Photography by Donovan Roberts Witmer
Friends and family have come and gone. The refrigerator is packed with leftovers. So kick back, prop up your feet, sip on a cup of tea and relax? No, make more memorable meals, of course! From sweet potatoes to roasted turkey, use yesterday’s favorite dishes to create new meals your guests will gobble up once again. Tasty, colorful and packed with flavor, these dishes will make you want leftovers of these leftovers.
Ham and Olive Egg Bake
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
• ¼ cup butter • 1 small onion, chopped • 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded (or substitute your favorite cheese) • 6 ounces olives or tapenade • Cooked ham, chopped (I sear my leftover ham in a cast iron pan or on the grill) • Your favorite herbs • 12 eggs, scrambled • ½ cup cream or milk • Salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, add onion and cook the until tender.
3. Sprinkle cheese in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer with olives or tapenade, sautéed onion, ham and your favorite herbs.
4. In a bowl, scramble eggs together with cream or milk and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture over ingredients, but do not stir.
5. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until no longer runny in the center and slightly brown on top.
6. Allow to cool slightly, then cut into squares and serve.
Curried Turkey Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder (or more to taste) • ½ cup Greek yogurt • 2 tablespoons honey • ½ teaspoon ground ginger • Salt and pepper • 4 cups hand-shredded cooked turkey • 2 apples, chopped (I use 1 red and 1 green with the skin on) • ¼ cup dried cranberries • ¼ cup dried apricots, sliced • 2 ribs celery, chopped • 4 tablespoons scallions, chopped (or substitute red onion) • 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (or substitute parsley) • To serve: fresh salad greens, wrap, crostini or your favorite bread
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix the curry powder, yogurt, honey and ground ginger. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Gently fold in the turkey, apple, dried cranberries, dried apricots, celery, scallions or red onion, and cilantro or parsley.
3. Serve on a bed of fresh salad greens, in a wrap, or with your favorite bread or crostini.
Sweet Potato Bisque
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
• 6 pieces of bacon • 1 onion, chopped • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 4 cups roasted sweet potatoes • 4 cups chicken, turkey or vegetable stock • 1 cup heavy cream or milk • 1 teaspoon salt • ⅛ teaspoon white pepper • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves • Paprika for garnish • For serving: crostini or your favorite bread
Directions:
1. In large stockpot, cook bacon until crisp. Place bacon on paper towels and set aside.
2. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Cook onion and garlic in bacon fat until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in sweet potatoes and stock. Simmer for 15 minutes until potatoes are falling apart.
4. Using a potato masher or immersion blender, mash the potatoes.
5. Stir in heavy cream or milk, salt and white pepper. Heat through.
6. Garnish each serving with bacon and a sprinkle of thyme and paprika before serving with crostini or your favorite bread.
Gina D'Ambrosio is the founder and owner of Food For Thought Catering, offering innovative cuisine, using local and pure ingredients which yield earthy, rustic and mind-smart fare. "I grew up in Philadelphia in a traditional Italian household with my father, the bread winner, and my mother, the bread maker. It was in my home that I learned the importance of food, not just as a means of sustenance but as something to share with others and incorporate into celebrations of every kind."
By Gina D'Ambrosio, owner of Food For Thought Catering