3 Ways to Use Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey
By Crystal Paine
Author of The Money Saving Mom's Budget
Leftover Thanksgiving turkey has a way of taking over your fridge. This is what people like to call "a good problem." Get some basic supplies (bread, extra potatoes, tortillas) when you do your other Thanksgiving grocery shopping, then use these three creative, delicious ways to cook with leftovers. You'll silence all groans of "Turkey again?!"
1. Make Turkey Pot Pie
Layer chopped leftover turkey, gravy, and veggies (such as green beans, corn, or peas) in a baking dish. Top with leftover mashed potatoes and baked at 350 degrees until heated through.
If you don't have any leftover mashed potatoes, you can heat the leftover turkey, gravy, and veggies in a baking dish and put canned or homemade biscuits dough on top and bake according to the biscuit directions.
2. Make Sandwiches
Put a new twist on leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches, by making Turkey Cranberry Monte Cristo, Southwest Turkey Sandwiches, or Turkey Cuban Paninis.
Or, remake a bunch of your Thanksgiving leftovers into The Ultimate Leftover Turkey Sandwich.
3. Chop and Freeze It
If you use chopped, cooked chicken in recipes on a regular basis, save yourself some effort and money in the weeks ahead by substituting chopped turkey. Just chop it and then measure out one or two cups per small freezer bag, seal tightly (remove all excess air to prevent freezer burn), label, and freeze.
When you're ready to make a soup or casserole that calls for cooked, chopped chicken, just pull out a bag of frozen chopped turkey, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, or under cold running water for 10 to 15 minutes, then use it in your recipe.
Recipe ideas: Turkey Croquettes, Turkey Pot Pie, Turkey Cranchiladas
Crystal Paine is a homeschooling mom of three and the founder of MoneySavingMom.com, one of the top personal finance blogs on the web. Pre-order a copy of her first book, The Money Saving Mom®'s Budget (out Jan. 10). For more of Crystal's tips, like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
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