7 Ways to Revive Holiday Leftovers
Updated: Aug. 06, 2019
With the holiday cooking comes holiday leftovers but re-heating the same old stuff again and again can get a bit, well, dull. To help, here’s how to breathe life into these holiday leftovers.
Wine
Don’t pour that leftover red or white down the drain! Put it in an airtight jar and store it in the fridge. When it’s time to make a vinaigrette, you can combine the wine with an even amount of vinegar for a dressing with extra punch. If you have leftover red wine, put it to work as a meat tenderizer and marinade. Simply put the meat in a self-sealing bag or container and pour the leftover wine over it. Whether cooked on the grill or under the broiler, the meat on the plate will have a juicy, tender texture.
Meats
How much leftover chicken do you have on hand? Make too much ham for the holiday? Too much turkey, too? Never fear, the croquette is here. Mince the leftovers finely to make 2 cups, add a tablespoon or two of prepared white sauce and a beaten egg, shape into tightly packed, small logs, and refrigerate for an hour. Remove the croquettes from the fridge, roll in find breadcrumbs, heat up with a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in a stick-proof frying pan and lightly fry until golden brown.
Veggies
Save all leftover veggies for up to a week. Dice them, lightly sauté your mixture in olive oil with savory seasoning such as oregano, basil, and black pepper. Add leftovers to rice or other grains. Use as a filling for a quiche or to fortify a meatloaf.
Gravy
Get a head start on gravy. Whirl almost any kind of leftover soup that has no bones in a blender or food processor to make a quick sauce or gravy for vegetables or meat.
Corn
Jazz up a stand-by condiment by adding leftover corn kernels to your jarred salsa. Stirring in corn will not only make for a more colorful presentation but will also tone down a salsa you find too hot for your taste.
Oatmeal
Don’t toss out the unserved cooked cereal left in the pot when your holiday breakfast is over. Instead, add it to batter when making muffins. Add the baking powder, eggs, and other ingredients as the recipe directs, and you may find you like the result.
Fruit
Don’t relegate overripe fruit to the compost pile or trash. Freeze it! Use your frozen bananas, strawberries, and peaches to make a delicious smoothie with yogourt or your liquid of choice. Your smoothie may even taste better, thanks to the concentrated sugars in overripe fruit.
