The Remains of the Bird

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We all have a ton of leftovers, and I’ve got some great recipes for them. Alton Brown doesn’t disappoint in the leftovers department. Let’s get started, so you can begin to clear out that fridge 🙂

First up, Turkey Soup.

Steal your Mom’s turkey carcass and get it into a large pot or dutch oven. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove the carcass and add in the frozen veggies, rice, Old Bay and thyme. I also shredded about 2 cups of turkey off the carcass and put into the broth. Cover and simmer for another 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and you’re done…or you can move on with me and add in a few extras!

My mom suggested I add in some of the leftover mashed potatoes…Genius! I also remember from making some of the Pioneer Woman’s soups, she usually adds in some sour cream to give it a nice creaminess. So I did that…obviously!

The soup was good, but with the additions, much better. It’s a nice hearty soup. The broth is so flavorful from the carcass and the rice and veggies give it a nice texture. Good Eats!

Bird to the Last Drop

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 quarts vegetable stock
1 turkey carcass
1 (10-ounce) box frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 cup long grain rice
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
1 teaspoon crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown and Food Network

Do you have a lot of cranberry sauce leftover? Well, do I have a great idea for you!

Pour your cranberry sauce into a sauce pan. Add in Ginger Ale and sugar. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking until it’s reduce by two-thirds.

Pour into a jar (or two if you’re sharing) and keep in the fridge.

If you like cranberry sauce, you’re going to love this! It’s tart, sweet and delicious. Definitely Good Eats!

In a Cranberry Jam

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups “Good Eats” Cranberry Sauce, recipe follows
4 ounces ginger ale
1 cup sugar

Directions

Combine all the ingredients into a small, non-reactive saucepan.

Bring to a simmer and reduce by two-thirds or until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of a loose jam. Remember to keep the heat low to prevent the jam from burning.

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown and Food Network

Stuffing and Turkey overflowing? Why not make a hash! I changed this recipe up a little bit. I used my Mom’s Sage Sausage Stuffing (recipe coming soon) instead of adding breakfast sausage and Alton’s stuffing.

Saute onion, jalapeno and red pepper in some butter.

Next add in some cooked potatoes. Cook until slightly browned.

Top that with your stuffing and turkey heating until warmed through.

Get out a plate, fry up a couple of eggs and put them right on top of the hash. I know…take a moment. Fried eggs make everything better.

This hash was awesome! My husband had it for breakfast and dinner, and he never eats leftovers! I will absolutely make this again. Gooooooood Eats!

Turkey Re-Hash

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

8 ounces breakfast sausage
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1/2 cup red peppers, chopped
1 1/2 cups red bliss potatoes, cubed and cooked
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
2 cups “Good Eats” Corn Bread Pudding, cubed, recipe above
1 to 2 cups cooked turkey, cubed
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Add the sausage to a heavy skillet over medium high heat and cook until the sausage begins to render some of its fat, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the onions, jalapeno and peppers to the sausage and cook until soft and translucent. Add the potatoes to the skillet and increase the heat to high. Cook until the potatoes have browned lightly.

Add the black beans, pudding, and turkey and stir occasionally. Cook until the hash is thoroughly heated. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper.

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown and Food Network