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Chances are that you read my article last week about simplifying your Thanksgiving menu and proceeded to completely ignore my advice. Don’t worry, I understand; I am sure I will succumb to the pressure of pleasing everyone again this year as well.
Mashed potatoes for your brother who insists they be on the table, greens for the health-conscious sister, sweet potato casserole with marshmallow topping for the cousin who has such a sweet tooth that his dining choices seem to invite cavities. And there you have it, the very thing you were trying to avoid: a refrigerator full of leftovers.
For some, leftovers are the whole point of the Thanksgiving meal. I know people who purposefully buy a bird 5 lbs. larger than their actual needs in order to guarantee a week of carved turkey sandwiches with stuffing and cranberry sauce. And certainly pumpkin pie never tasted so good than the day after Thanksgiving alongside your morning coffee.
But seriously, as good as all that turkey and mashed potatoes tastes the day of Thanksgiving, there are only so many consecutive days where one can eat the same meal without taste buds dying off. So what to do about all that food?
I was invited to a “WE WANT YOUR LEFTOVERS” potluck this year, scheduled for the day after Thanksgiving. I thought it a very clever idea indeed. You get rid of your own leftovers, still get to eat in the spirit of the season, but aren’t bored with the contents of your own fridge because you are busy sampling the contents of everyone else’s.
If you weren’t so fortunate as to have been invited to a leftovers potluck and have no energy to throw one of your own, do not fear for there are other ways to put some excitement into your seconds. Providing you are not so sick of your kitchen that you can still set foot in it the day after, one of the best ways to put leftovers to good use is by cooking one more dish that can resurrect several old ones.
In my household we like to take whole or frozen cranberries and make them into a sweet and spicy salsa. These can be cranberries leftover from Thanksgiving Day. Or more often, we plan ahead to make sure there are more cranberries than we actually need. It's made almost like your grandmother’s “secret” cranberry relish recipe (funny how it resembles the one on the back of the Ocean Spray package), but with the addition of sweet and spicy elements to complement the tart cranberries.
The final salsa then becomes the glue that transforms many a leftover. Start using it on your turkey leftover sandwich in lieu of the cranberry jelly; it will give the sandwich a certain kick that it may have lacked in the past. Since it’s a salsa, try it with a turkey taco or quesadilla.
If you have extra squash or sweet potato, mash it till smooth, then spoon some in a thin layer over a soft taco sized tortilla. Top that with some drained black beans, shredded leftover turkey, and the cranberry salsa, and you have an inventive way to make use of two or three of your leftovers in a taste combination that is worlds away from the day before’s feast.
Or try making a quesadilla with the turkey, salsa, some shredded jack cheese, leftover corn and any spinach or other leafy green that may have graced the Thanksgiving table.
In spite of your efforts to reduce the table clutter this Thanksgiving, no doubt there will be leftovers and you will be eating them for the entirety of the following week. But just because you went traditional on Thanksgiving day does not mean you have to be stuck with the same old thing from there on out. Spice up your meals with one more quick turn in the kitchen and you will be amazed how something as simple as a salsa can inspire that turkey to become a whole week’s worth of new and exciting meals.
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
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The Last Word On Leftovers
Chances are that you read my article last week about simplifying your Thanksgiving menu and proceeded to completely ignore my advice. Don’t worry, I understand; I am sure I will succumb to the pressure of pleasing everyone again this year as well.
Mashed potatoes for your brother who insists they be on the table, greens for the health-conscious sister, sweet potato casserole with marshmallow topping for the cousin who has such a sweet tooth that his dining choices seem to invite cavities. And there you have it, the very thing you were trying to avoid: a refrigerator full of leftovers.
For some, leftovers are the whole point of the Thanksgiving meal. I know people who purposefully buy a bird 5 lbs. larger than their actual needs in order to guarantee a week of carved turkey sandwiches with stuffing and cranberry sauce. And certainly pumpkin pie never tasted so good than the day after Thanksgiving alongside your morning coffee.
But seriously, as good as all that turkey and mashed potatoes tastes the day of Thanksgiving, there are only so many consecutive days where one can eat the same meal without taste buds dying off. So what to do about all that food?
