I t’s not like you can make turkey for two. Heck, even if you make turkey for eight… you’ll have enough leftovers to fill the fridge. What to do… what to do? After that first cold turkey sandwich, it’s hard to plan enough fresh meals that include turkey without everyone losing their minds!

To the RESCUE! Here’s a new twist on ways to re-mix your turkey, stuffing, gravy, veggies, and even cranberry sauce into some FUN treats—and there’s nary a casserole in the mix!

Place bite-sized chunks of leftover turkey, diced celery, green onions, and diced fennel in a bowl. Combine mayo with a tablespoon or two of pesto. Pour the pesto dressing over the turkey and veggies. You can add leftover fresh fruit (like chopped apple or sliced grapes) and a bit of basil to freshen everything. Toss to coat. Serve on leafy lettuce or in a tomato or avocado half.

Layer leftover turkey and leftover veggies—like my Citrus Sauteed Green Beans —onto a thick slice of bread. Top with your favorite cheese (I like Brie for this). Spread some cranberry sauce on the second slice of bread and top the sandwich. Brush the bread with olive oil and place into your panini maker. Toast until golden, crisp, and the cheese is melting.

Maximizing the Holiday Feast

Lay a flour tortilla flat and brush with mayo. Lay slices of Swiss cheese on the tortilla. Add a column of diced leftover turkey, shredded lettuce, sliced avocado, and chopped tomatoes. Roll up the tortilla over the filling and slice into 1-inch pinwheels. Mix a spoonful of cranberry sauce into a couple of spoonsful of Thousand Island dressing for the perfect dipping sauce.

A pithivier is a round, enclosed pie stuffed with your favorite filling. Roll out puff pastry and cut into 4 large disks. Spread some leftover cranberry sauce onto 2 of the disks and add finely diced leftover turkey. Top with leftover veggies (I used chopped kale) and a pile of grated Gruyere cheese. Seal with a second piece of pastry. Make a small hole in the center, draw swirling lines with a knife, brush with egg wash, and bake at 400° for 15 minutes.

Layer a tortilla with cheddar cheese, leftover turkey, diced onions, bell peppers, and pickled jalapenos. Top with another tortilla and cook in a skillet with olive oil until golden on both sides. Serve with sour cream and salsa (spruced up with a spoonful of leftover cranberry sauce!).

Combine cream cheese, cheddar, diced celery, diced turkey, and hot sauce. Stuff the mixture into jalapeno peppers that have been stemmed and deveined. Coat in bread crumbs and fry in oil. Oh, yum yum!

Heat turkey chunks in gravy. Stir a couple of spoonsful of leftover stuffing into your favorite waffle batter and cook until crisp. Serve the warmed turkey and gravy over the waffles with a drizzle of maple syrup and hot pepper sauce.

Pulse leftover turkey, stuffing, onion, and bell pepper in a food processor. Add an egg and form into cakes. Dredge in breadcrumbs and saute until golden. Serve with a sauce made of cranberry sauce, plain yogurt, basil, relish, and lime juice.

Take your leftover dinner rolls and cut them into thin slices. Brush with a mix of melted butter, garlic powder, paprika, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. Broil until golden—just a minute or two—for the perfect crispy snack.