IN THE KITCHEN

Ways to Repurpose Your Holiday Leftovers6

Tired of dry, reheated turkey but not sure what to do with it? These ideas will help you give new life to your holiday meal.

By Katherine Ceballos

The holidays are always full of memories with loved ones, whether you're making them virtually this year or safely in person. But, at the end of the day, they may have also filled your fridge with leftovers. We’ve compiled some of our favorite Pinterest ideas that will change the way you prepare the leftovers from your holiday spread.

Leftover Stuffing Waffles

Your leftovers can help you spice up your usual waffle brunch. Simply moisten your leftover stuffing with some chicken stock or an egg then place it in the waffle maker. When it's ready, place it on a plate as a base then some stack mashed potatoes, turkey and cranberry sauce then drizzle some gravy over the top. It's like a holiday version of chicken waffles.

Loaded Turkey Panini

Don't just make any old sandwich. Instead, prepare a warm, fresh panini containing only the best ingredients — yours. Make sure to choose a sturdy bread, like a French baguette or Ciabatta, and consider adding some leftover cheese from the charcuterie board to hold it all together. If you don't have a panini maker, put your cast iron skillet to work.

Holiday Leftovers Pizza

Pizza is probably the last thing on your mind after a traditional holiday meal, but rather than pack everything into separate dishes, pack it all onto a pizza. Simply substitute the pizza sauce with your gravy then layer mashed potatoes, cheese, turkey, cranberry sauce (and maybe some veggies) on top. Make it deep-dish style in a pie pan or pile the toppings on a prepared pizza crust.

Turkey Pop Tarts

Completely change up the turkey sandwich routine with this tasty recipe. You can either use leftover homemade pie dough (if you have any) or grab an extra tube of prepared pie dough from the grocery store in advance. Pull all of the ingredients together into the dough for a wonderful treat right out of the oven.

Holiday Egg Rolls

For a fun twist on leftovers, stuff the turkey and all your favorite fixin's, such as mashed potatoes or stuffing, inside an egg roll wrapper. Then fry it up and dip it in cranberry sauce or gravy. You will be happy you did.

Holiday Leftovers Lasagna

One thing that is just as comforting as sharing a holiday meal with loved ones is a nice, hearty slice of lasagna. With this dish, you get the best of both worlds. All you have to do is layer all of your favorite leftovers in a casserole dish and bake it together. Leave the mashed potatoes for the final layer so you can top it with cheese and broil it to a bubbly finish.

Of course, you can use pieces of your leftovers in a variety of dishes, such as turkey enchiladas using the main dish or mashed potato croquettes that are prepared with the holiday's star side dish. But if you prefer to use all of your leftovers in one shot, these ideas have you covered.