6 Uses for Thanksgiving Leftovers
December 7, 2012
•Emily Murray
•Miami
• 0 Comments
6 Uses for Thanksgiving Leftovers
Thanksgiving, one of the major holidays we celebrate, focuses primarily on food. Its roots are in the celebration of bounty and the tradition continues in many homes across the country. If you're one of those who puts more food on the table than you could possibly eat in a meal, use these six tips to recreate the meal for completely different purposes. You will find that places like culinary school in Florida and other culinary college locations actually frequently teach their students clever new ways to utilize leftovers too!
1. Soup
Use the leftover turkey, including the carcass, to make delicious soup. Simmer the bones and skin for several hours, strain it and use the broth as a basis for soup. Dice leftover turkey, add chopped onions, celery and carrots or even some of the leftover potatoes. Adding some of the leftover stuffing or dressing to the soup thickens it. If you want a smooth soup, blend it with a stick blender, countertop model or a food processor. You can use seasonings based on your preference. Freeze what you won't eat in a few days.
2. Bread
If you have leftover squash or unsweetened sweet potatoes, consider using them in a yeast bread recipe. They impart a subtle flavor to the bread, and add color and vitamins. Adding extra mashed potatoes to yeast bread dough gives it a tender texture and more moisture.
3. Casseroles
You can substitute the turkey meat for any of your favorite casseroles or chop the meat for tacos or cheese crisps.
4. Sauces
Make use of the extra cranberry sauce by combining it with barbecue sauce or ketchup to give meatballs or ribs a tangy flavor. Adding orange zest, diced chilies, or freshly ground ginger gives it some kick, as well.
5. Salads
Create a chef salad with the leftover turkey and greens or add mayonnaise to chopped turkey and stuff tomatoes with it.
6. Freeze them
Some of the leftovers freeze particularly well, like the turkey, gravy, dressing and any of the cooked vegetables. Add some cheese to your leftover mashed potatoes, put them in a casserole and freeze it. When you're hungry for twice baked potatoes, you can bake them. If you have a lot of turkey sliced, lay it on a cookie sheet and freeze the slices. Once frozen, you'll be able to put the slices in a freezer bag and use them as many as you want without having to thaw the whole bag. You can do the same with muffin tins for the leftover vegetables or gravy. Once frozen, place the tins in warm water until the edges start to thaw. Pop them out and store inside freezer bags for later consumption.
If you enjoy being creative with the culinary arts then perhaps a culinary college or culinary school in Florida would be a good choice for you!
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Miami. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Miami offers culinary arts and pâtisserie and baking training program. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/Miami for more information.
Find disclosures on graduation rates, student financial obligations and more at www.chefs.edu/disclosures. Le Cordon Bleu® and the Le Cordon Bleu logo are registered trademarks of Career Education Corporation. Le Cordon Bleu cannot guarantee employment or salary. Credits earned are unlikely to transfer.