"thanksgiving leftovers" news and stories

Just in case dad didn't eat the last of the leftovers in a midnight-snack run, we've got eight great recipes from Kitchen Daily contributor Ian Knauer to transform the extra turkey, squash, green beans and even cauliflower purée into delicious second-day dishes.

Turkey-Cheddar Tetrazzini
Turkey Salad
Quick Shepherd's Pie
Turkey Banh Mi
Cauliflower Purée and Spinach Lasagna
Chipotle Turkey Chile
Ravioli with Green Beans and Brown Butter Sauce
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Celebrity chefs -- they're just like us. Only with mega book deals, product lines, contracts with mayonnaise companies, a slew of sous chefs and a staff to clean up after them. Still, when it comes to food, most of 'em have a down-home and humble favorite that defines the holiday. Over the next few weeks, we'll share must-have festive fare from Rachael Ray, John Besh, Michael Symon and many more.

In this Slashfood exclusive, Chef Bobby Flay disses his mother's stuffing, goofs on his canned-cranberry-loving cousin and plays with a whole lotta mayo.

Buy Bobby Flay's books and read more about Bobby Flay on Slashfood.

Previously -- Marcus Samuelsson's must-have holiday dish -- which also involves vodka and red wine. Sensing a trend here...

Photo: Getty RF.

The guests have finished gobbling and you've waved off all offers of help. Now you're stuck with the mess. The pros share their post-holiday triage tips.

Nothing quite kills the glow you get from preparing a big feast for family and friends during the holidays like finding yourself alone in a trashed kitchen, trying to deal with the ruins while your guests slip away into the night or pass out before the television set.

"It can really sour a meal, especially if you like football and don't want to be stuck with your bitter head in the dishwasher," says New York caterer Serena Bass.

While grimacing through the holidays and hating everyone while pretending to have a heart full of good cheer may make sense to some WASPs, it's best to avoid the resentment by allocating some of the clean-up duties ahead of time. First, says Bass, know your players.

"Don't give a stranger putting-away duties, as you'll never find things again. That's your job. Get a Virgo at the dishwasher, putting things in, and someone else at the sink rinsing and scrubbing the crusty stuff.

"You'll need one or two to clear the tables -- and tell them where the dirty linens go; one or two to put the tables and chairs back where they belong; and one person to put away leftovers. Be sure to have plenty of plastic containers and Ziploc bags -- and make space in the fridge beforehand!"

Some people love leftovers while other people are a little unexcited by the prospect of eating the same thing for several days running. Personally, I adore not having to cook for days at a time and can happily eat plates full of turkey, stuffing and potatoes for five or six days running. The only problem I encounter is that the veggies tend to run out before everything else, leaving me with nothing more than a plate of starch and protein.

One of my mom's Thanksgiving tricks, that I'm adopting this year, is to buy a second vegetable that you don't cook on Thursday but instead save for the next day. That way, you have a fresh veg to go along side the mounds of potatoes, stuffing and turkey. If you're looking for a little vegetable inspiration, and you didn't cook up a mound of Brussels Sprouts yesterday, check out this recipe from Food+Photography.