Hooray! It’s my favorite time of year, time to revel in heartwarming and sometimes overindulgent meals with those we love. And if you’re like me, every year you cook much more than you need, so there’s enough for seconds (and thirds!).
But there’s another reason I cook too much at Christmas: I love leftovers. Once I’ve put all that work into that holiday meal—whether it’s a succulent roasted turkey or perfectly baked ham—I want to coax those familiar flavors into creative cuisine for the following week. It’s just plain mealtime stewardship.
I’m not saying traditional leftover meals aren’t great. There’s nothing like a bowl of hot turkey soup and crusty bread or grilled ham sandwiches oozing with melted Swiss cheese, after being out in the snow all day.
But how about dishes that take holiday leftovers to new heights? The following recipes—bursting with the bold flavors of the Southwest and Louisiana—not only make delectable use of extra turkey and ham, but they’re so good, you’ll be making them year-round with pre-cooked chicken and store-bought ham steaks.
For some of Robin’s leftover recipes, try Southwest Lasagna, Quick Jambalaya and Turkey-Corn Soup.
