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 that use up every tasty morsel of your holiday meal.

Click on any recipe name for the recipe.

If you are the Christmas Baked Ham type, soup is 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 that 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.



GreenSplit Pea Soup is next up, and it cooks quickly as well. I like to add a lot of extra veggies to my version, including carrots, celery, and onion. Cook Green Split Pea Soup 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-size are Pinto Beans, Cuban-style Black Beans, Mexican Charro Beans, and Texas-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, especially at 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 it between 2 slices of bread or a 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 it 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, Leftover Turkey Gumbo.

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, which 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 cover 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 that use up every tasty morsel of your holiday meal.

Click on any recipe name for the recipe.

If you are the Christmas Baked Ham type, soup is 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 that 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.



GreenSplit Pea Soup is next up, and it cooks quickly as well. I like to add a lot of extra veggies to my version, including carrots, celery, and onion. Cook Green Split Pea Soup 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-size are Pinto Beans, Cuban-style Black Beans, Mexican Charro Beans, and Texas-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, especially at 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 it between 2 slices of bread or a 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 it 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, Leftover Turkey Gumbo.

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, which 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 cover 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.

Best Cheap$kate Food Finds of 2023

It's back to basics in this roundup of my Best Cheap$kate Food Finds of 2023. That doesn't mean you won't find a few outrageously one-of-a-kind cheap deals that I crow about. Prices are slowly going down this year. So go ahead and read 'em and reap (the savings, that is!).

I scour grocer mail flyers for weekly specials at chain grocery store Ralphs, especially during holidays when I stock up on for-sale meat to freeze, and visit my local Latin Market for cheaper produce like avocados, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and fresh Salsa. 

I luckily have a Dollar Tree within walking distance and a 99c only Store a short drive away. It's not easy being a cheap$kate, I do work at it and enjoy sharing my frugal finds with you, and maybe giving my visitors a few recipe ideas using everyday discount food.

And be sure to click on any highlighted recipe name to see the original tasty blog post recipe.

Let's start with Breakfast. I still get 6 eggs for $1.25 at Dollar Tree, although they do not show up every month, but when they do I grab a few cartons.

I like to add fruit to pancake batter when I grill them. Click here to see how I do it.

Most yogurt with added fruit is way too sugary to my taste. Try adding fresh sliced fruit to plain yogurt like I do here.

Breakfast Sausage is the main ingredient for my food coma-inducing Country Breakfast with Cream Gravy.

I do like a plain buttery Croissant in the morning. I still get 4 Croissants for about a dollar or two from the Bargain Bin (week-old bread) at my local supermarket Ralphs. Click here to see how I sometimes load it with eggs, ham, and cheese. 

I like to cook Italian Pasta, Asian Stir fry, and Mexican Tacos with Salsa. Dollar stores may not carry everything but they have many ingredients I keep a lookout for.

Some Mexican Food Deals

Pinto and Black Beans are the stars of my most delicious Huevos Rancheros Breakfast. You can even use canned beans instead of fresh made.

A Chinese-style Stir Fry is a favorite of mine. It's quick to do and only takes a few cheap$kate ingredients to pull it together.

I still found good veggie and fruit deals in 2023. Potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and apples are around a dollar a pound when on sale (at least here in Los Angeles.) So listen to your Mom and eat your all veggies and fruit!

This is the main ingredient for Pumpkin Pie -- click here to see how my Mom makes hers.

I like canned seafood. I add a few Anchovies on my Frozen Pizza and Sardines in Tomato Sauce over Spaghetti.

Chicken is still the cheapest meat. Pork is a close second and Corned Beef is around $3 per pound during the week leading up to St. Patrick's Day. 

November and December are the months I buy turkey at it's cheapest. I have a basic Roast Turkey Recipe here, but check out my Latin version using turkey legs (or any pieces) for a Turkey Carnitas. It's a succulent take using Coke and Mexican spices. Throw a Turkey Taco Party during the holidays!

I always buy 3 or 4 whole Corned Beef around St. Patrick's Day to freeze. I make an Easy Homemade Pastrami during summer patio parties. I also make a mean Corned Beef and Cabbage, too.

I toast my bread when I make a sandwich, mainly because I buy day (week) old bread from the bargain bin at my local Ralphs Grocer.

I've been making recipes with Cream Cheese lately. Check out my recipes of Bagel with Salmon and Cream Cheese, Bacon Wrapped Dates with Cream Cheese, Clam Dip made with cheap canned clams, a warm Articoke with Cream Cheese Dip, and perhaps the most outré entree of my invention, a Jewish taco called The Loxaco.

Are you ready to revisit a childhood school lunch specialty, Fried Baloney Sandwich? Well, I don't blame you if you give this recipe a pass, but I had to try it again...oh boy, check it out here.

You're never too old for Hot Dogs! Well, I should be at 69 years old. Oh, what the heck, I'm going out swinging when I watch the Boys of Summer hit home runs and steal bases during baseball season. Hot Dogs seem to be inflation-proof. I like mine with sauerkraut and chili from the can, how about you?

Here are a few odds and ends.

I use boxed stuffing for my basic Turkey Stuffing recipe. I do add extra ingredients and even came up with a wild Stuffing Cupcakes with Cranberry Frosting Recipe.

The cheapest wine I found in 2023.

Whew, that's a lot to digest, how about a reward of ice cream? I found a few tasty treats just for you.

Keep checking back for my great cheap$kate finds in the new year.

Happy bargain hunting in 2024!