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.

Salmon Cakes

Leftover Salmon? Make Salmon Cakes.

1 cup leftover salmon (probably pre-seasoned)
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
salt and pepper

Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a small skillet. Break up salmon in small bowl. Add egg, bread crumbs, and salt & pepper (taking into consideration seasoning of original salmon.) Form mixture into small patties and fry for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Let cool on paper towels. Serve warm or room temp with tartar sauce.

I love this for a next day, kids at school, babies napping, me time lunch (which doesn't happen very often.)

Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

We love pumpkin at our house. Pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies, etc... But most of my pumpkin recipes call for 1/2 can of pumpkin and I always have this sad little cup of pumpkin sitting in my fridge. Today I used that sad little cup of pumpkin to make some whole wheat pumpkin pancakes. They are really hearty and healthy, not too sweet, and really moist...

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes



1/2 c wheat flour
1/2 c white flour
1 T brown sugar (you can add more if you like them sweeter)
2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t allspice
1/4 t salt

1 c milk
1 beaten egg
2 T oil
1/2 - 3/4 c pumpkin puree (whatever you have leftover)
1/4 c chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat your griddle to medium high. Mix all dry ingredients and set aside. Beat together wet ingredients and add to dry ingredients all at once. Beat until combined. Fold in nuts. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto lightly greased, hot griddle. Cook for about 2 minutes per side (or until golden). Gently toss the cakes from one hand to the other a couple of times when removing from griddle to release the steam (this stops them from becoming soggy while you cook the others). Top with butter and maple syrup.

*This is adapted from my banana nut pancakes. To make the banana version just omit the nutmeg and allspice and replace the pumpkin with 2 smashed bananas. You can also add mini semi-sweet chocolate chips to either version for a sweeter variety!