Christmas Leftovers Recipes

Hold on a sec, don't throw out that baked ham bone or turkey carcass yet! It's leftovers time at the Cheaps$kate Chateau so read on for flavorful recipes I like to make which uses up every tasty morsel of your holiday meal.

 (And click on any recipe name to be directed to my blog post with all the delish recipe text and yummy photo illustrations.)

If you are the Christmas Baked Ham type, soup the best way to use up any ham pieces and the ham bone too. New Year's Day is right around the corner so it's time for traditional Black-eyed Peas made my cheap$kate way using the leftover Christmas ham bone for extra flavor.

What I especially like about a pot of Black-eyed Peas is they cook in half the time of regular pinto, red or white beans. So you can serve them in just a couple of hours.

Do check out my recipe video below to see how quick and easy you can make your own and ring in the New Year with a fragrant bowl of legumes, and don't forget to make some rice too, for a Hoppin' John version.



Green Split Pea Soup is next up, and it cooks quickly as well. I like to add a lot of extra veggies to my version including carrot, celery and onion. Cook it with a few extra chunks of ham and even your most picky kid will go for this recipe.

Other legume recipes you can ham bone-ize are: Pinto Beans, Cuban-style Black Beans, Mexican Charro Beans andTexas-style Beans.

Adding a slab of ham is always a welcome addition to any sandwich. One of my favorites is called a Cuban Sandwich which is comprised of ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese and a slice of pickle. And it's served pressed, hot off the grill, all melty and warm.

Cuban Sandwich

A French Ham Sandwich is simply made with ham slices, real butter and crunchy French Bread. It's perfect for a picnic. I did one once, but cheaply, with margarine instead of butter. If you have the extra bucks do use real butter if you are bringing them to a picnic party.

French Ham Sandwich

Ham with pasta? You bet, just try out my Ham, Peas and Cream with Penne. And lately, I've been adding cubed ham, instead of sausage, to my Mom's Jambalaya recipe.

Mom's Jambalaya

I grew up with ham added to my plate of fried eggs with Breakfast Potatoes. Diced ham adds heft and flavor to a Cheese Omelet.

A McDonald's Egg McMuffin uses Canadian Bacon, which is very similar to ham. I am so cheap that I've come up with an inexpensive homemade one. Check out the video below to see what I mean.



When I'm on a roll, that is with dice, I head for the Vegas buffet table for a gambler's Eggs Benedict, made with poached eggs, ham and creamy Hollandaise sauce over a toasted English muffin. You've hit the jackpot when you try my cheap$kate version.

Eggs Benedict

The easiest and quickest use of a Leftover Christmas Turkey is to just pile them between 2 slices of bread or bread roll. I like mine with stuffing, cranberry sauce, warm gravy and turkey.

Click on any photo to see larger.

But to kick the sandwich up to an Ultimate Turkey Sandwich, just crisp-up in the frying pan some of that uneaten soggy turkey skin.

It is a decadent and tasty addition to a classic Turkey Sandwich. Check out my recipe video below for a little culinary decadence.


A most popular leftover for the coldest days of winter is a warm and soothing Turkey Soup. I hope you saved the poultry carcass?

For the tastiest soup, it's best to boil leftover roasted turkey bones and turkey bits in a pot of seasoned water. Once the water is simmering on low, just step away for an hour, and meanwhile, do a little veggie and leftover turkey chopping to add with strained turkey broth.

My Turkey Soup recipe link here is based on a typical Chicken Soup, so just substitute with cooked leftover turkey.

My Chicken Soup recipe starts with uncooked chicken, so this Turkey Soup spin-off will be done in less time -- just simmer long enough to tenderize the chopped carrot, onion and celery. This soup is easier with cooked turkey.

If you feel a bit more ambitious, then rustle up a Cajun classic Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, but with leftover turkey instead of chicken.

