Mmmmm Leftovers - What To Do?

Okay... I have to admit - I love leftovers.  Especially Thanksgiving because there is so much you can do with it.  I have made potato croquettes (Paula Deen has an AWESOME recipe here). Everyone likes a good hot turkey sandwich or even a nice hash, but I really wanted to try something different.

I had some leftover wonton wrappers from making Crab Rangoon last week and I thought... how can I make this work.  What did I come up with?  Delicious mini thanksgiving bites.  Everything you love about thanksgiving in one little bite.  I even customized them for each member of the family.  

I hope everyone is enjoying this glorious day of laziness I know I am!

Thanksgiving Dinner Wontons 

Ingredients:

mini muffin pan
12 wonton wrappers
Leftovers from Thanksgiving (you can pick and choose what you like):
1 C. stuffing
1 C.turkey (i think a mix of light and dark works best) - cut up into small chunks
1 C. mashed potatoes
1 C. sweet potatoes
1/2 C. squash
1/2 C. gravy
1/4 C. cranberry sauce
anything else you love :)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.

Spray your pan with nonstick cooking spray and place one wonton wrapper in each hole - making a little cup for your yummy goodness.  Place the wontons in the oven for about 5 minutes letting them get a little brown.  

Add about a tablespoon of stuffing to each wonton to make a little base "crust" and pop back into the oven for another 5 minutes.

While they are cooking put the gravy in a small sauce pot on medium-low heat to get it warm.  Put all other ingredients in small bowls to make it easier for assembly.

Remove the wontons from the oven and start creating!  My favorite is turkey and sweet potatoes, my kids like just a little turkey and a lot of mashed potatoes and my husband likes a little of everything - you can do whatever works for you.  In the mini wontons you can fit about a 1 tablespoon of turkey, 1 teaspoon of gravy and a tablespoon of potatoes on top. I like to add a little bit of gravy to the turkey layer and then add whatever potatoes you like on top to keep it together. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. If you want, you can just add the gravy to the wontons at the end.

After you have put all of your wontons together, pop them in the oven for around 10 minutes.  If you like it (I do!) add a little bit of cranberry sauce to the top, any extra gravy and serve!  A delicious twist on your Thanksgiving Favorites in under 30 minutes :) 

Enjoy!


 

 

Our Family's Stuffing Recipe

So... as adventurous as I like to be in the kitchen - there are a few things that need to stay traditional.  For me, one of those recipes is my mom's stuffing for Thanksgiving.  It is so delicious and so easy and everyone loves it.  Every time I host Thanksgiving - making the stuffing is my favorite part.  My mom and I do it together and it a tradition that I never want to change.

There is a lot of controversy out there about stuffing your turkey - you shouldn't because it isn't able to cook fully - or bacteria can form - but I am here to tell you that we stuff that bird as much as we can - and then cook the rest on the side in a casserole dish.  You know what goes first?  The bird's stuffing.  It just tastes SO much better... so do as you wish - but this recipe works both in the turkey and out.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

My Momma's Stuffing

Ingredients:

2 12oz. Bags of cubed herb stuffing (I like Pepperidge Farm)

4 T. Salted Butter

2 12oz. Jimmy Dean Premium Pork Regular Sausage, defrosted

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

5 apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

4 cups of turkey broth (if you cannot find turkey, chicken is fine)

1 T. poultry seasoning

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

Brown sausage in a large dutch oven.  Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Add butter to the dutch oven and sauté the onions and celery until translucent.  Add apples and cook for 5 minutes.  Add back in the sausage and mix well.  Turn off heat and add one bag of stuffing with 2 cups of broth. Mix until everything is well incorporated.  Add the second bag and the rest of the broth and mix again.  

I like to make up the stuffing the night before and store it in the fridge until I am ready to stuff my bird.  

Here is a picture of Thomas the Turkey from last year ready to be served.  I hope you all have a very happy holiday with your families :)