Thankful for Leftovers {a few favorite recipes to use ’em all up}

November 28, 2019

Thanksgiving Leftovers Stuffing Waffles | In Jennie's Kitchen

The only thing Michael loved more than Thanksgiving dinner were Thanksgiving leftovers. Yes, I too, now have that scene from the end of A Christmas Story in my head, where Ralphie conjurs up memories of everything his mother will make with the extra turkey before the bird meets its fateful demise thanks to the neighbor’s dogs.

Michael loved cream of turkey soup, and that was always on the menu afterwards. The kids and I aren’t creamy soup people, so it’s been years since I’ve made a pot. One thing I still do make are pot pies. Mine will be with roasted chicken since I’m not a fan of turkey (gasp, I know!).

While I love a buttery pastry crust or biscuit topping, leftover Thanksgiving mashed potatoes are the perfect easy, fuss-free topping, more akin to a turkey shepherd’s pie. There’s this instant turkey pot pie from the very early days of the blog. It’s more a suggestion than a recipe, with no measurements, but you’ll see how easy it is to let your instincts guide you here.

Something I started making a few years ago that Matthew dreams about, and Mikey is probably wondering why I never thought to make them for him are stuffing waffles. Yes, really. Now is where I confess I’m not really a stuffing lover. I can easily live without it. Stuffing waffles, though? Sign.Me.Up. I would make stuffing solely for the purpose of eating these waffles.

If you’ve got leftover cranberry sauce, this margarita from Alejandra Ramos look amazing. I see one in my future.

And about that turkey carcass. My suggestion if you didn’t already put up a pot of stock is to put it in a deep roasting pan with some carrots, onions, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Fill the pan with enough water to cover everything, and roast it slowly in a 250ºF oven until the carcass falls apart. I usually leave mine in the oven overnight, but even a short spell of 3 to 4 hours will reward you with a lovely, rich stock to use for soups. I usually do this with the remnants from roasted chicken, and use vegetable peelings. This soup is one of my favorites to make, and is especially dependent on a rich, flavorful broth.

Hope your Thanksgiving was peaceful, plentiful and you all enjoy the long weekend.