Community Corner

5 Great Recipe Ideas for Holiday Leftovers [SPONSORED]

This year, skip the sandwiches and try these leftover transformations. Sponsored by Sony.

Written by Celia Shatzman

It’s easy to get carried away in the kitchen during this time of year. Even if your new stuffing recipe was a hit, chances are your fridge is still packed after Thanksgiving. But you don’t have to let all that food—and your hard work—go to waste. Instead, follow fun recipes that show your creativity in repurposing holiday leftovers.

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As for the leftovers, skip the turkey sandwiches and try these transformations:

Turkey Hash

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Ingredients:

4 tbsp. butter
3 strips bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 lb. red potatoes, cut into 1 ½"–2" cubes (about 4 large)
1 tbsp. chopped thyme
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups cooked turkey, shredded into 1"–2" chunks
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup cream
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2–3 dashes hot sauce, plus more for serving
1 tbsp. dry sherry
4 fried eggs

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Instructions:

  • Heat 12" cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. 
  • Add 2 tbsp. butter and bacon, and cook until browned and crisped, about 5 minutes. 
  • Add onion and peppers, and cook till slightly softened, about 12 minutes. 
  • Stir in potatoes, thyme, garlic, and turkey, and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes begin to brown, about 15 minutes. 
  • Whisk together stock, cream, Worcestershire, hot sauce and sherry, and pour evenly over hash. Mash lightly and press firmly into skillet; cook until browned on the bottom and hash holds together in a loose cake, about 25–30 minutes. 
  • Place a 12" plate over skillet, and invert hash onto plate; set aside.
  • Melt remaining butter in skillet, scraping up browned bits, and return hash to skillet, uncooked side-down. Cook until browned on bottom and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes more. Cut into quarters and top each with a fried egg; serve with hot sauce, if desired.  

Sweet Potato Bread Pudding

Ingredients for pudding:

8 tbsp. butter
1 loaf soft French or Italian bread, torn into large pieces
2 medium sweet potatoes
4 cups milk
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Ingredients for Praline Sauce: 

16 tbsp. (2 sticks) butter
3⁄4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup chopped shelled pecans
1⁄4 cup bourbon

Instructions:

For the pudding: 

  • Heat oven to 400°. 
  • Butter a medium baking dish with 1 tbsp. of the butter. 
  • Arrange bread in a single layer in the prepared dish and set aside at room temperature to dry out slightly, about 2 hours. 
  • Meanwhile, prick sweet potatoes in 4 or 5 places with the tines of a fork and bake on a baking sheet until soft, about 1 hour. 
  • Set aside until cool enough to handle, then halve lengthwise and scoop meat out of skins. If meat holds together, break it into large pieces. 
  • Tuck sweet potato pieces between the pieces of bread, mashing them down slightly with a fork.
  • Beat together milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour over bread and sweet potatoes and set aside until bread soaks up milk mixture, 2–3 hours. 
  • Heat oven to 375°. 
  • Cut remaining 7 tbsp. butter into small pieces and scatter over bread pudding, then bake until custard is set, 35–40 minutes. 
  • Set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.

For the praline sauce: 

  • Melt butter in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. 
  • Add sugar and stir with a wooden spoon until sugar melts and mixture begins to boil, about 5 minutes. 
  • Stir in pecans and bourbon. 
  • Spoon warm sauce over bread pudding.

Bubble and Squeak

Ingredients:

8 oz. Brussels sprouts, halved
6 medium carrots, chopped
3 medium parsnips, chopped
6 tbsp. olive oil 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 lb. russet potatoes, cubed
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, minced
¼ cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. finely chopped chives

Instructions:

  • Heat oven to 400°F. 
  • Place Brussels sprouts, carrots, and parsnips on a foil-lined baking sheet; toss with 4 tbsp. oil and salt and pepper. Bake until tender, about 25 minutes; let cool.
  • Put potatoes in a 4-qt. saucepan; cover with salted water. Bring to a boil; cook until tender, about 20 minutes. 
  • Drain potatoes; set aside. 
  • Return pan to heat with 2 tbsp. butter; add onion, and cook until soft, 8–10 minutes. 
  • Remove from heat; add potatoes, cream, chives, and salt and pepper; mash until smooth, then stir in roasted vegetables.
  • Heat remaining oil and butter in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetable mixture; cook, flipping once, until browned, 18–20 minutes.

Arugula Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Cranberries, and Candied Pecans

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
Sea salt
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. brown sugar
½ cup pecans
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. honey
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups arugula leaves
½ cup dried cranberries

Instructions:

  • Heat oven to 400° F. 
  • In a bowl, combine squash cubes, 1 tablespoon olive oil and sea salt to taste, mixing thoroughly to coat squash with oil. 
  • Transfer squash to a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, until soft. Remove from oven and let cool.
  • Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. 
  • Once bubbling, stir in brown sugar, followed by pecans. Sauté pecans, stirring frequently, until coated with mixture, 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.   
  • Whisk vinegar, honey, remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. 
  • Assemble salad: Combine arugula, squash, pecans and cranberries in a large bowl, drizzle dressing over and gently toss.

Pumpkin Jam

Ingredients:

5 1/2-lb. pie pumpkin
5 1/2 cups sugar
4 lemons

Instructions:
  • Peel a pumpkin. Discard skin, seeds, pith, and stem, and cut pulp into 3/4" cubes. 
  • Place in a large, shallow dish and add sugar and the juice and julienned zest of 2 of the lemons. Mix well.
  • Slice the additional 2 lemons, layer on top of pumpkin, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
  • Remove lemon slices and soften them by blanching in a small pot of boiling water over high heat for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • Transfer pumpkin mixture to a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. 
  • Reduce heat to medium and simmer, skimming frequently, until pumpkin is tender (but still retains its shape) and syrup is thick, 30–40 minutes. 
  • Stir in lemon slices, remove from heat, and set aside to cool for 5–10 minutes.
  • Sterilize 4 1/2-pt. mason jars by plunging jars, lids, and rims into a pot of boiling water. Drain and set aside to dry. 
  • Pour preserves into jars, seal, and cool to room temperature. Serve with Hot Crusty Buttermilk Biscuits or over ice cream. (Store chips in refrigerator for up to 1 month.) 


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