When I think of Thanksgiving, I can’t help but think of leftovers. Maybe I should call them planned-overs, since I purposely plan on making more than enough for everyone to take home a little, and me not to have to cook for a couple of days.
My husband, on the other hand, dreads leftovers. He’s not a fan of eating the same meal twice in a short span of time. While I could eat turkey and stuffing three meals in a row, I have to get creative for his sake. Being able to create a brand new meal out of leftovers is priceless.
That said, I do try to get rid of as much food as possible at these big family meals. I have disposable plastic containers at the ready, and fill them to the brim, but there is always something left. Thank goodness. 😉
Two of my favorite things to make using leftovers are pasta and soup. I always have a variety of different pastas on hand, so it’s easy to toss whatever protein and veggies I have with it and add a little marinara sauce (I always have some Ragu in the pantry!) for a quick and easy 15-minute meal. Soup takes a little more time, but I can look through my fridge and throw tons of stuff in it. With the right seasonings, it’s hard to mess up soup. Take my favorite turkey and stuffing, for instance. You can make dumplings out of the stuffing for some delicious turkey and dumpling soup! I’ve also mushed it into a pie crust for a flavorful turkey and spinach quiche. My hubby really liked the latter.
So, how do you “re-invent” leftovers? Go join the conversation at Ragu’s Facebook page and watch this video for some great ideas:
Disclosure: This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Ambassador in the Ragú® Mom’s the Word on Dinner Program.
