CHRISTMAS LEFTOVERS: 2019

FIRST POSTED 2018 

Few households will starve after Christmas Day

(Courtesy of Pinterest  and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence) 

If your household is like most, there will be a mountain of food left over from Christmas Dinner.  

In fact, in some households, the Special Feast is planned that way.  Certainly, there must be no or little cooking on Boxing Day, though warming up dishes is ok.

We've all got our favourites recipes for turkey but what about other ingredients which often get thrown out because no one can think what to do with them?

Here are a few tips, ideas and recipes. 

Alcohol
    The obvious...but also flavouring coffees, icings (for adults), cheesecakes (for adults), homemade truffles

Bread/Buns

• Sandwiches: See Christmas Sandwich Free for All, Hoisin Chicken/Turkey Baguette, Devilled Tuna Open Faced Sarnie, Fancy Make-Ahead Sandwiches 

• Ultra Easy Double Dipped French Toast: frugal; so easy kids can make it 

• Bread & Butter Puddings: various on NavBar: Recipes I/Baked Goods, including special occasion ambrosial Chocolate Mint Bread & Butter Pudding and frugal Boozy Orange Bread & Butter Pudding 

• Fresh Breadcrumbs: process coarsely; freezable

Cheese

• Canapes: grate cheese ends; mix with a little cream and a touch of smoked paprika; pile onto toasted baguette slices & grill till melted OR spread over half a rolled out puff or shortcrust pastry, sprinkle with spice of choice, top with the rest of the pasty and press down with a rolling pin, cut into strips and twist into cheese straws; bake at a moderate temperature until golden brown, about 10-15 min.  OR instead of adding spice, layer with leftover salami or sausage, cover with rest of pastry, crimp edges, brush with egg; bake and cut  into squares

• Hard cheeses can be frozen but wrap them first in grease-proof paper and then in cling film  

Double Cream

• beat to a soft peak with vanilla and a bit of icing sugar for a superior topping for Irish Coffee & thick hot chocolate

• transforms into butter when beaten continuously with electric beaters until the cream mix splits into butter and whey; discard whey or use as a buttermilk substitute

Eggs

Raw: 

• frittatas & quiches will use up cold or raw vegetables, cheese & shards of protein
•  Tortilla Espagnol: Cheat's Version
•  Tortilla Espagnol: Glamour Mode, also uses up cooked & raw veg 

Raw Egg Whites (fresh or pre-frozen and defrosted):

• Exquisite Emergency Almond Biscuits: delicious & delicate; gluten & dairy-free; fast & easy     
• Lower-Sugar Mini Pavlovas with Spicy fruit: deliciously crumbly, redolent with Christmas spices
• Anything that will look good with a cloud of meringue, such as Lemon Meringue Surprise Pie or Chocolate Meringue Pie or Baked Alaska

Raw Egg Yolks (can be frozen):
     Easier Fruit Curds: lemon or orange or a combination of citrus fruits

Hard Boiled:

• Carnival Potato Salad, also uses up any raw peppers
• Skinnier Scotch Eggs, low-fat, high flavour, wallet-friendly; uses up sausage meat, too
• Avocado & Ham Devilled Eggs, frugal and fabulous

    
Mixed Fresh Fruit

• Fruit salads: replace sugar syrup with unsweetened fruit juice, fresh or from a carton; flavour with mint or ginger syrup or alcohol; top up with tinned fruit if necessary

• Trifles (See Recipes 1: Baking)

• Crumbles (as above)

• Incorporate into waffles or pancakes

• Baked with fruit juice & flavouring of choice; process to a sauce; strain if necessary; pour over ice cream

Ham

• shred and use as an accent in soups, salads or pasta

• breakfast croissants: stuff with ham & cheese; toast till cheese is melted OR stuff with ham, scrambled egg and chopped parsley

• Celeriac, Ham & Mustard salad or sandwich filling

Lemons

• Sprinkle juice & zest over lightly steamed or boiled veg & scatter over toasted sunflower seeds

• Lemon curd for spreading on toast or mixing with yoghurt OR added to  whipped cream in Luscious Lemon Pudding

• Reduced fat Lemon Cheesecake: a complete knock-out dessert

Nuts

• Save for January and roast lightly for No-bake Granola Flapjacks: vegan, low sugar, high energy & protein

• Process and transform into lower-sugar Nut Chocolate Spread for Chocolatella Brownies in canapé sizes for New Year treats

Oranges

• Orange & Cointreau No-bake Cheesecake: Sensational, easy

• Sunshine Salad, uses up cooked poultry, ham & apples

Potatoes

• Leftover Roasties:  Replace chip-shop chips with chopped roast potatoes in Tortilla Espagnol: Cheat's Version 

• Leftover Mash: super easy Spiced Potato Cigarillos (Indian-style 'chip butty' canapes) or Easy-Peasy Smashed Potato Salad

• Raw Potatoes: Skinnier Stuffed Potato Skins (also uses up bacon & cheese) PLUS plenty of recipes for potato salads in Recipes II/Salads 

Salmon

• Salmon & Rice Leftover Salad: '...fresh bright taste; loved the chilli, the crisp yellow pepper and the lightness of the rice.' 

Turkey

• Frontier Turkey in low-fat Creamy Sauce on buttermilk biscuits; 'the biscuit didn't turn soggy' 'Super creamy yet light and full of flavour.'

• Sliced turkey in hot yorkshire puddings with cranberry sauce & gravy

• Turkey in Curry Sauce

• An accent in soups, stir fries, noodles

• Spicy Singapore Noodles with Turkey, Ham & Prawns: quick & feisty

• Almost Instant Crispy Noodles with turkey, chilli, broccoli & gravy: divine taste & textures 

• Don't forget: turkey carcass makes fabulous stock.  Toss in a slow cooker with a couple of onions, carrots & sticks of celery, some peppercorns & a bay leaf.  Cook on low overnight or for 8 hours.  Strain, throw out veg but strip meat from the bones.  Refrigerate overnight; remove fat

Vegetables

• Raw: Cook up an attractive, appealing and delicious low-carb vegetarian platter Stir-fry of Low-Carb Vegetables OR make quick & easy simple pickled vegetables

• uncooked sprouts: try Christmas Season Slaw: Sprout, Pear, Walnut & Cranberries

• Cooked: frittatas and quiches; also vegetarian sandwiches

• Salad Ingredients: Stocks and Fried Rice

Also: Making a Meal of a Few Ingredients

DON'T FORGET THE HOMELESS:

Freeze or keep back some:

• sandwiches/rolls with nice fillings

• robust treats/desserts

When the shops re-open, add some fresh fruit, bag up and leave with a cup of hot coffee.

Christmas leftovers from 2015 onwards on NavBar: How to...

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This information has been compiled by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises using recipes and tips from 67goingon50.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.