Our chefs are known for their creativity, and nothing says inventiveness like turning leftovers into delicious new dishes.
Already wondering what to do with leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and more? See recipes below from Kevin Doherty, corporate culinary director; Franck Deletrain, Patina Group culinary director; and Stephen Bergstrom, sous chef at The Squire at Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Stuffing Flapjacks and Pie Cannoli Filling/Dip: submitted by Kevin Doherty, corporate culinary director
Ingredients (stuffing base)
- 6 cups stale bread, torn into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup mirepoix (½ cup onion, ¼ cup carrot, ¼ cup celery), finely diced
- ½ lb chorizo or linguiça sausage, diced
- 2 tbsp of fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, a touch of tarragon)
- 2–3 cups chicken stock (enough to moisten generously)
- Neutral oil (vegetable or canola) for frying
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- In a large pan, sauté the mirepoix in a neutral oil or butter until soft and fragrant.
- Add the sausage and cook until lightly browned.
- Stir in the fresh herbs, then fold in the stale bread.
- Moisten generously with chicken stock – the mixture should be soft and slightly wet, not dry.
- Transfer to a baking dish and bake at 350°F (175°C) until cooked through and lightly golden on top, about 25-30 minutes.
Ingredients (stuffing flapjacks)
- 2 cups of cold leftover stuffing
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp cranberry sauce
- 1–2 tbsp milk (as needed)
- Optional toppings: leftover turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce
Directions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the stuffing, beaten egg, cranberry sauce and milk until the mixture holds together but isn’t soggy.
- Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet or on a griddle over medium heat.
- Using an ice cream scoop or ¼ cup measure, portion the mixture into the pan and flatten slightly with a spatula.
- Fry for about 3 minutes per side, until golden and crisp on the edges.
- Serve hot, topped with turkey, gravy, cranberry or even a fried egg for a hearty breakfast twist.
Cannoli filling or dessert dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup of leftover pumpkin or apple pie
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 1–2 tbsp milk or cream, as needed for texture
- Optional garnish: cinnamon sugar, chopped nuts or chocolate chips
Directions
- In a food processor, blend the pie filling and ricotta until smooth. Add a splash of milk or cream as needed to reach your desired consistency.
- For a cannoli twist, pipe the filling into cannoli shells and dust with cinnamon sugar.
- For a dessert-style dip, spoon into a serving bowl and serve chilled with sliced fruit, pretzels, cookies or graham crackers.
Turkey and Potato Croquettes: submitted by Franck Deletrain, director of culinary for Patina Group
Ingredients (roasted turkey mix)
- 2 cups of pulled turkey (white and dark meat)
- ½ tbsp of Aleppo pepper
- 1 tbsp of smoked paprika
- Fresh chives, chopped (about 2 tbsp)
Directions: Mix ingredients together in a bowl until spices are evenly coated on the turkey.
Ingredients (croquettes)
- 4-5 medium Russet potatoes (to yield ~2 cups riced or mashed)
- Pulled roasted turkey mix
- 1 cup of shredded cheese (pepperjack, cheddar or another cheese of choice)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1-2 tbsp of potato starch
- Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients (breading)
- Flour as needed (about ½ cup)
- Eggs for egg wash (about 1-2)
- Breadcrumbs as needed (about 1 cup)
Directions
- Cook and prepare the potatoes: Cook your russet potatoes in their skin until tender. While still hot, peel skin and rice them (or mash very finely).
- Mix the croquette base: In a mixing bowl, combine riced or mashed potatoes, turkey mix, shredded cheese, potato starch, egg yolk, salt and pepper. Mix until a uniform, cohesive dough forms.
- Portion the croquettes: Weigh out or scoop about 2 oz portions. Shape each portion into a smooth ball.
- Bread the croquettes using the standard three-step breading method: Dip in flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs. Coat thoroughly and evenly.
- Fry: Heat neutral oil in large, deep pan on high heat to approximately 350°F. Fry croquettes until golden brown and crisp (about 3-4 minutes depending on size). You can also use the air fryer (preheat to 400°F); cook for 8-12 minutes until golden brown, flipping halfway through cooking.
- Serve: Drain on paper towels as needed. Serve hot with cranberry mayo (recipe and directions below).
Ingredients (cranberry mayo)
- 2 cups of dried cranberries
- 1 cup of mayo
- 1 tbsp of Colman’s Hot English mustard (or your favorite mustard)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Combine cranberry mayo ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Leftover Thanksgiving Egg Rolls: submitted by Stephen Bergstrom, sous chef
Ingredients (egg roll filling)
- 1 cup of shredded turkey
- 1 cup of mashed potatoes
- 1 cup of stuffing
- 1/2 cup gravy
- 12 egg roll wrappers
Directions for egg roll:
- Mix turkey, stuffing, gravy, and mashed potatoes together.
- Place a large spoonful onto an egg roll wrapper, roll and seal it.
- Repeat until all filling is used.
- Heat neutral oil in large, deep pan on high heat to approximately 350°F.
- Cook 3-4 egg rolls at a time, turning occasionally, until browned all over, approximately 3-5 minutes per batch.
- Drain on paper towels. Serve with cranberry sweet & sour sauce for dipping (recipe and ingredients below).
Ingredients (cranberry sweet & sour sauce)
- 1 cup of cranberry sauce
- 4 tsp of soy sauce
- 1 tsp of sriracha
- 1 tbsp of water
Directions for cranberry sweet & source sauce: Place cranberry sauce, soy sauce, sriracha and water in blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.