Thanksgiving week hasn’t even started yet, and I’m already planning on what I’m going to do with leftovers. We absolutely love Thanksgiving leftovers in our house! We eat a lot of turkey straight out of the fridge—squeezing yellow mustard and sprinkling it with salt and pepper—but we also like to get creative and incorporate leftovers into new recipes.
Turkey Bone Broth
My first priority after Thanksgiving dinner is to get the leftover meat off the bones and break down the spent frame so I can use it to make bone broth. Most often, I make the bone broth the next day, filling the house with its lovely aroma, and then use it to make soup over the next week. It is so easy and bone broth is so nourishing!
All you need to do is toss the spent turkey frame into a large stock pot and add 4 large carrots (tops removed and cut into 1-inch pieces), 6 celery stalks (cut into 1-inch pieces), 1 large onion (quartered and skins on), 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, ½ cup dry, white wine (or 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar), and 6 quarts of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then simmer, covered for 14-24 hours, the bones should crumble when crushed.
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and then pour into 1-quart glass jars with lids. I usually yield 4 quarts or 1 gallon of broth. I keep 1 quart in the fridge and put the rest in the freezer until needed. If you end up freezing your broth, make sure to give yourself enough head space to allow for the liquid to expand when it freezes.
Leftover Turkey Frittata
The next meal for us after Thanksgiving dinner (besides the late-night snacking), is breakfast the next morning, and we just go ahead and jump in feet first with utilizing those leftovers. I love frittatas, and this turkey frittata is amazing! It has a little southwest flair to its flavors, so you don’t really feel like you are eating leftovers. I have used leeks, onions, or shallots—whatever you have in your pantry, and my favorite cheese is pepper jack to spice things up a bit. This recipe also works well for a dinner meal. It’s a good one to use on a busy weekday night when you are crunched on time because it all comes together in 30 minutes or less.
Leftover Roasted Yam Breakfast Hash
Making a leftover roasted yam breakfast hash could not be any easier! And, easy is what I need the morning after cooking all day! This hash combines sausage, leftover roasted yams, and eggs in a protein packed breakfast. This recipe also works well with leftover roasted potatoes.
Leftover Roasted Yam Breakfast Hash RecipeIngredients: 1 pound ground sausage
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Leftover Turkey Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Turkey, Cream Cheese & Cranberry Sauce
I have been obsessed with grilled cheese sandwiches lately. It probably has something to do with the cold temperatures and the fact that they pair perfectly with soup—my favorite fall meal. We love the classic grilled cheese, but we also like to add tomatoes or bacon or ham to add more jazz and flavor to our grilled cheese sandwiches.
Making cold sandwiches with leftover turkey is an easy way to utilize leftovers, but this year I’m elevating my turkey sandwich game by making grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches. My first leftover turkey grilled cheese idea was inspired by my daughter’s love of sourdough toast with cream cheese and raspberry jam. It got me thinking how tasty a grilled turkey and cheese sandwich would be using cream cheese and leftover cranberry sauce. Cream cheese makes for a super creamy sandwich and it combines well with turkey and cranberry sauce to make an ooey, gooey perfect combination of flavors!
Grilled Cheese with Turkey, Cream Cheese & Cranberry Sauce RecipeIngredients: 2 slices sourdough bread
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Turkey, Monterey Jack, Parmesan & Brussels Sprouts
My sister lives in Columbus, Ohio and she took me to Melt Bar and Grilled. They have what seems like hundreds of unique grilled cheese sandwiches. It’s their creativity that got me thinking about making a grilled turkey and cheese sandwich but adding leftover Thanksgiving sides to make an out of this world grilled cheese creation. I couldn’t think of a better combination of flavors than turkey, Monterey Jack and parmesan cheese, and leftover roasted Brussels sprouts! It’s my new favorite way to eat Thanksgiving leftovers!
Grilled Cheese with Turkey, Monterey Jack, Parmesan & Brussels Sprouts RecipeIngredients: 2 slices sourdough bread
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Beth Blessing (Organic Beth) has a Masters in Nutrition and is the co-founder of Green Bean Delivery. She is a mother of three that loves supporting family farms and searching for unique, artisanal products. Her goal is to help others eat better and live a more natural, holistic life through healthy recipes and practical tips. Follow her on Facebook: @OrganicBeth