Ham & Potato Soup

I cooked a ham on Sunday and we had sandwiches for a few days, but there was still a TON left. So today I made some ham and potato soup for dinner. It was excellent...if I do say so myself. I found the recipe on Allrecipes.com

It was super easy and fast!

• 3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• 1/3 cup diced celery
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 3/4 cup diced cooked ham
• 3 1/4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

Chim Chim Chimi

This is a little trick I learned from my mother-in-law. I usually make these with leftover beef roast, but I'm sure you could make them with pork or chicken.

Beef Chimichangas

Leftover Roast, shredded
Flour tortillas
Toothpicks
Oil
Cheese
Salsa

In a small saute pan heat about two tablespoons of oil to sizzling hot (hot enough that a little piece of tortilla will sizzle.) While oil heats, begin filling tortillas with shredded beef, enough to make it about burrito size. Wrap the tortilla up burrito style, with all ends tucked in, "pinning" last end closed with a toothpick. Continue filling tortillas until all the beef is gone.

Pan fry both sides of chimichanga until golden brown. Cool on a plate lined with paper towels. Once the chimichangas are all cooked and cool, wrap each individually in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Put all the chimis in a freezer bag or container.

When you are ready to use take one out of the freezer, unwrap and place on a plate. Top with cheese and microwave for 2-3 minutes. Top with salsa and enjoy.

Pork Lo Mein

This is a recipe I typically make with leftover pork chops or tenderloin, but you could just as easily use chicken or beef. I made a similar recipe using scallops and clams and it was great (and impressive, especially if the clams are in the shell.)
4 T soy sauce
2T Hoisin Sauce
2 T brown sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
8-12 ounces leftover pork
Spaghetti noodles
Vegetables; carrots, broccoli, snow peas, whatever you have on hand.

Bring pot of water to a boil. Cut up vegetables into bite-size pieces. Cut meat into 1/2" cubes. When pot of water is boiling add spaghetti noodles and set timer according to box directions. In a saute pan, heat a T of oil. Add vegetables to pan and stir fry. Mix soy sauce, Hoisin, brown sugar, and garlic powder to make sauce. Once vegetables are beginning to become tender, stir in cubed meat and sauce, stirring to combine with the veggies. Once noodles are done, remove noodles from water with a slotted spoon and add directly to saute pan stir to coat noodles with sauce. Add about half a ladle-full (around 1/4 cup) of pasta water to thicken sauce. Once everything is combined and heated through, serve.

Creamy Turkey Potato Soup

The traditional leftover turkey soup, with a couple of twists.



2 T butter
1 medium shallot, diced
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 C corn
4 C chicken broth
1 C chopped, cooked turkey
1 T fresh herbs, finely chopped (whatever herbs you have left from your turkey - I used sage, thyme, and parsley)
1 C mashed potatoes
2 T flour
1/2 C cream
salt and pepper to taste
leftover stuffing

Melt butter in a large pot and saute shallot, carrot, and celery until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add corn and cover veggies with broth. Cover and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add potatoes, turkey, and herbs. Bring to a boil again and cover and simmer for another 5 minutes. Whisk flour and cream together and whisk into soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until thickened. Serve with a scoop of stuffing on top.

Chicken Tacos

This recipe uses leftover chicken (grilled, boiled, roasted, whatever).

2 C shredded, cooked chicken
2 C salsa
1/4 C brown sugar
1/2 packet Ranch Dressing mix (or to taste)

Mix all ingredients in a medium sauce pan and cover and cook until bubbly and heated through. I let mine cook about 30 minutes so that the flavors could incorporate into the chicken.

Serve garnished with purple onions, avocado, tomato, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc. Also great in a taco salad.

Thanksgiving Leftovers Shepherd's Pie

This is a recipe from Martha Stewart. I found it last year and have always wanted to try it. The best part is that you can just use what you have.

Serves 4 to 6

• 3 cups cooked stuffing
• 1 cup cranberry sauce, plus more for topping (optional)
• 1 pound sliced cooked turkey
• 10 ounces glazed carrots, (or another leftover vegetable)
• 4 to 6 tablespoons gravy
• 3 to 4 cups mashed potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9- to 10-inch pie plate, mound stuffing on bottom; layer with cranberry sauce, turkey, and carrots. Drizzle with gravy; spread potatoes over surface to sides of dish. Top with more cranberry sauce, if desired.
2. Place pie on a baking sheet, and bake until heated through and potatoes are golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Chicken in Orange Sauce

I used leftover breaded and baked chicken, but you could use any leftover chicken or chicken nuggets. Also, use up any vegetbles you have on hand, carrots, broccoli, snow peas, etc.

Orange-Flavored Chicken

1/2-1 lb. cooked chicken
Diced vegetables, optional
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. garlic powder or 1/2 garlic clove minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup cornstarch

In large skillet or wok, heat 2 tsp. oil. Cut chicken into bite size pieces and stir-fry with vegetables. In a saucepan mix the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and orange juice until combined. Stir in ginger and garlic. In a small, seperate bowl mix cornstarch with equal parts water. Stir cornstarch into sauce and bring almost to a boil. Once sauce is thickened, pour over chicken. Toss and serve over rice.