Leftovers are on us

Jennifer Wood—

If you are like me you hate to run out of food when feeding a crowd and therefore make too much, causing you to have a plethora of leftover turkey, dressing and cranberry sauce! The other conundrum we are faced with is how to recover from a day of indulgences. Here are some healthy ideas for those yummy leftovers, and one idea to get you ready for holiday parties in December.Turkey Tortilla Soup1 onion, diced1-2 jalapeños, diced2 garlic clove, minced2 tablespoons olive oil2 cups of your favorite salsa4 cups of chicken broth1-2 cups of shredded leftover turkey4 corn tortillas, sliced into bite size stripsToppings: chopped fresh cilantro, chopped avocado, shredded Monterey Jack cheeseSauté onion, jalapeños, garlic in olive oil over medium heat in a stock pot until tender. Add salsa, broth and turkey to pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes. Add tortilla strips and simmer for 5 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and top with cheese, avocado and cilantro.
Ham and Spaghetti Squash Bake1 medium spaghetti squash1 tablespoon olive oil1-11/2 cups of diced leftover ham1 onion, diced1 garlic clove, minced2 eggs, lightly beaten1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided1 teaspoon, dried thymesalt and pepperCut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out and discard seeds, place squash cut side down in greased baking dish and roast at 350 for 35 minutes or until tender. Removed from oven cool to touch and use a fork to shred pulp of squash and set aside.Sauté diced ham in olive oil over medium high heat until browned, remove from pan and set aside. Add onion and garlic to sauté pan (add additional oil if necessary), cook until tender.Combine eggs, yogurt, Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese into a large bowl, add prepared spaghetti squash, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir until combined. Mix in browned ham. Transfer mixture into a 9×13 baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes-freeze leftover stuffing and cranberry sauce until ready to use-Sausage Stuffing Balls with Cranberry Horseradish Sauce- (made from leftover sausage stuffing and cranberry sauce)2-3 cups leftover sausage stuffing, crumbled1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded2 eggs, lightly beatenCombine all the ingredients. Using a small ice cream scooper, place balls onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake balls at 375 for 15 minutes until cooked through. Serve with cranberry horseradish sauce.
Cranberry Horseradish Sauce15oz can whole berry cranberry sauce or leftover sauce from Thanksgiving1/4 cup minced onion2 Tbsp horseradish sauce1/2 tsp salt1/2 cup of sugarCombine all the ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil while stirring continuously, then reduce to a simmer for 5 min. Serve with Stuffing Balls (or cool and refrigerate and serve over a block of cream cheese!)