Here they come again: turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, all the makings of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. It’s food we look forward to, then quickly tire of after the feast. Cut-up turkey and its pairings don’t seem as attractive the next day, the day after that or (especially) the day after that.
So give your leftovers fresh appeal by repurposing them. Not in sandwiches or with microwave reheating, but in recipes that will make you embrace the extras you usually feel guilty about not using. Recipes so good, in fact, that you might deliberately create leftovers just so you can make them.
If you do your Thanksgiving shopping with these dishes in mind, you’ll be all set to put them together on the days following the holiday.
The turkey and leftover stuffing will morph into Savory Turkey and Mushroom Bread Pudding. The bird will also team with squash in Turkey and Squash Ravioli in Brown Butter-Sage Sauce. Sweet potatoes will join forces with cranberry sauce in Golden Sweet Potato Mold With Cranberry-Grand Marnier Drizzle, and with apples in Creamy Sweet Potato Soup With Crispy Leeks.
That cranberry sauce will make a repeat appearance in Cranberry-Gingersnap Ice Cream Pie. In fact, you might end up buying cranberry sauce year-round for this dessert, simple and quick to put together.
There’s nothing wrong with a little Thanksgiving in July.
RECIPES:
Creamy Sweet Potato Soup With Crispy Leeks
Cranberry-Gingersnap Ice Cream Pie
Turkey and Squash Ravioli in Brown Butter-Sage Sauce
Savory Turkey and Mushroom Bread Pudding.
Golden Sweet Potato Mold With Cranberry-Grand Marnier Drizzle
Taste Test: Heritage turkey breeds
Wuerthner is a cooking instructor and food writer who lives in California.