New Life For Holiday Leftovers

Make A Feast From Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

(CBS)  Many people can't stand the sight of Thanksgiving leftovers sitting in their fridge, but as cookbook author Tori Ritchie explains, there are many ways to create tasty dishes in a snap.

Turkey and Arugula Panini with Gruyère
Ingredients:
2 slices country-style bread, each 1/2 inch thick
Olive oil for brushing
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
3 oz. sliced roasted turkey breast
1 oz. Gruyère or jack cheese
1/4 cup arugula
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation:
Preheat an electric panini maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Alternatively, cook sandwich in a nonstick skillet.

Brush one side of each bread slice with olive oil. Lay the slices, oiled side down, on a clean work surface. Spread the top of each slice with 1 Tbs. mayonnaise. Arrange the turkey on one slice and top with the cheese and arugula. Season with salt and pepper. Top with the other bread slice, oiled side up.

Place the sandwich on the preheated panini maker and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. If using a nonstick skillet, press sandwich down with a lid slightly smaller than the pan; turn over halfway through cooking.

Transfer the sandwich to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve immediately. Serves 1.

Turkey Croquettes
This delicious approach to Thanksgiving leftovers makes a wonderful lunch paired with a tossed green salad. You could also serve the croquettes as an appetizer for a casual cocktail party.

1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup chopped cooked turkey
3 eggs
1 Tbs. milk
1 cup plus 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
2 cups bread crumbs
2 cups cold mashed potatoes
Canola, olive or other vegetable oil for deep-frying
Turkey gravy, warmed, for serving

Preparation:
In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery and partially cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sage and season with salt and pepper. Remove the vegetables from the heat and stir in the turkey. Let cool to room temperature.

In a shallow bowl, combine 2 of the eggs and the milk and whisk to blend. Place the 1 cup flour and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In another bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, the remaining egg and the 2 Tbs. flour and fold until blended. Have a bowl of cold water nearby. Get your hands wet but not dripping with water. Place about 2 Tbs. of the mashed potato mixture in one hand and flatten into a thick disk. Add about 2 tsp. of the turkey mixture and form the mashed potatoes into a ball, sealing the turkey mixture in the center. Roll the ball in the flour, then in the egg mixture and finally in the bread crumbs. Set the croquette on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

In an electric deep fryer, heat the oil according to the manufacturer's instructions to 365°F. Alternatively, in a heavy deep-fry pan over medium-high heat, pour in oil to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and heat to 365°F on a deep-frying thermometer.

Carefully place 3 or 4 croquettes in the hot oil (do not crowd the pan) and cook, turning as needed, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with the remaining croquettes. Serve hot with gravy. Makes 12 to 15 croquettes.

Penne with Pesto & Green Beans
You can use leftover Green Beans with Mushrooms and Walnuts (see recipe in Side Dish segment) instead of the cooked green beans and potatoes in this recipe. You can also substitute purchased pesto for the homemade sauce.

For the pesto:
1 1/2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
3 Tbs. pine nuts
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 lb. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

Kosher salt for cooking the vegetables and the pasta
1/2 lb. small red potatoes, peeled and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1/2 lb. young, thin green beans, stem ends trimmed
1 lb. dried penne
1 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature

Make the pesto
Put the basil, pine nuts, garlic and salt in a large mortar. Using a pestle, and working in a circular motion, grind the ingredients together until a dense, thick green paste forms. This could take several minutes to do, but don't be discouraged. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while stirring continuously with the pestle until a thick, flowing sauce forms. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and then use a spoon to stir in the cheese. Taste the pesto; it should taste primarily of fresh basil with accents of garlic, nuts and cheese. If you feel it tastes bland, stir in more cheese or salt until the flavors are nicely balanced. Keep in mind that the flavor will be diluted once it is mixed with the pasta and vegetables.

Cook the vegetables (or use leftover green beans and mushrooms instead).
Preheat an oven to 200°F and place a large, shallow bowl and individual plates in the oven to warm. Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a rolling boil and add about 2 Tbs. salt. Add the potatoes and green beans and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes and beans to the warmed large bowl. Cover the bowl lightly with aluminum foil to keep the vegetables warm.

Cook and drain the penne
Bring the water back to a rolling boil, add the pasta all at once and stir it gently. Let the pasta cook, stirring occasionally, until it is tender but still slightly chewy (al dente), 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer 2 ladlefuls of pasta-cooking water to a heatproof container; you'll use it to adjust the consistency of the dish when you toss it. Pour the pasta into a colander to drain, then shake the colander just once to remove some of the remaining water. The pasta should still be moist.

Toss the penne with the sauce and vegetables
Add the drained pasta to the bowl with the vegetables and then add the pesto. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir and toss the pasta and vegetables until they are well coated with the sauce. If the mixture looks dry, add a little of the pasta-cooking water and mix again. Add the butter and toss to coat evenly.

Serve the dish
Using a large serving spoon, divide the sauced pasta and vegetables evenly among the warmed plates. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

Using leftover vegetables and cranberry sauce:
If you have autumn vegetable, Ritchie recommends making a soup, by combining the veggies with chicken stock, heating it up and simply pureeing it.

If you have cranberry sauce left over, she recommends taking a camembert cheese, and heat it in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Afterwards, spread the cheese on toasted bread or crackers and top with cranberry sauce.