I was invited to a “WE WANT YOUR LEFTOVERS” potluck this year, scheduled for the day after Thanksgiving. I thought it a very clever idea indeed. You get rid of your own leftovers, still get to eat in the spirit of the season, but aren’t bored with the contents of your own fridge because you are busy sampling the contents of everyone else’s.
If you weren’t so fortunate as to have been invited to a leftovers potluck and have no energy to throw one of your own, do not fear for there are other ways to put some excitement into your seconds. Providing you are not so sick of your kitchen that you can still set foot in it the day after, one of the best ways to put leftovers to good use is by cooking one more dish that can resurrect several old ones.
In my household we like to take whole or frozen cranberries and make them into a sweet and spicy salsa. These can be cranberries leftover from Thanksgiving Day. Or more often, we plan ahead to make sure there are more cranberries than we actually need. It's made almost like your grandmother’s “secret” cranberry relish recipe (funny how it resembles the one on the back of the Ocean Spray package), but with the addition of sweet and spicy elements to complement the tart cranberries.
The final salsa then becomes the glue that transforms many a leftover. Start using it on your turkey leftover sandwich in lieu of the cranberry jelly; it will give the sandwich a certain kick that it may have lacked in the past. Since it’s a salsa, try it with a turkey taco or quesadilla.
If you have extra squash or sweet potato, mash it till smooth, then spoon some in a thin layer over a soft taco sized tortilla. Top that with some drained black beans, shredded leftover turkey, and the cranberry salsa, and you have an inventive way to make use of two or three of your leftovers in a taste combination that is worlds away from the day before’s feast.
Or try making a quesadilla with the turkey, salsa, some shredded jack cheese, leftover corn and any spinach or other leafy green that may have graced the Thanksgiving table.
In spite of your efforts to reduce the table clutter this Thanksgiving, no doubt there will be leftovers and you will be eating them for the entirety of the following week. But just because you went traditional on Thanksgiving day does not mean you have to be stuck with the same old thing from there on out. Spice up your meals with one more quick turn in the kitchen and you will be amazed how something as simple as a salsa can inspire that turkey to become a whole week’s worth of new and exciting meals.
Turkey, Corn, And Cranberry Salsa Quesadilla
Made with cranberry salsa, flour tortillas, shredded cooked turkey, corn, Monterey jack cheese
Made with cranberry salsa, flour tortillas, shredded cooked turkey, corn, Monterey jack cheese
Serves/Makes: 4
- 8 flour tortillas
- 1 1/3 cup shredded cooked turkey
- 1/2 cup corn kernels
- 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
- 1 cup cranberry salsa or regular cranberry sauce
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat (or use two smaller skillets).
Lay out half of the tortillas on a flat surface. Spread 1/3 cup turkey evenly over each tortilla. Top the turkey with 2 tablespoons corn on each tortilla.
Lay out four flour tortillas. Spread 1/3 cup shredded turkey evenly over each tortilla. Sprinkle 2 T of corn kernels over each tortilla.
Evenly sprinkle the cheese over the corn and dot each with 1/4 cup of cranberry salsa. Top with the remaining tortillas to complete the quesadillas.
Place the quesadillas in the skillet(s) and cook for 3 minutes. Carefully turn the quesadillas over with a large spatula and cook for 3 more minutes or until the cheese is melted and turkey is heated through.
Remove from the skillet and cut into wedges. Serve hot.
Cranberry Jalapeno Salsa
Made with lime juice, black pepper, cranberry sauce, jalapeno pepper, fresh cilantro
Made with lime juice, black pepper, cranberry sauce, jalapeno pepper, fresh cilantro
Serves/Makes: 6
- 16 ounces whole cranberry sauce
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
In medium bowl, stir together cranberry sauce, jalapeno, cilantro, black pepper and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate. Also delicious served with pork.
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1 comments
This salsa is terrific with lentil/saugsage stew---almost like a chutney.
Comment posted by Mom
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/amy-powell/602-thanksgiving-leftovers/