My Mom lives in Louisiana and she sure knows how to do a Gumbo. This is another cold weather dish. Serve Mom's Turkey and Sausage Gumbo over rice. Again you can reduce the prep time because the leftover turkey is already cooked. And another shortcut is using a pre-made Gumbo base called a roux, that is often stocked in regular grocery stores.

Check out my video below for all the tasty details.

A pot pie is the most soothing of winter meals, and my Turkey Pot Pie made with Christmas leftovers will have you returning for seconds and thirds!

For my simple recipe, I used a grocery store frozen pie crust that covers the leftovers. And all you do is load up a deep baking dish like you would a lasagna - layering mashed potatoes or yams, veggies, stuffing, turkey and gravy.

My video below lays it on thick, that is, with plenty of delish leftovers.

I hope you had a great gathering of family and some friends for Christmas. And do check back for more 99 cent cheap$kate deliciousness.

Christmas Leftovers Recipes

Hold on a sec, don't throw out that baked ham bone or turkey carcass yet! It's leftovers time at the Cheaps$kate Chateau so read on for flavorful recipes I like to make which uses up every tasty morsel of your holiday meal.

 (And click on any recipe name to be directed to my blog post with all the delish recipe text and yummy photo illustrations.)

If you are the Christmas Baked Ham type, soup the best way to use up any ham pieces and the ham bone too. New Year's Day is right around the corner so it's time for traditional Black-eyed Peas made my cheap$kate way using the leftover Christmas ham bone for extra flavor.

What I especially like about a pot of Black-eyed Peas is they cook in half the time of regular pinto, red or white beans. So you can serve them in just a couple of hours.

Do check out my recipe video below to see how quick and easy you can make your own and ring in the New Year with a fragrant bowl of legumes, and don't forget to make some rice too, for a Hoppin' John version.



Green Split Pea Soup is next up, and it cooks quickly as well. I like to add a lot of extra veggies to my version including carrot, celery and onion. Cook it with a few extra chunks of ham and even your most picky kid will go for this recipe.

Other legume recipes you can ham bone-ize are: Pinto Beans, Cuban-style Black Beans, Mexican Charro Beans andTexas-style Beans.

Adding a slab of ham is always a welcome addition to any sandwich. One of my favorites is called a Cuban Sandwich which is comprised of ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese and a slice of pickle. And it's served pressed, hot off the grill, all melty and warm.

Cuban Sandwich

A French Ham Sandwich is simply made with ham slices, real butter and crunchy French Bread. It's perfect for a picnic. I did one once, but cheaply, with margarine instead of butter. If you have the extra bucks do use real butter if you are bringing them to a picnic party.

French Ham Sandwich

Ham with pasta? You bet, just try out my Ham, Peas and Cream with Penne. And lately, I've been adding cubed ham, instead of sausage, to my Mom's Jambalaya recipe.

Mom's Jambalaya

I grew up with ham added to my plate of fried eggs with Breakfast Potatoes. Diced ham adds heft and flavor to a Cheese Omelet.

A McDonald's Egg McMuffin uses Canadian Bacon, which is very similar to ham. I am so cheap that I've come up with an inexpensive homemade one. Check out the video below to see what I mean.



When I'm on a roll, that is with dice, I head for the Vegas buffet table for a gambler's Eggs Benedict, made with poached eggs, ham and creamy Hollandaise sauce over a toasted English muffin. You've hit the jackpot when you try my cheap$kate version.

Eggs Benedict

The easiest and quickest use of a Leftover Christmas Turkey is to just pile them between 2 slices of bread or bread roll. I like mine with stuffing, cranberry sauce, warm gravy and turkey.

Click on any photo to see larger.

But to kick the sandwich up to an Ultimate Turkey Sandwich, just crisp-up in the frying pan some of that uneaten soggy turkey skin.

It is a decadent and tasty addition to a classic Turkey Sandwich. Check out my recipe video below for a little culinary decadence.


