Thanksgiving leftover hacks

Nov. 18, 2018

By Emma Ferschweiler
Staff Writer

We all know that Thanksgiving is a food lover’s favorite holiday. However, these creative and easy leftover recipes will have everybody grabbing for the extra slabs of turkey or the bonus piles of stuffing.

Note: These ingredients could be slightly modified for any reader’s pleasure as long as you keep base ingredients the same.

Turkey Pot Pie:

Ingredients

• 2 cups turkey
• 2 cups potatoes
• 1 ½ cup corn
• 1 cup peas
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 boxes Pillsbury pie crust
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• One small red onion
• 3 tablespoons flour
• One egg
• 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. At medium heat, cook the turkey and onion until meat is brown.
3. Take turkey out of oven and coat it with flour.
4. Boil potatoes for 15-20 minutes.
5. In a large skillet on medium heat, add vegetables. Cook until tender.
6. Add turkey, potatoes, chicken broth, thyme, oregano and salt.
7. On low heat, cook for 15 minutes.
8. In the pie dish that is chosen, cover pan with cooking-spray. Then, drape dough over. After that, fold the top edges of the crust.
9. Pour the turkey mixture inside the tin pan.
10. Cover the top with another pie crust, and with a fork press into edges to make sure top and bottom dough is connected.
11. Make egg wash with egg and water. Then, brush over top.
12. Cut four slits into top layer. Make sure not to accidentally stab the bottom. Then, put in oven for 55 minutes.
13. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Cranberry Vol au Vent:

Ingredients

• 1 can cranberry sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg
• 1 box frozen puff pastry sheets
• Vanilla ice cream
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• ¾ cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Let the frozen puff pastry sheets thaw for about 40 minutes or until they can be bent.
2. After being thawed, get a circle cookie cutter and cut out as much as possible.
3. Then, take another circular cutter that is smaller than the first one. Use this to make holes inside half of the already cut dough.
4. Take an egg and crack it into a small bowl with water. Then, whisk until fully blended. This is called egg wash.
5. Brush this mixture over the circles that are not cut, but try not to get it on the underside or sides.
6. Place the dough with a cut circle onto the others.
7. Brush more egg wash on top.
8. Using a fork, stab inside the inner area.
9. Bake in oven for 30 minutes to 1 hour or until the pastries look puffy and golden brown
10. In a saucepan on low heat, add cranberry sauce. Then, stir for a couple minutes until it is balanced.
11. Add orange juice and mix until it is blended. Then, let it simmer for 5 minutes.
12. In a bowl or mixer, pour heavy cream and sugar. Then, set mixer on full speed or stir vigorously by hand.
13. After it has reached a fluffy consistency, stop mixing and put in freezer until ready for use.
14. If the pastries are done, take out and let cool for five minutes.
15. Take out vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.
16. Push down the middle of the pastry to ensure maximum space for filling.
17. Pour in ice cream until it has reached the top or however much wanted. Then, flow over with whipped cream and on the top, drizzle with the cranberry mixture.
18. Serve immediately.

Fried Stuffing Cheese Balls:

Ingredients

• 4 cups stuffing
• ½ cup mozzarella
• 1 cup bacon
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 egg
• ½ cup cheddar or favored shredded cheese
• Canola Oil (to fill fryer)
• ¾ cup breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. At 400 degrees Fahrenheit, cook the bacon for 20 minutes or until crispy.
2. Cube mozzarella into small bite-sized pieces.
3. If the spinach is fresh or in full size leaves, chop thoroughly.
4. Dice the bacon into small pieces.
5. In a bowl, mix by hand the stuffing, mozzarella, bacon, spinach and shredded cheese.
6. After a few minutes of blending, add an egg. Then, mix by hand until evenly dispersed.
7. Add breadcrumbs to a plate.
8. Form small balls from the stuffing mixture. Then, roll it completely over in the breadcrumbs. Try to keep the mozzarella in the center.
9. Once the balls are covered, drop them in a fryer with Canola oil and take them out after 2 minutes.
10. Serve them on a plate with a paper towel or napkin on it to keep from grease settling on the bottom. Let cheese balls cool.