Getting creative with leftovers
Tuesday, October 13, 2009 | 08:47 AM ET
By Jessica Wong, CBCNews.ca
After a busy weekend of Thanksgiving dinners, refrigerators across Canada are probably looking similar right now: filled with bits and pieces of turkey, a handful of crudités, a jar of gravy and perhaps a casserole, a small vat of mashed potatoes or some veggie dish.
For me, part of the fun of big holiday dinners is trying to rework the leftovers in some imaginative way — say turkey congee (a savory Asian rice porridge) or prime rib sandwiches (easy!).
Mashed potatoes might turn into potato pancakes or top a sheppard's pie. I could swirl that homemade spiced cranberry sauce into a muffin batter. Now what to do with the rendered beef fat and gravy sitting in the fridge?
What do you like to make with Thanksgiving leftovers? Do you have tried and true recipes for post-holiday dinners?
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Amber Hildebrandt writes for CBCNews.ca in Toronto. Growing up on a farm in Manitoba, she acquired an insatiable appetite, but it was during a stint in Japan that she developed her discerning tastebuds and "foodie" ways.
Andrea Chiu is an associate producer at CBC Radio Digital. Though she loves to eat, cook and discuss food,
don't ask her to bake. It never turns out well. She tweets as @TOfoodie on Twitter and organizes food and wine events in Toronto called FoodieMeet.
Tara Kimura is the consumer life reporter for CBCNews.ca, covering a wide range of issues that range from rising food costs and the growing organic movement, to new trends in the marketplace.
Andree Lau is a CBC web reporter in Calgary. Her journalism career includes seven years as a CBC-TV reporter. Her own blog called "are you gonna eat that?" chronicles her eating adventures (including sampling snake and camel hoof tendon).
Jessica Wong is a CBCNews.ca writer who loves to eat and cook, as well as discuss, read and watch programming about food, sometimes all at once.
Kevin Yarr, CBCNews.ca's writer in Prince Edward Island, wrote about food and beer for national and regional magazines before joining the CBC. He acquired a desire for new tastes on his first trip to Europe, and an appreciation of eating locally and in season when he finally settled down on P.E.I.
Elizabeth Bridge is a writer with the CBC Digital Archives in Toronto. She first ventured into the kitchen as a child to indulge a sweet tooth by baking cookies and making fudge. A student budget compelled her to be a vegetarian (for a while) and instilled in her an ongoing curiosity about food and cooking.
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Comments
Bob
Turkey a la King! Sauteed a bunch of mushrooms, onions, red & green pepper added chopped up Turkey and Campbell's Creamy Chicken cooking sauce. I had it on whole wheat penne and added a little scoop of left over stuffing on top! YUM!
Posted October 13, 2009 10:23 AM
NadineB
Guelph
We could have turkey everyday! Our favourite leftovers are:
- Turkey Curry (hot or sweet)
- Turkey Cabbage rolls - include a bit of stuffing instead of rice
- Turkey Chili (spicy)
- Turkey, mashed potato & stuffing fry up
- Turkey parmesan (non breaded)
- Turkey, turnip and parsnip pot pie
- Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sandwiches
- Turkey pizza - on a tortilla, tomato sauce, turkey meat, leftover veg and mozzarella cheese
- Turkey macaroni cheese - with veggies and crumbled stuffing on top and baked
- Turkey, carrot, turnip omlettes
There's always room for more turkey!
Posted October 13, 2009 10:44 AM
Rdewin
Toronto
Monica's leftovers sandwich from 'Friends'. Turkey & stuffing (and any other trimmings as the mood strikes you) with an extra piece of gravy-soaked bread in the middle. It's actually insanely good :)
Posted October 13, 2009 01:12 PM
Shanon
Love turkey pot pie.
BLTT (bacon, lettuce, tomatoe, TURKEY)
rissotto with small amount of turkey meat, squash, cranberries, made with turkey broth of course.
Posted October 14, 2009 09:47 AM
Jonny B
P.E.I
Thanksgivin' poutine!
Home made fries
Mozza
Turkey pieces
Stuffing
Turkey gravy.
Little side of cranberry
Yumm
Posted October 14, 2009 12:32 PM
Gail
Try Turkey Sheperd's Pie with roots. Saute diced onion in some of the turkey fat(or oil) and add to chopped cooked turkey with gravy (use veggie water if too thick). Place in casserole.
Take equivilent of 4 potatoes mashed and mix with 2 diced cooked carrots and 1 parsnip (or the leftover sweet potatoes). Mash together. Add a clove of garlic,diced, and any green onions hanging around the fridge to potato mixture. Place on top of turkey mixture and put in 350 F. oven to heat through.
Try Turkey frittata. 1/2 onion chopped and sauted with 1 clove of garlic, diced in oven proof skillet. Add chopped turkey-2 cups( you can make it up with chopped cold stuffing) and any cooked veggies in the fridge.
Turn on broiler while warming the mixture thoroughly.
Take 4 eggs and beat with 4 Tbsp. water or milk, put aside.
Grate any cheese in fridge for app. 1/2 cup.
Pour eggs over turkey mixture thoroughlyand cook until almost set. Then,sprinkle with cheese and place in oven under broiler until eggs are set and frittata is puffy and golden.
Both of the above recipes are great for any leftovers, whether leftover meat and/or veggies.
Posted October 14, 2009 06:43 PM
Linda
BC
"Now what to do with the rendered beef fat and gravy sitting in the fridge?"
Use the fat to brown some extra lean ground beef (or turkey). Add some green peas (frozen) and broccoli (frozen or cut small so it'll cook quickly). Add the gravy and heat well. Serve over brown basmati rice. Side of veggies/salad. (Oops. Need to cook another turkey!)
Posted October 15, 2009 12:28 PM