Thanksgiving Leftovers Madeover

By Jeanne Benedict

Feasting on leftovers is almost as good as Thanksgiving dinner itself. Hosting a casual get-together over the weekend following the holiday is a great way to catch up with friends. Makeover leftovers into Cranberry & Rosemary Chutney on White Chocolate-Covered Brie or Blushing Cranberry & Pear Turkey Salad, and enjoy Thanksgiving all over again.

Blushing Cranberry & Pear Turkey Salad from Hellmann's® / Best Foods®

Everyone has their favorite Thanksgiving dish revamps. My mother noshes on turkey and stuffing sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My husband tops everything, from waffles to chicken with whatever cranberry dish I’ve concocted. Personally, I can never get enough mashed sweet potatoes. But after that one day, our leftovers seem to lose their appeal and we end up tossing out a lot of food. With the right planning and great recipes, leftovers become a new occasion to celebrate.

The Colors of Fall by Julie Mulligan

Simple Décor For A Warm Weekend Gathering

For some people, Thanksgiving is full of family, but a post-Thanksgiving leftover feast is a perfect way to connect with friends. Get cozy by relaxing fireside in your home. Create a simple display along your fireplace mantle or in the center of a buffet table with single stem flowers in assorted glass bottles. After Thanksgiving, everyone wants to keep it casual – so don’t set a table. Greet guests with a glass of wine and when you’re ready, invite them to indulge in a delicious buffet including Bistro Turkey Sandwiches or Crispy Sweet Potato Ravioli.

Leftover Safety

Pack up leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze within 2 hours

Refrigerator threshold: consume food within 3 days

Freezer threshold: consume food within 2 weeks

Thaw food in the fridge or the microwave – never at room temperature

Leftover Success

While the typical “Thanksgiving leftover sandwich stack” of turkey, stuffing, and real mayonnaise is a classic, you may want to mix things up for your party. The trick to
transforming leftovers into fresh fare, is to add herbs or spices that differ from the flavors of the holiday. The Bistro Turkey Sandwich, with basil and sun-dried tomatoes on crusty bread, puts an Italian twist on the traditional favorite. Cranberry sauce can easily be remade into a topping as in the Brie recipe below, or simply serve the chutney along with a soft cheese and crackers. Sweet potatoes make a terrific filling in ravioli. Using leftovers in a creative new way is a real crowd pleaser, and saves on prep time during the busy holiday season.

Cranberry & Rosemary Chutney on White Chocolate-Covered Brie

1 cup cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary, plus rosemary sprigs for garnish
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (8-ounce) wheel Brie
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Place cranberry sauce, onion, chopped rosemary, sugar, vinegar, raisins, and salt in a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Cook, covered, over low heat for 10-15 minutes until ingredients are very tender. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Remove the white rind on the Brie and place on your serving platter. Melt white chocolate in the microwave, in 10-second increments, to a creamy consistency. Immediately spread a thin layer of white chocolate on top and sides of Brie. Top Brie with cranberry chutney, and garnish with rosemary sprigs. Serve with crackers or sliced baguette.

Makes about 8 to 10 appetizer servings

Blushing Cranberry & Pear Turkey Salad

1/2 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce or cranberry relish
4 cups torn romaine lettuce leaves
2 cups baby spinach leaves or mixed salad greens
2 cups diced cooked turkey
1 medium pear, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

In medium bowl, combine Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise and cranberry sauce; set aside.

In large bowl, combine romaine, spinach and turkey. Just before serving, toss with mayonnaise mixture. Top with pear slices, pecans and onion. Garnish, if desired with dried cranberries. Note: Recipe can be doubled.

Makes 4 servings

Bistro Turkey Sandwiches

1/2 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Light Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. chopped, drained sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves (optional)
1 loaf French or Italian bread (about 20 in. long), halved lengthwise
8 ounces thinly sliced smoked turkey breast
1 bunch arugula or spinach leaves, rinsed and patted dry

In large bowl, combine Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Light Mayonnaise, tomatoes and basil. Spread mayonnaise mixture on bread, then top with turkey and arugula. Slice and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Crispy Sweet Potato Ravioli

2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup cornmeal
1 (50-count) package round wonton wrappers (about 3-inch diameter)
Canola oil

Combine sweet potatoes, and brown sugar and heat in the microwave until warm.
Line a baking sheet with wax paper and scatter a heavy layer of cornmeal over paper.
Moisten edge on one side of wonton wrapper with water. Place 1 teaspoon sweet potato mixture in center of wonton. Fold wonton in half and pinch together edges to seal.
Place on prepared baking sheet and refrigerate, covered, until ready to cook.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook about 6 raviolis at one time until golden brown on one side, about 3 - 5 minutes. Flip raviolis and cook until golden on other side. Remove with slotted spatula on to paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat process using 1 tablespoon of oil for each batch. Serve immediately.

Makes 50 raviolis

Have you had delicious success with Thanksgiving leftovers and entertaining? Share your Holiday and Party Ideas with us at Celebrations. If you’re looking for inspiration for turkey day, visit our Thanksgiving page to see a cornucopia of ideas or Ask Jeanne for help!