Tis the Season for Leftovers!

On By Jessica DeCarloIn Uncategorized
Healthy Holiday Leftover Recipes : Food Network | Holiday Recipes: Menus, Desserts, Party Ideas from Food Network | Food Network

Many people are gearing up for some serious holiday cooking with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the numerous holiday parties that are always a must this time of year. Our favorite dishes are cooked to abundance to ensure everyone gets to enjoy each dish. But what do we do when the parties are over, the holidays fade away, and the leftovers pile up? Get creative! Instead of reheating, recreate those favorite dishes into something new and delicious. Here are 10 creative ways to bring life to those leftovers:

  1. Salad- Chop that meat up and sprinkle on top of a beautiful bed of greens, dried fruit, croutons, etc. Then finish with a drizzle of your favorite dressing.
  2. Soup- Add those veggies and meat to a pot of broth with a bit of seasoning, some pasta or rice, stir, and enjoy!
  3. Shepherds Pie- A wonderful traditional Irish dish that welcomes leftovers. Layer a casserole dish with meat and gravy, veggies, and mashed potatoes. Heat, serve, and enjoy the smiles.
  4. Hot Open-Faced Sandwiches- Use that sliced meat to make a warm, messy sandwich dripping with gravy. Serve on toast with a fork, knife, and several napkins.
  5. Pot Pie- Make a savory pie with meat, veggies, potatoes, and gravy.
  6. Potato Cakes- Mash those potatoes, if they aren’t already mashed, add seasoning, and flour to help form a cake. You can even add diced up meat and veggies to add more flavor.
  7. Cranberry Smoothie- If, by chance, you have leftover cranberry sauce you can make a refreshing smoothie. Just add plain yogurt, milk, and a straw.
  8. Pumpkin Pie Milkshake- Make that pumpkin pie drinkable by putting a slice in the blender along with some of that leftover vanilla ice cream, and milk. Top with whipped cream and you have a delicious new way to enjoy pumpkin pie!
  9. Stuffing Waffles- Mix an egg, some broth, and stuffing until moist. Spread onto a hot waffle iron, cook to crispy, and top with some cranberry sauce and an egg.
  10. Nachos- Turn those leftovers into something festive! Chips, cheese, meat, and veggies. Or get creative and add stuffing and cranberry sauce.