Leftovers are like money in the bank...so be sure to "spend" them wisely.  I generally start with reheating leftovers to enjoy the meal one last time, then move on to turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sandwiches on whole wheat bread, but what to do when your leftovers are "unbalanced" and you have a surplus of mashed potatoes, yams, gravy, or cranberry sauce?

Today's newsletter will help you squeeze every last delicious moment out of your Thanksgiving meal - keep these tips in mind as you pack up the leftovers after dinner this Thursday.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Thankfully,

Susan

Leftover Thanksgiving Dinner Rolls?  Turn them into breadcrumbs for Christmas Meatballs following the tips in this short video.  After the bread has been crumbed, they can be dried and stored at room temperature, or frozen to be used later as "fresh" breadcrumbs.

Simple Leftover Cranberry Sauce Bread

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cranberry sauce, divided into 1 cup and 1/2 cup portions
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5” loaf pan, and set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the cranberry sauce, oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla.

Blend in the flour, salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon. Stir until evenly combined, but do not over mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Spoon the remaining 1/2 cup of cranberry sauce on top with a tablespoon.

Bake 45- 50 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Turkey gravy usually has a distinctive flavor, so unlike beef or chicken gravy which can be added to soups, stews, and various sauces with ease, turkey gravy is best used with, well...turkey.

My favorite way of doing this is with a pot pie.

You'll need about 2 cups of gravy, 2 cups of turkey (leftover or you can purchase a pound from the deli counter - ask them to slice it 1/2 inch thick, then cut it into cubes when you get home), a package of frozen mixed vegetables, and a refrigerated pie crust.

Place the bottom crust in a 9 inch pie plate. Combine the gravy, thawed vegetables, and turkey in a bowl, and spoon the mixture into the crust. I like to add a pinch of rosemary and cardomon into the mixture, but any herbs you like (or none at all) would be fine. Top with the remaining crust, seal the edges, and brush the top with an egg wash, if desired.

Cut a few slits in the top with a sharp paring knife and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until the crust is warm and the insides are bubbling.

The Cestari Easy Pod is great way to reheat leftovers in the microwave, keeping them moist and delicious! Save 20% with code EASYPOD1through November 28.

WOULD YOU LIKE A COOKIE TURNTABLE?

Our December newsletters will focus on (SURPRISE!) the holidays.  We'd love to feature some of YOUR holiday food memories. How did your family celebrate Christmas Eve?  Do you make the same breakfast with your kids on Christmas morning? Is there a secret family recipe for latkes you make every Hannukah? Please let us know!  You can send your contributions to support@cestarikitchen.com with the subject "Newsletter-Traditions."  Every subscriber whose contribution we use will receive our mini turntable as our thank you gift.
 

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