Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Gumbo

This Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Gumbo is a very popular recipe in my family. My brother in particular requests this one every year. The good news is that aside from being a crowd-pleaser, this hearty stew is a great way to use up any extra turkey you have hanging out post Thanksgiving feast. I always make a great big pot of this Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Gumbo, since I usually have lots of lovely turkey stock as well and it freezes nicely for some ready to serve weeknight meals. And while I typically serve it with rice, if I convinced you to make a rice stuffing like my Rice and Peas Thanksgiving Style off my Caribbean Thanksgiving Menu, you can easily serve it over that instead as another great way to use up any leftovers you may have. It’s full of lots of kinds of vegetables and loaded with flavor. And keep in mind that if you made a turkey like my Bacon Herb Paste Stuffed Turkey you want to keep an eye on the salt, because there will be plenty in the stock and the meat from all of that delicious bacon. But no matter how you make your turkey each … Continue reading

Leftover Gingerbread Berry Sundae

There are some leftovers that require a lot of creativity to use up, and then there are desserts, like the gingerbread in this Leftover Gingerbread Berry Sundae, which hardly require anything other than a fork. But maybe you wouldn’t have guessed that fresh berries are really good with fresh gingerbread? Or you want to turn a regular old delicious snack into an elegant guest-worthy dessert? Regardless of whether you saw this coming or not, I have to admit that I like the fresh gingerbread recipe that’s used to make gingerbread croutons for my Gingerbread Crouton Fall Panazanella so much, that sometimes I make the gingerbread on its own and never get to the croutons. It’s soft and spongelike, perfect for reheating and serving with vanilla ice cream or lemon sorbet. The spiciness of the cake is amazing against the sweet, bold flavors of fresh berries (a definite treat this time of year) make the fact that this Leftover Gingerbread Berry Sundae extra special. When you serve the Leftover Gingerbread Berry Sundae, you can leave off the “leftover” because there definitely won’t be any leftover gingerbread after you’ve made these, and it’s so good, that any negative associations with the word “leftover” will all but … Continue reading

Bubble and Squeak Thanksgiving Leftovers

Happy Thanksgiving one and all! I hope you enjoy the Dirty Laundry Kitchen favorite dinner party of the year. Then cooks, relax while others clean up and get ready for tomorrow and what you plan to do with your leftovers. While today, it all about the American Thanksgiving tradition, by tomorrow, I have plans for you that will draw upon English tradition instead. There’s something about English Breakfast, and Bubble and Squeak Thanksgiving Leftovers is no exception. And I mean that in a positive way. English cuisine gets a bad rap, and while I’m not an expert, I do know my way around English Breakfast, which is often remarkable to me in its simplicity. Commonly, the focus is leftovers, which gives it high marks in my book immediately. I love whipping together something that feels thoughtful, balanced, and substantial without having to start from scratch. And Bubble and Squeak Thanksgiving Leftovers definitely fulfills each category on that list. Eating vegetables for breakfast always feels delightfully virtuous to me, and feeling virtuous is a great way to start your day even if you really haven’t done anything to truly warrant a feeling of virtue. Add some crunchy mashed potatoes and a … Continue reading

Sweet Potato Pancakes with Curry Puffed Grains

This year, I made a lot of sweet potato purée for my Caribbean Thanksgiving Menu, and there was a lot leftover. What to do? Of course, that brought the enjoyable challenge of creating sweet potato recipes, which I can never get enough of just the way they are, but Marc, not so much. So I have to cook up some interesting ways to help him appreciate the diversity of the sweet potato. The winner of my sweet potato new recipe challenge? Sweet Potato Pancakes with Curry Puffed Grains. The playful crunch of the toppings, paired with the healthy and filling Sweet Potato Pancakes with Curry Puffed Grains will keep me making sweet potatoes year round. Of course, it would be easy to make this with pumpkin, or other squash purees as well if you didn’t happen to make WAY too much sweet potato, like I did. And be warned, this is a dense and filling pancake that will stick with you, something I always appreciate. While I love pancakes, I hate that I’m already casing the joint for lunch about 80 minutes after the breakfast dishes are washed. There’s plenty of spicy to keep things interesting and the creamy, tangy coconut … Continue reading

Leftover Thanksgiving Enchiladas

Every year I yearn for Thanksgiving turkey just so I can have these Leftover Thanksgiving Enchiladas. I’ve been making these for years, but I never get sick of them. This year, I started making a vegetarian version with mushrooms instead of turkey so I don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving. I bet you’ll follow in my footsteps after you’ve had these just once. The squash makes it fall and cozy, and the leftover cranberry relish is perfection in these Leftover Thanksgiving Enchiladas. 2 cups onions 2 cups poblanos and/or green bell peppers 2 cups celery 2 cups butternut squash 2 cups shredded or chopped turkey (sautéed mushrooms to make it vegetarian) ¼ cup flour ¾ cup milk 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded, plus a little extra for the top 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup green salsa salt 16 tortillas green salsa Sour cream leftover cranberry relish Dice the onions, peppers (poblanos will be hotter, bells milder), and celery. Sauté the onions, peppers, and celery in the olive oil until softened. (If you’re making them vegetarian, sauté the mushrooms first, then set aside and use the same pan for the rest of the veggies). Meanwhile, dice the butternut squash. … Continue reading