Christmas often means vast quantities of leftover food – even after everyone at the table has tucked in until they can’t eat any more! This often results in eating ham, turkey and/or lamb for the next 12 days in some form or another for breakfast, lunch and dinner… Here are six ways you can re-use your Christmas leftovers so that you won’t get bored.
1. Turkey or chicken enchiladas
Season your leftover turkey with a little chilli powder and coriander, heat up in the frying pan and serve in a warm tortilla with lettuce, tomato, lite sour cream and a little grated cheese.
2. Turkey or chicken and cranberry salad
Use a little olive oil and lightly panfry your leftover turkey/chicken stripped from the carcass or cut into bite-sized chunks with some thinly sliced red onion. Make a fresh seasonal salad and top with the cooked meat, some dried cranberries and drizzle with salad dressing (try a squeeze of lime juice mixed with a few tablespoons of cranberry sauce and water).
3. Mashed potato pancakes
Crack an egg into your mashed potato and add a little flour, mix well. Heat up a frying pan with a bit of olive oil and make some flat potato pancakes to reuse your mashed potato!
4. Christmas leftover kebabs
Grab some skewer sticks and soak in water for 30 mins to an hour. Thread alternately with bite-sized chunks of leftover turkey, ham and any roast veges you have left, baste with cranberry sauce. Barbecue until they are grilled.
5. Christmas meat and vege quiche
Mix a cup of milk, 4 beaten eggs, 1 cup grated cheese, and a half cup of self-raising flour with any leftover chunks of turkey, chicken, ham or veges you have left. Add extra seasoning or chives etc. if you wish. Pour into baking dish. Thinly slice tomato and arrange slices on top. Cook for 45 mins at 180 degrees C.
6. Christmassy pizza
Get a pre-made pizza base or a pack of pita bread and create a Christmas-inspired pizza. Thinly spread tomato paste on base, use your leftover bits (turkey, ham and onion would go well!) and spread over base, shake a little Italian seasoning or sprinkle finely shopped basil and oregano across the top. Sprinkle around half a cup of grated cheese over the top and cook in oven at 180 degrees C for around 20 minutes or until base starts going golden brown.
Image / Flickr – kimberlykv