Creative ideas for leftovers

[AquaForce]

Disclaimer.
I know this won't be for everyone. It depends on how much time you want to spend in the kitchen, how much you can do ahead of time and what foods you have to work with.

Just fun to think about ways to use leftovers for a hot/cold evening or Boxing Day buffet. When I say leftovers, it's by design. We know there won't be any naturally occurring leftovers unless we cook double the amount we need 😂

Inspired by the Yorkshire Pudding with Christmas Dinner debate on another thread. I had a random idea to make individual ''toads in the hole'' (or toad in the holes?) using the leftover pigs in blankets.

Some other ideas I had were,

-Mac n Cheese using colliflower cheese or the remains of the cheese board. You could add blue cheese for an extra zing.
-Veg quiche, anything you like in there really. Blind bake the pastry case in advance.
-Potato salad from the roasties.
-Turkey (or whatever your main roast was) and veg pie. Again blind bake the pastry case ahead.
-Fry stuffing patties to pop in buns with the sliced cold meats - turkey, ham etc.
-If you have alcohol and the right mixers, maybe a Christmas punch or cocktail.

This isn't a leftovers idea but I remember Delia Smith preparing trays of mince pies and freezing them raw. Stick them in the oven whenever you want them. Warm mince pies for dessert for not much effort on the day.

Yes to yourkshire pus with pigs in blankets. I've seen people putting in brie and cranberry with the pig in blankets and I'm excited to try that. We do cook extras for leftovers to have a fry up on boxing day! I e bought some pastry too incase I have enough left for a pie. Mostly I just enjoy a good turkey sandwich. Also leftover turkey in a coronation "chicken".

Making a pie with the leftover turkey is a good idea. Does anyone have any recipes they’d recommend?

I don't have a recipe as such just add left over turkey and veg and make a cheesy sauce. Always goes down a treat

Why does this feel like it might become the Mumsnet Turkey.......

Iknowdino
Oh I'm with you on the turkey sandwiches. My Mam puts them on one of those two tier plates like you get with afternoon tea. Wouldn't be Xmas without it.
The turkey/veg/cheesy combo sounds good ❤

InWithPeaceOutWithStress
I don't have any recipes of my own but I've been binge watching The Dinner Lady on YouTube. That woman can bake a damn pie.😂 She's also been doing some Christmas prep videos.

If you want to go old school, Delia Smith is still the queen of Christmas cooking for me. She has ideas for pies and other dishes.

Ideally I think this should take minimal effort on the day. When those half hearted enquiries are made after lunch to see if you need any help in the kitchen...Yes you do. Get them chopping the meat/veg for the pie 😁You can whip up the sauce or have it ready. Assemble it and it's oven ready for whenever you are.

Iknowdino Cheesy sauce is a helpful steer for me, thank you. Honestly have no idea where to start with a pie. I’ve gone slightly overboard and ordered a goose this year so need to carefully plan for the leftovers!

AquaForce I’ll check out the Dinner Lady and good old Delia, thanks!

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/next-level-chicken-pie

Its something along the lines of this but with cream not creme fresh and a generous helping of cheese. Should be easy to do if all stuff is already cooked just whip up a cheese sauce, mix with veg and meat, top with pastry and you're away!!

Pie is super easy, any left over meat, veggies and a little stock to moisten everything, a glug of cream for a creamy filling then into a pastry lined pie dish with a pastry lid. Or put the filling in a square casserole dish and pop a (bought) puff pastry lid on top. Excellent way to use up leftovers, if the meat looks a bit light pop in some mushrooms or left over ham.

great thread, I love leftovers.

@InWithPeaceOutWithStress we had goose last year, lovely on the day but not as versatile for leftovers as gets a bit tough. We used the leftovers with Chinese pancakes with cucumber and hoisin like you would crispy duck, it was delicious.

Ooh love that idea thanks @feliciabirthgiver

Vol-u-vents with a turkey and ham creamy filling. It’s my favourite leftover recipe. Very retro.

I love a good hash with chopped/smashed roast potatoes, leftover meat and veg. Serve with a runny fried egg on top.

I love a Delia Smith one - turkey, ham and leek flan. It's large - 10 inch - with the leeks sliced narrowly, softened in butter and used as the beginning of a white sauce to bind the turkey and ham together. Grated cheese on the top - cheddar, Red Leicester.

I have a second Christmas dinner on boxing day!

We purposefully overcook to get leftovers - they're the best bit. We mostly eat them as a roast dinner, but also make them into:

• Roast dinner baguette sandwiches (we buy part-baked bread for these so the bread is fresh and crispy)
• Turkey, ham and leek pie with a creamy sauce
• Root veg and cheese soup with more crusty bread
• Turkey curry. We mix it up with the style (Thai, Indian, mild, spicy, creamy etc) depending on oir mood or what else is in the house
• Stir fry
• Ramen topped with shredded leftover turkey or beef
• Cajun-spiced potato wedges topped with shredded leftover meat, salsa, guacamole, sour cream and grated cheese

Fry up leftover chopped roast potatoes and pigs in blankets for breakfast or brunch. Add fried eggs if you want to make it stretch.

No need for a recipe, wing it!

Chop everything up, lob everything in a pie dish mix in left over gravy and top with a pre made pastry top. So easy and super tasty… I’ve been doing this for so long that I can’t remember where I first saw it, but it’s so good. Literally all left overs go in, meat, veggies the works so every bite is pot luck!

I once had a friend buy everything for the pie even though they weren’t having Christmas dinner at home 😂 she does it every year now too though!