5 turkey leftover uses you won’t get tired of
Once you recover from your Thanksgiving food coma, you have to get back to reality. This means doing the dishes, stepping away from the dessert, and figuring out what to do with all of that leftover turkey. You’ll eventually get sick of turkey sandwiches with a side of leftover mashed potatoes. Mix things up with this year’s leftovers and try one of these addictive recipes instead.
- Thanksgiving in a Blanket [Delish]
If you’re a fan of pigs in a blanket, then you’ll probably also be a fan of Thanksgiving in a blanket. With a flaky crescent roll as the foundation, stuff this handheld with your leftover turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. Bake the packed crescent rolls to golden-brown. Then warm up some of that Turkey Day gravy and dip the Thanksgiving roll-up right into it. - Homemade Turkey Soup [Taste of Home]
It’s the perfect time of year for belly-warming soups. Throw this simple homemade turkey soup into the rotation for December. You’ll want to save the turkey carcass in order to make the broth, then add carrots, celery, onion, and rice to the mix. Finally, stir in any remaining pieces of turkey from your Thanksgiving festivities. Then you’re ready to enjoy a hearty bowl of the homemade soup, cozied up on the couch as the chilly autumn breezes whip through the trees outside. - Buffalo Turkey Sandwich [Good Housekeeping]
Do you like your leftovers with a bit of a kick? Then consider this Buffalo turkey sandwich. You essentially shred your leftover turkey and douse it in Buffalo sauce, then load it into a roll with a homemade blue cheese dressing. The result is a spicy creation balanced out by the cool, creamy flavors of the salad. When you make this recipe, you might forget that the meal has roots in your Thanksgiving feast, since it’s a total departure from those classic flavors. - Thanksgiving Skillet Pizza [Epicurious]
If you have both mashed potatoes and turkey leftover, this Thanksgiving skillet pizza is the perfect way to use them up. Instead of pizza sauce, this skillet-baked pie features a velvety layer of mashed potatoes topped with cheese, a medley of veggies, and, of course, your leftover turkey. As if this combination weren’t creative enough, the recipes also instructs you to toss your turkey in leftover cranberry sauce, if you have it, resulting in a gourmet pie that’s equal parts salty and sweet. - Turkey Quesadillas [MyRecipes]
Just because Thanksgiving is an American holiday doesn’t mean that you have to stick to American recipes for your leftovers. This recipe for turkey quesadillas is the tasty proof. It takes your turkey south of the border. You tuck the leftover turkey inside a pair of flour tortillas with green onions and monterey jack cheese, searing each side to golden-brown. Then, whip up a cranberry-pear salsa infused with cilantro, lime, cumin, and jalapenos to slather on top. The careful balance of sweet and spicy will probably cause you to wonder why you ever ate turkey any other way.