Thanksgiving Leftovers

If you find yourself drowning in russet potatoes after Thanksgiving – I know I usually tend to buy way too much – fret not. Here's a creative way to use them up. Mash them, and then bake them with a cheesy, breadcrumb crust for a crunchy, creamy, and indulgent dish. You can also use any leftover mashed potatoes you have from your holiday feast and just skip a few of the recipe steps! Keep on going for the recipe!

Post-Thanksgiving, it's always tough to figure out what to do with all of those leftovers. Rather than re-creating the same plate you had the day before, give a leftover Thanksgiving pizza pie a try! This turkey, pesto, and cranberry pizza is a hearty meal with plenty of savory and sweet flavors. I used a caramelized onion cranberry sauce but if you had just a plain cranberry on Turkey Day, quickly sauté some onions to mix in; they'll add an edginess to the pizza. Mozzarella, goat cheese, or ricotta would all be a great choice for a cheesy topping — just pick your favorite! Pull out that pizza stone and give your leftovers a makeover with this creative pizza recipe.

Turkey and cranberry quesadillas, turkey tortilla soup, turkey and stuffing sandwiches, turkey and sweet potato chili: the ways to use up leftover Thanksgiving dishes are endless! And whether you love them or hate them, you've got to do something with all that turkey, cranberry, and vegetables. Yesterday I served up a scrumptious turkey hash with fried eggs and whole wheat toast. Today I'm making cranberry, fontina, and sage puff pastry pinwheels that I'm offering as an appetizer with sparkling wine.

How about you? How are you using up leftovers? What have you made already?

Source: Flickr User kthread

The cornucopia that is the Thanksgiving day spread always seems to translate into a massive amount of leftovers. To avoid getting palate fatigue, be sure to create new dishes that introduce entirely fresh flavors. In dire need of some ideas? KitchenDaily offers suggestions from rich and creamy casseroles (turkey-cheddar Tetrazzini) to portable ethnic eats (turkey banh mi). For more inspiration and recipes, head over to KitchenDaily.

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Like most of you, I relish Thanksgiving leftovers. Stuffing, mashed potatoes, and turkey legs all possess a greater depth of flavor the next day. But white meat turkey always seems to taste worse the following morning. In my mind, consuming leftover turkey breast is up there with finishing day-old fish. To help matters, I decided to try a regional dish I've always wanted to make: the legendary Kentucky Hot Brown. This warm sandwich, created at the Brown Hotel in 1926, is an open-faced wonder of roasted turkey, bacon, and tomatoes on fat toast, drizzled with luscious Mornay sauce. Nearly a century later, there are many variations, but I returned to the original, a move I don't regret. I love how the creamy, nutty Pecorino cheese sauce offsets the lean tone of turkey breast. For a Thanksgiving leftover idea you'll be making for years to come, keep reading.

Unlike your average, boring, everyday leftovers, there's something special, almost mythical about Thanksgiving leftovers. People seem to love the leftovers as much as the main meal, and everyone wants to reinvent the turkey, cranberry, and stuffing into a new, exciting, and extraordinary dish. While I'm a huge fan of a classic sandwich or turkey tortilla soup, today I'm craving something more exotic like mashed potato spring rolls!

How about you? What's your favorite way to eat turkey day leftovers?

Since the vast majority of you love turkey day leftovers as much as the meal itself, I thought I'd share my favorite post-supper pointer for those who are hosting this year.

Any time you order takeout, delivery, or take home a doggy bag between now and Thanksgiving, be sure to hand wash and reserve some of the plastic takeout containers that you get from restaurants. That way, on Thanksgiving day, you can send your guests home happy with leftovers of their choice — and you won't be short any servingware.

Got any tips for Thanksgiving leftovers? Share them below!