Leftover Thanksgiving Food Ideas

Take advantage of Thanksgiving and all of the delicious Thanksgiving leftover recipes! After you assess the damage done to the kitchen, plan a few ideas to make the most of the Thanksgiving leftovers. Use a little bit of everything and a whole lot of turkey!

Recipes for leftover Thanksgiving dinner:

• Thanksgiving Casserole: Make a delicious leftover Thanksgiving casserole for your family members who will be hanging around after the holiday. Use leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, cheese, a special homemade sauce and anything else your heart desires in the casserole. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine three tablespoons of butter, two tablespoons of flour, one can of evaporated milk, one cup of water, ¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of pepper and ¼ teaspoon of onion powder in a saucepan over a low heat. Heat for five minutes. Next, combine two tablespoons of butter and one cup of seasoned bread stuffing over low heat. Put one cup of diced turkey in a greased baking dish (9x13) and pour the special sauce over the turkey. Sprinkle one cup of cheddar cheese over the turkey and sauce. Add two cups of mashed potatoes and the stuffing mixture for the top layer. Bake the casserole for 45 minutes. Once it's cool, cut into pieces and enjoy!

• Roast Beef: Savor lots of roast beef leftover ideas from Thanksgiving. Make a simple leftover roast beef sandwich for a simple yet scrumptious lunch or dinner. Make a special Thousand Island dressing to spread on both pieces of bread. Mix one cup of mayonnaise, 1/3 cup of ketchup, 1/4 cup of pickle relish, one tablespoon of chopped onion and one hard boiled, cooked and chopped egg. Let the dressing cool in the fridge. Add lettuce and thin slices of tomato to your sandwich for a fresh finishing touch.

• Turkey Sandwich: Get rid of extra helpings and food you just can’t bear to throw away and make a delicious Thanksgiving turkey sandwich. Make different versions of the Thanksgiving sandwich for different family members. Include basic ingredients such as cranberry sauce and turkey. Make a simple version of the Thanksgiving leftover sandwich with a layer of turkey, a generous helping of cranberry sauce and a thin layer of fresh spinach between two slices of whole grain bread. For another sandwich idea, spoon lots of gravy over the bottom slice of bread and layer turkey, cranberry sauce and swiss cheese to make up the rest of the sandwich. Be extra creative and smooth a layer of stuffing between the turkey and cheese.

Use up all that extra food while it's still fresh and enjoy delicious leftovers! A word to the wise—be sure to budget some extra time for a nap!