Hopefully after your holiday gathering today you were able to send some of your excess food home with your Thanksgiving guests, but if not and you’re still stuck with the bulk of it, get ready for lots of leftovers within the next few days. While some people moan and groan about having to have turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce over and over again for the next few days following Thanksgiving, find the silver lining by getting creative with not-so typical leftover Thanksgiving food recipes! Don’t simply eat the the leftover dishes as is, transform them into new, versatile dishes that you'd never even fathomed before!

Now get ready to get creative with these easy to make recipes that are sure to shock your family when they find out what they’re eating is actually leftovers!

Stuffing Waffles with Gravy
If you have leftover stuffing, gravy, and a waffle iron at home, get ready to transform this traditional breakfast food into a savory after Thanksgiving meal.

Ingredients:

• Leftover stuffing
• Leftover gravy
• Pam non-stick spray

Directions: Begin by warming up your waffle iron and spraying it with Pam non-stick spray. Next, spread stuffing across the waffle iron and cook for about ten minutes, or until both sides of the stuffing waffle begin to crisp. Pour on some gravy and you’re ready to have dinner for breakfast!

Turkey Caesar Salad Sandwich
Chicken isn’t the only type of poultry that mixes well with Caesar dressing! Try this Turkey Caesar Salad Sandwich and see for yourself!

Ingredients:

• Leftover turkey breast
• Small amount of olive oil
• Bottle of creamy Caesar dressing
• Whole grain bread
• Tomato
• Romaine Lettuce
• Parmesan cheese
• Pinch of Cajun seasoning

Directions: Start by brushing some olive oil on your turkey breast, sprinkling it with a pinch of Cajun seasoning and grilling it until fully cooked over medium-high heat. Once the turkey has cooled slice it into pieces that will fit nicely on the bread you purchased. Add Caesar dressing onto both pieces of bread then place turkey, a slice of tomato, lettuce, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese in between the slices of bread. Then enjoy!

Thanksgiving Medley Pot Pie
The great thing about this pot pie is you can use practically all of your leftovers in it!

Ingredients:

• Leftover stuffing
• Leftover turkey
• Leftover cranberry sauce
• Leftover carrots
• Leftover gravy
• Leftover mashed potatoes

Directions: Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Next, get out a 9 – 10 inch pie plate and layer the bottom of the pie plate with stuffing. Next add a layer of turkey, cranberry sauce, carrots and drizzle that with gravy. Add the mashed potatoes last making sure to cover all the way to the side of the pie plate. Put the pie in the oven and let cook for approximately 40 minutes, or until potatoes have turned golden.

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Blend your leftover pumpkin pie (that is if you still have any left) with vanilla ice cream to create a delicious dessert!

Ingredients:

• Leftover pumpkin pie
• Carton of vanilla ice cream
• Maple syrup

Directions: Place pumpkin pie in a large bowl and using a spoon break it up into smaller pieces. Once broken up add vanilla ice cream into the bowl and blend them together. Lastly add in some sticky, maple syrup and blend in to complete this sweet dessert.

Photo by Mike Johnson via Free Images