You know how the saying goes: waste not want not! This old adage couldn’t be more true when it comes to the holiday season. Christmas and Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without festive feasts enjoyed with family and friends, but it’s simply not possible to get through all that delicious food in one day. That’s where your holiday leftover remix game comes in. Avoiding food waste is easy. All it takes is planning and creativity. So, without further ado, let’s find out how you can make mouthwatering meals with holiday leftovers.
What to Do with Leftovers - Holiday Cooking Hacks
Let’s face it, we’ve all been there. You’ve just put every ounce of creativity you have into making an unforgettable festive meal, and when it’s all over and everyone is patting their tummies, you discover that you’ve got a dilemma on your hands you hadn’t bargained for: what to do with all those leftovers? Don’t fret. Dealing with leftovers doesn’t have to be stressful. The first thing you need to do is think about each leftover ingredient individually and learn how to store them correctly.
How to Store Holiday Leftovers
This guide to common holiday leftover ingredients will help you get ahead of the game for the festive season.
Rice: As soon as your leftover rice has cooled, store it in an airtight container and put in the fridge. The USDA recommends consuming the rice within 4-6 days. Important: do not reheat leftover rice more than once.
Ham: Wrap your ham in aluminum foil and store in the fridge. It can be consumed within 3-5 days. No need to reheat. Cold ham tastes just as good as freshly cooked ham and makes for a delicious sandwich filling.
Turkey: Once the turkey has cooled, carve into small strips and store it in shallow containers and refrigerate. Leftover turkey should be consumed within 4 days.
Stuffing: Once cool, store your leftover stuffing in shallow containers and consume within 4 days. Reheat the stuffing to 165°F and enjoy.
Leftover Turkey Recipes
Now that you’re up to speed on how to store leftovers, let’s dive into some creative recipes that will put them to good use.
Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed pepper recipes are a must for the holiday season. No one wants to be cooking complicated meals in the days following the big feast. That's why these Rice and Turkey Stuffed Peppers are a great way to repurpose your leftover turkey. Made with RiceSelect® Organic Texmati® Brown Rice, they are deceptively easy to prepare. Simply gather your ingredients, fill the peppers up, pop them in the oven, and you’ve got a delicious meal that’s ready in 45 minutes.
Super Holiday Season Soups
Fall and winter are prime seasons for comforting soup recipes. Another way to use up leftover turkey is to adapt your favorite chicken soup recipes to include it. But no ordinary soup recipe will do for the holiday season, right? That’s why our unique Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is easily adaptable.
Salad Recipe
The festive season is the time of year when we gather around the dining table with the people we hold dear and indulge in delicious meals steeped in centuries of culinary tradition. That being said, it’s also nice to complement these meals with lighter dishes to enjoy in the aftermath, and that’s where salads come in. For a light and easy turkey recipe, this Athenian Salad works a treat. Flavorful and refreshing, the addition of black olives and feta cheese give this scintillating salad a Mediterranean twist.
Easy Quiche Recipe with Turkey and Rice
For a quick and easy recipe you can rustle up in 20 minutes, try this Turkey Texmati Quiche. Topped with melted mozzarella, it’s a simple meal that will provide you with a welcome break from the more high-prep dishes you’ve been creating over the course of the holiday season. Best of all, it’s a great way to remix leftovers from both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.
What to Do with Leftover Stuffing
No holiday meal would be complete without a serving of rich and crumbly stuffing, but how to repurpose those leftovers in the aftermath can be tricky. Luckily, we’ve got just the recipe for you. This Thanksgiving Stuffing Omelet recipe combines leftover stuffing with classic omelet ingredients to bring you a dish that’s both easy to make and comforting. What’s more, you can throw in some leftover turkey for good measure!
A Holiday Season Hub for Home Chefs
As the festive season approaches, home chefs come into their own. This is the time of year when you get to show off your chef skills and dazzle your fellow diners with enticing new recipes. That’s why RiceSelect® is proud to provide a hub for people who are passionate about good food. So if you’re looking to explore bold new flavors and get inspired, be sure to drop by our blog.