenly distributed. · Evenly divide the batter among the lined muffin cups and sprinkle a little sugar over the top of each. Bake in the center of the oven until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. · Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove muffins form the pan and transfer to a rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature. Sweet Potato Soup: Cook Time: 1 hr 25 min Ingredients: · 3 cups leftover mashed sweet potatoes · 1 1/2 to 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth · 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger · 1/2 teaspoon allspice · 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg · 1/2 cup creme fraiche · 2 teaspoons chipotle in adobo puree · Salt and freshly ground black pepper · Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish · Blue Corn tortilla chips, coarsely crushed, for garnish · Mashed sweet potatoes: · 4 tablespoons unsalted butter · 1 cup whole milk · 1/2 cup heavy cream · 1 tablespoon chipotle chile puree · 5 large sweet potatoes boiled until just cooked through and peeled · 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup · 2 tablespoons honey · 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon · Salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions: · Whisk together the mashed potatoes, 1 1/2 cups of the broth, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Whisk in the 1/4 cup creme fraiche and more broth, if needed, and cook for 5 minutes. · Whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup of creme fraiche and chipotle puree in a small bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a dollop of the creme fraiche, some cilantro leaves and some of the tortilla chips. · Mashed sweet potatoes: · Combine the butter, milk, cream and chipotle puree in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. · While the potatoes are hot, run them through a ricer into a large bowl. Add the warm milk mixture, syrup, honey, cinnamon and salt and pepper and mix until combined. Leftover Thanksgiving Nachos: Cook Time: 25 min Ingredients: · 1 cup sour cream · 1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile in adobo, plus more sauce for serving · 10 cups tortilla chips · 2 cups shredded leftover turkey meat · 3 cups shredded Cheddar · 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese · 2 cups thinly sliced leftover cooked Brussels sprouts · 1 1/2 cups leftover cubed roasted butternut squash · 1 cup packaged french-fried onions · 1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves or parsley leaves · 1/2 cup sliced black olives · 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapenos Directions: · Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Stir the sour cream and chipotle chile together in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wraps and refrigerate. · Scatter half the chips on a rimmed baking sheet. Top with one-third of the turkey, cheeses, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash and fried onions. Scatter the remaining chips on top followed by the remaining two-thirds of turkey, cheeses, Brussels sprouts and fried onions. Bake until the cheeses are melted and bubbly, about 5 to 7 minutes. · Drizzle the nachos with chipotle sour cream and extra adobo sauce. Garnish with cilantro, black olives, and jalapenos. All recipes are courtesy of the Foot Network Kitchen and even more amazing Thanksgiving leftover recipes can be found here. For more local news and information click here.

The Ultimate Thanksgiving Leftovers Guide