A Change-Up for Thanksgiving Leftovers

This post comes courtesy of Krista Dearden, blogger at Budget Gourmet Mom. 

 

We have a tradition in our family of making way too much food for our Thanksgiving feast. Everyone has a favorite dish.  My Uncle Jon has to have his corn, a handful of us must have brussels sprouts, and let’s not forget the turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, and rolls.   With so much food it’s a wonder how we saved enough room for pie.  Then again, there is always room for pie.

 

We can always plan on leftovers.  I relish the thought of that first turkey sandwich and warm dressing.  It is something I look forward to almost as much as Thanksgiving dinner itself.  I also like to have a few recipes on hand to change things up a bit.  Whether you have leftover mashed potatoes, turkey, or cranberry sauce, there is a recipe below that can help!

Creamy Leftover Mashed Potato Soup

 

2 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

2 cups milk, skim or whole

1/4 cup cheddar cheese

1 cup leftover mashed potatoes

2 heaping Tbs. sour cream

Salt and pepper

 

In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour and cook for 30 seconds.

 

Slowly whisk in the milk.  Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes.

 

Stir in the cheese and potatoes until it is creamy.

 

Remove from heat, stir in the sour cream, and season with salt and pepper.  It is a thick soup but you can add a bit more milk to thin it out if you desire. Makes approximately 4 cups.

 

Turkey and Cranberry Quesadilla

 

1 large tortilla

3 ounces thinly sliced turkey

1 Tbs. cranberry sauce

2 slices Swiss cheese

 

Slightly butter one side of the tortilla.

 

Spread cranberry sauce on half of the tortilla.  Top with sliced turkey and cheese.

 

Fold in half and slightly brown in a large pan over medium heat until the cheese is melted.  Cut into triangles and serve with the soup. Makes 1 serving.

 

More ideas from around the Web:

 

Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins Two Peas and Their Pod

Turkey Tetrazzini Simply Recipes

Cranberry Salsa Savoring the Thyme

Turkey Taquitos The Family Kitchen on Babble

Thanksgiving Leftovers Casserole Brown Eyed Baker

 

About the author: As a wife and the stay-at-home mom to four boys I have my hands full! When I am not making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or cleaning up the mess from them I am writing for my blog, Budget Gourmet Mom. We may eat on a budget but that doesn’t mean it can’t be gourmet food. A little creativity and planning can go a long way.