It is the morning after Thanksgiving, and your fridge is full of delicious leftovers, which you are wondering what to do with.  Well, I am here to tell you that these leftovers are often the best part of Thanksgiving, and the great news is you don’t have to worry about meal planning for at least the next week.

So, if you’re at a loss, and wondering what to do with all that extra food, here’s a list of things to get you thinking:

• Turkey Sandwiches; quite possibly the best way to repurpose what’s left of your turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce and stuffing. My recipe typically goes something like this: bread, mustard, turkey, cranberry sauce, some gravy soaked stuffing, grated cheese, more turkey, another dollop of mustard and cover with the second bread.  Press down, and heat in a skillet or sandwich press until the bread is toasted and the cheese has melted.  Slice in half and enjoy!
• Turkey Stock; when you’re done carving your turkey and storing away the meat, don’t throw the carcass away, use it to make some delicious stock and store in the freezer for later use. This is great to have on hand as a base for making make-ahead gravy in future, as I usually don’t like taking time away from my guests to make a gravy after getting my roast out of the oven.
• Turkey Salad: If you’re not feeling the sandwich, or don’t have enough of the other ingredients, no problem, simply make your favourite chicken salad recipe, substituting the chicken for the turkey.
• Turkey Soup: Again, a nice and easy way to repurpose several of your leftovers. Shred the turkey and dice any leftover vegetables to make a hearty and delicious Thanksgiving soup. If you have any gravy leftover, add it in as it will add amazing flavour to your soup.
• Stir Fry or Fried Rice: Simply toss your leftover turkey and vegetables in a pan with some oil, garlic, ginger, and add flavour enhancers such as soy sauce, fish sauce and/or oyster sauce and enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving stir fry. Or add an egg, along with some pre-cooked rice and toss together to make a post-Thanksgiving fried rice dish.
• Turkey Stuffed Capsicum: Also a great way to repurpose your leftovers. Simply start with a base of your sweet potato casserole (or mashed potatoes) topped with the turkey, some leftover vegetables, cranberry sauce and perhaps a drizzle of leftover gravy and some grated cheese. Place in the oven underneath the broiler until hot and the cheese has melted.
• Pasta Bake: Make your favourite creamy chicken and penne casserole, substituting the chicken with the turkey. The great thing about this dish is that you can store it away in the freezer and keep for a later weeknight dinner or thaw out and reheat next time you have company.
• Multi-Purpose Cranberry Sauce: If you have an abundance of cranberry sauce left, use them as fillers next time you make oat bars, or as a topping for your granola, or look up a great recipe for cranberry oat muffins. Don’t worry too much, as cranberry sauce will keep for a while if stored properly in the fridge, so you have time to use this up. And note; you can use them for pretty much any desserts, such as parfait, cheesecake and as a topping for baked brie. It’s also a great addition to your morning smoothie.
• Sweet Potato Muffins: A great way to use up any leftover sweet potato casserole.
• Baby Food: if you’ve got little ones at home, your mashed potatoes and sweet potato casserole will make for great baby food, as will any leftover vegetables that can be pureed to your preferred consistency and given to babies and toddlers.
• Mashed Potato Arancini: a great and delicious way to use up leftover mashed potatoes, which make for easy party snacks, are popular with young kids, and for the time the flavours have had to infuse, you are guaranteed a delicious finger food.

Just a few items off the top of my head to get you started.  I would however, love to hear from some of you on how you like to repurpose your Thanksgiving leftovers.

Next up, Christmas!