A most popular leftover for the coldest days of winter is a warm and soothing Turkey Soup. I hope you saved the poultry carcass?

For the tastiest soup, it's best to boil leftover roasted turkey bones and turkey bits in a pot of seasoned water. Once the water is simmering on low, just step away for an hour, and meanwhile, do a little veggie and leftover turkey chopping to add with strained turkey broth.

My Turkey Soup recipe link here is based on a typical Chicken Soup, so just substitute with cooked leftover turkey.

My Chicken Soup recipe starts with uncooked chicken, so this Turkey Soup spin-off will be done in less time -- just simmer long enough to tenderize the chopped carrot, onion and celery. This soup is easier with cooked turkey.

If you feel a bit more ambitious, then rustle up a Cajun classic Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, but with leftover turkey instead of chicken.

My Mom lives in Louisiana and she sure knows how to do a Gumbo. This is another cold weather dish. Serve Mom's Turkey and Sausage Gumbo over rice. Again you can reduce the prep time because the leftover turkey is already cooked. And another shortcut is using a pre-made Gumbo base called a roux, that is often stocked in regular grocery stores.

Check out my video below for all the tasty details.

A pot pie is the most soothing of winter meals, and my Turkey Pot Pie made with Christmas leftovers will have you returning for seconds and thirds!

For my simple recipe, I used a grocery store frozen pie crust that covers the leftovers. And all you do is load up a deep baking dish like you would a lasagna - layering mashed potatoes or yams, veggies, stuffing, turkey and gravy.

My video below lays it on thick, that is, with plenty of delish leftovers.

I hope you had a great gathering of family and some friends for Christmas. And do check back for more 99 cent cheap$kate deliciousness.

Christmas Leftovers Recipes

Hold on a sec, don't throw out that baked ham bone or turkey carcass yet! It's leftovers time at the Cheaps$kate Chateau so read on for flavorful recipes I like to make which uses up every tasty morsel of your holiday meal.

 (And click on any recipe name to be directed to my blog post with all the delish recipe text and yummy photo illustrations.)

If you are the Christmas Baked Ham type, soup the best way to use up any ham pieces and the ham bone too. New Year's Day is right around the corner so it's time for traditional Black-eyed Peas made my cheap$kate way using the leftover Christmas ham bone for extra flavor.

What I especially like about a pot of Black-eyed Peas is they cook in half the time of regular pinto, red or white beans. So you can serve them in just a couple of hours.

Do check out my recipe video below to see how quick and easy you can make your own and ring in the New Year with a fragrant bowl of legumes, and don't forget to make some rice too, for a Hoppin' John version.



Green Split Pea Soup is next up, and it cooks quickly as well. I like to add a lot of extra veggies to my version including carrot, celery and onion. Cook it with a few extra chunks of ham and even your most picky kid will go for this recipe.

Other legume recipes you can ham bone-ize are: Pinto Beans, Cuban-style Black Beans, Mexican Charro Beans andTexas-style Beans.

Adding a slab of ham is always a welcome addition to any sandwich. One of my favorites is called a Cuban Sandwich which is comprised of ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese and a slice of pickle. And it's served pressed, hot off the grill, all melty and warm.

Cuban Sandwich

A French Ham Sandwich is simply made with ham slices, real butter and crunchy French Bread. It's perfect for a picnic. I did one once, but cheaply, with margarine instead of butter. If you have the extra bucks do use real butter if you are bringing them to a picnic party.

French Ham Sandwich

Ham with pasta? You bet, just try out my Ham, Peas and Cream with Penne. And lately, I've been adding cubed ham, instead of sausage, to my Mom's Jambalaya recipe.

Mom's Jambalaya

I grew up with ham added to my plate of fried eggs with Breakfast Potatoes. Diced ham adds heft and flavor to a Cheese Omelet.

