Food for Thought: Fun with Thanksgiving Leftovers

DOUG REYNICS

H

olidays are a time of family, food, and fun. But what to do with all the leftovers? Here are some creative and fun ways to use up all that extra food!

Cranberry Sauce Muffins (leftover cranberry sauce) Crumb Topping

½ cup all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom 1/3 cup light brown sugar pinch of salt ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

Add flour, light brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom into a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine all dry ingredients.

Pour in the melted butter and stir everything together with a spatula. Set the crumble to the side to hydrate.

Coffee Cake Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour 2 eggs 1 tablespoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ cup buttermilk ½ cup unsalted butter ½ cup sour cream 1 cup white sugar 1 cup cranberry sauce 1/3 cup light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a muffin pan with twelve cupcake liners.

Add flour, baking powder, and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Whisk to mix together the dry ingredients.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat on a medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy.

Add eggs one by one until they’re fully incorporated. Then, add buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla extract and continue to beat until the wet ingredients are fully combined.

Turn mixer down to the lowest speed and add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Beat together just until combined, be careful not to mix it more than necessary.

Spoon about a tablespoon of the batter into the cupcake liners. Spread it all the way to the edges. Add about ½ tablespoon of cranberry sauce directly into the center of the batter. Then, fill the rest of the cupcake liner to the top with the batter over the cranberry sauce. Spread it to all of the edges using the back of a spoon, being sure to encase the cranberry sauce at the edges.

Lightly spoon ~1 teaspoon of cranberry sauce over the top of the batter.

Give the crumble topping a quick mix. Top the muffins with 2-3 tablespoons of the crumble topping. Be sure to press them into the batter so they don’t fall off.

Put muffin pan into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crumble is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove the muffin pan from the oven and allow them to set for 5-10 minutes before removing them from the tray. Serve the muffins warm or room temperature.

Easy Turkey Enchiladas (leftover turkey)

1 1/2 cups cooked shredded turkey

2 cups enchilada sauce divided 8 flour tortillas 2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided salt and pepper, to taste optional toppings: diced onions, chopped cilantro, sour cream, shredded lettuce, cotija cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, combine the shredded turkey, 1/4 cup enchilada sauce, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix together and taste. Season with more salt and pepper as needed.

Microwave the flour tortillas on a plate for one minute, flipping them halfway through until all of them are warm and pliable.

Assemble the enchiladas by filling each tortilla evenly with the shredded turkey mixture and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Roll the tortillas tightly to close and place in large baking dish seam side down.

Pour the remaining 1 3/4 cup enchilada sauce over the tortillas, top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately and garnish with desired toppings.

Ham and Cheese Sliders (leftover ham)

12 Hawaiian rolls 2 teaspoons honey or Dijon mustard 12 ham slices 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 10 Provolone slices 1 ½ teaspoon everything bagel seasoning 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the buns horizontally in half. Place the bottom bun in a 13” x 9” baking dish. Layer ham, cheese, and the top bun. In a small bowl, whisk butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and seasoning. Pour the mixture over the rolls, spreading evenly over the tops. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover the dish and bake for 2 more minutes. Remove from oven, let stand for a few minutes. Serve warm.

DOUG REYNICS is a longtime Tucker resident and self-described “foodie.” Many know him as “Doug the Driver,” who provides rides to and from both the domestic and international airport terminals. (To date, his service has provided almost 3,000 airport rides!) If you have a food story or question you would like to see him write about (or if you need a ride!), email him at dougthedriver1@gmail.com or call him at 770.842.4261.