From Denny: Any time you serve a holiday meal there are bound to be leftovers. The first day after people don't mind the exact same meal reheated but after that it's time to put on our thinking hats and come up with something creative. With the price of food these days we can no longer afford to throw out leftovers. The Scottos are a creative restaurant family in New York City to our rescue.
The turkey croquettes are an interesting and sweet way to use up those sweet potato casserole leftovers even the kids will eat! Do you have some leftover stuffing, vegetables and mashed potatoes? Then make Sheperd's Pie casserole with a little cheese thrown in to make it different.
Do you have leftover sauteed vegetables that are still a bit crunchy? Add them to pasta with your favorite cheese. They use goat cheese here; we like Asiago or Romano in our house. I do a version of this recipe all the time when I have leftover vegetables, sometimes using gravy in the sauce too.
What I really enjoyed here was a new way to use up my cranberry chutney recipe by folding it into bread pudding! Can't wait to try that one even without the additional apples. You could probably do this with almost any leftover fruit as many people do a stewed fruit dish during holiday season.
Recipes Featured:
* Turkey sweet potato croquettes
* Italian shepherd’s pie
* Thanksgiving vegetable fettuccine
* Apple cranberry bread pudding
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Turkey sweet potato croquettes
From: The Scottos
Serves: 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup cooked turkey meat, diced
• 1 cup cooked mashed sweet potatoes
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 cups olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, add turkey, sweet potatoes, salt and pepper, 1 beaten egg, mix thoroughly and form into oblong croquettes.
2. In a second bowl add the flour, and in a third bowl the beaten eggs, and finally in a fourth bowl add the bread crumbs.
3. Dip croquettes into flour, beaten egg mixture, then the bread crumbs, and set aside.
4. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat and fry croquettes, turning occasionally until golden brown. Serve immediately.
5. Heat leftover turkey gravy and serve with the croquettes.
Italian shepherd’s pie
From: The Scottos
Serves: 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS
• 4 cups leftover sausage rice and mozzarella stuffing
• 2 cups any leftover vegetables, diced
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 stick butter, melted
• 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
• 4 cups leftover white mashed potatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine stuffing and vegetables and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
2. In a large bowl, combine parmesan cheese, melted butter and bread crumbs, mix thoroughly and set aside.
3. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, layer the bottom of the dish with mashed potatoes, then add a layer of the vegetable rice mixture, then finally add a layer of mashed potatoes and top with cheese crumb mixture.
4. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes until crumb topping is golden brown and bubbling.
TIPS
Note: If there is leftover turkey, it can be added to the rice stuffing.
Thanksgiving vegetable fettuccine
From: The Scottos
Serves: 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS
• 1 pound fettuccine, cooked according to package directions
• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons finely diced garlic
• 1 cup cooked mushrooms
• 1 cup cooked string beans
• 1 cup cooked carrots
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup crumbled goat cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large skillet, sauté garlic over medium to high heat for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Add mushrooms, string beans and carrots and quickly sauté for about 1 minute.
2. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook fettuccine, drain and add to sauté pan containing the vegetables, add butter, toss, plate and top with goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper; serve immediately.
Apple cranberry bread pudding
From: The Scottos
Serves: 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS
Apple cranberry mixture
• 6 whole Granny Smith, Gala or Rome apples, peeled and cores removed,
• cut into 1/4-ince slices
• 1 stick butter, and 1/4 to grease baking dish
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup leftover cranberry sauce
Bread pudding
• Apple cranberry mixture
• 2 cups half and half
• 1/2 cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 cups 1/2-inch cubes egg bread or brioche
DIRECTIONS
Apple cranberry mixture
1. In a small sauté pan, melt the butter, add apples and sauté until apples are soft, about 5 to 8 minutes.
2. In a bowl, add the cooked apples, vanilla extract, cinnamon, maple syrup, and cranberry sauté; toss and set aside.
Bread pudding
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Whisk half and half, light brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend. Fold in apple cranberry mixture then finally fold in bread cubes. Mix thoroughly until it’s completed blended.
2. Add to 9 x 13-inch greased baking dish and bake for 40 minutes at 350°F or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
*** For more recipes, visit Comfort Food From Louisiana, Easy Party Foods: Short Ribs and Chicken Pot Pie, go here.
*** Thanks for visiting!