A McDonald's Egg McMuffin uses Canadian Bacon, which is very similar to ham. I am so cheap that I've come up with an inexpensive homemade one. Check out the video below to see what I mean.



When I'm on a roll, that is with dice, I head for the Vegas buffet table for a gambler's Eggs Benedict, made with poached eggs, ham and creamy Hollandaise sauce over a toasted English muffin. You've hit the jackpot when you try my cheap$kate version.

Eggs Benedict

The easiest and quickest use of a Leftover Christmas Turkey is to just pile them between 2 slices of bread or bread roll. I like mine with stuffing, cranberry sauce, warm gravy and turkey.

Click on any photo to see larger.

But to kick the sandwich up to an Ultimate Turkey Sandwich, just crisp-up in the frying pan some of that uneaten soggy turkey skin.

It is a decadent and tasty addition to a classic Turkey Sandwich. Check out my recipe video below for a little culinary decadence.



A most popular leftover for the coldest days of winter is a warm and soothing Turkey Soup. I hope you saved the poultry carcass?

For the tastiest soup, it's best to boil leftover roasted turkey bones and turkey bits in a pot of seasoned water. Once the water is simmering on low, just step away for an hour, and meanwhile, do a little veggie and leftover turkey chopping to add with strained turkey broth.

My Turkey Soup recipe link here is based on a typical Chicken Soup, so just substitute with cooked leftover turkey.

My Chicken Soup recipe starts with uncooked chicken, so this Turkey Soup spin-off will be done in less time -- just simmer long enough to tenderize the chopped carrot, onion and celery. This soup is easier with cooked turkey.

If you feel a bit more ambitious, then rustle up a Cajun classic Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, but with leftover turkey instead of chicken.

My Mom lives in Louisiana and she sure knows how to do a Gumbo. This is another cold weather dish. Serve Mom's Turkey and Sausage Gumbo over rice. Again you can reduce the prep time because the leftover turkey is already cooked. And another shortcut is using a pre-made Gumbo base called a roux, that is often stocked in regular grocery stores.

Check out my video below for all the tasty details.

A pot pie is the most soothing of winter meals, and my Turkey Pot Pie made with Christmas leftovers will have you returning for seconds and thirds!

For my simple recipe, I used a grocery store frozen pie crust that covers the leftovers. And all you do is load up a deep baking dish like you would a lasagna - layering mashed potatoes or yams, veggies, stuffing, turkey and gravy.

My video below lays it on thick, that is, with plenty of delish leftovers.

I hope you had a great gathering of family and some friends for Christmas. And do check back for more 99 cent cheap$kate deliciousness.

Biscuit Pot Pie

This past winter the Chef has been on a home-made pot pie kick. Pot pies with leftover chicken, then turkey; pot pies topped with a traditional rolled pie crust, then with deli case canned biscuits, and even Italian garlic bread sticks. All are good, especially the roll of garlic bread sticks. Those are harder to find, so in this recipe I will stick with readily available pie crust and canned biscuits, both frequently on sale in the deli case at your local grocery store. As for filling, the Chef likes to grab seasonal veggies like asparagus and green beans, mixed in with the old reliables: red potatoes, carrots, red or yellow bell pepper, onions and frozen peas.
Of course, most pot pies are made with a grocery store bought pie crust. Well, the Chef is nothing if not unconventional, so why not use "Flaky Butter Tastin' Grands" biscuits by Pillsbury? They are often on sale at my local 99c Only Store.
If you like a super-thick crust, this is the thickest. It's like the Southern breakfast classic "biscuits and gravy," with the addition of veggies and chicken or turkey. Now, you can use any pre-packaged biscuit on sale. Biscuits are thicker than a pie crust, so after the initial pot pie baking, you may need to separate the biscuits and prop them up so the raw dough on the underside gets cooked through (see details below).
This post includes photos of both kinds of pot pie crusts. It's hard to beat a classic "pie crust" pot pie, but the Chef's "Biscuit Pot Pie" is a scrumptious alternative.

 
Ingredients

• 2 cups total of chopped veggies, including asparagus, onion, green beans, carrots and frozen peas
• 1 cup diced red or white potatoes (if you like potatoes more, then reverse veggies/potato ratio)
• 2 cups leftover turkey or chicken (about one whole breast or 2 leg/thigh quarters)
• 4 cups water (for blanching veggies for 5 minutes, thus making a quick vegetable stock. Reserve 1 cup for adding to cream sauce)
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 stick of butter or 1/4 cup of oil
• 2 cups of milk (2% or whole)
• 1 thawed 16 oz. can of biscuits, or one pre-rolled pie crust
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. each fresh chopped herbs including parsley, thyme and sage - 1 tsp. total if dried is used.

Pot Pie Filling
No leftover turkey? Just submerge a whole chicken breast, or a couple of leg quarters, in seasoned water and boil for about 45 minutes to an hour until done; set aside to cool and shred. Use this flavorful broth instead of veggie broth. On to the pie filling.
Boil chopped carrots and potatoes until fork tender - about 15 minutes. Blanch other fresh-cut veggies in low boiling water for 2-5 minutes; a little crunch is good. Remove veggies and set aside. Reserve 1 cup of vegetable stock from blanched veggies. Melt butter and add 3/4 cup of flour to a pot. Stir and heat for a few minutes; do not brown. Slowly whisk in vegetable/chicken stock, then milk. Continue stirring until sauce starts to thicken, about 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut leftover turkey meat into bite-sized pieces. In a large, deep casserole dish add veggies, herbs, turkey and cream sauce. Fill casserole dish to about an inch from the top to give sauce boiling room. Cover dish with biscuits or a pie crust (make a few vent slits so sauce does not boil out with a pie crust - I usually put foil or a cookie sheet pan underneath just in case). For a pie crust, bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. With biscuits, after about 30 minutes, carefully check the bottom of a biscuit to see if it's still raw. If so, separate biscuits and place them on their sides, leaning against each other (you can form little pyramids) to finish cooking for 15 minutes more. However, if you like the texture of a boiled dumpling, don't do a darn thing to the biscuits - the flaky biscuit will have a dumpling like bottom. Remove pot pie from oven, reassemble biscuits on pot pie, and let it rest for about 10 minutes if you like your sauce thick.

Bachelor Pot Pie

Many years ago in the Chef's bachelor days, a favorite late night winter meal was a couple of frozen pot pies. His frozen pie preference was Swanson. More expensive than Banquet pot pies (Banquet uses processed cubed meat), the extra quarter in price was worth it. After a few years, even pot pies get boring, so the Chef came up with veggie variations - - allow the frozen pot pie to defrost a little, lift off the crust top and add a sauteed sliced mushroom with some chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper and a few frozen peas. Very simple, inexpensive and quick to do, perfect bachelor food for the future chintzy chef.

Ingredients
2 small frozen 99.99 cent pot pies
2 whole button mushrooms sliced
1/4 cup total of chopped veggies, including onion, bell pepper, frozen peas.
1/4 tsp. of garlic (optional)

 
Directions
The Chef prefers oven baking over microwaving (after all a pot pie is all about the flaky brown crust), so preheat oven per box instructions. Remove pot pies from cardboard packaging and allow to defrost for about 10 minutes. Saute veggies. Use a knife and separate the top pot pie crust by prying loose along the outer edge (don't worry if top crust breaks in pieces, it will cook fine). Carefully lift off the top crust and add sauteed veggies. Re-assemble pot pie top crust and bake in oven following box directions (350 degrees for about 45 minutes). With the extra veggies make sure to place pot pies on a cookie sheet or foil -- sauce may overflow. When ready, allow the pot pie to cool for a few minutes, crack open a brewski and plop down on the couch with your bachelor
(or bachelorette) pot pie.