The Thanksgiving holiday has come and gone. You've stuffed yourself silly with turkey and potatoes, cranberries and pumpkin pie. But, you were careful to follow smart tips for eating a lower calorie Thanksgiving dinner! But now, what to do with all of those leftovers? Sometimes you can only eat so many cold turkey sandwiches. As an easy way to use up leftovers, and to save yourself from cooking yet another meal in the next couple days, try heaping a bunch of leftovers into a delightful leftover thanksgiving casserole.
Prepare As You are Cleaning Up Dinner
An easy way to make this casserole is to put it together as you are cleaning up Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving day, before putting away the leftovers. First, spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place a layer of white turkeybreast (with skin removed and cut into bite-sized pieces) meat on the bottom of the pan.
Layer on the Leftovers
Next, begin layering on the leftovers! Begin by spreading a layer of mashed potatoes on top of the turkey breast. Next, layer on the leftover low calorie stuffing. You may toss in some steamed vegetables at this point if you had some as part of your Thanksgiving meal.Top with Gravy
Now the problem with Thanksgiving leftovers is oftentimes dryness. Be sure to drizzle pleny of reduced-fat gravy over your casserole to moisten things up (you can keep your turkey gravy lower in fat and calories by straining the fat off of the drippings before making the gravy). If you do not have enough leftover turkey gravy for the casserole, you can use a low-fat packaged variety.Cover and Chill
Now you are ready to cover your casserole tightly with tin foil, and place in the refrigerator. Within the next three days, heat up the casserole for a quick and easy dinner. Simply remove from the fridge and place in the oven. Then, turn on the oven to 375°F, and reheat the casserole for about 45 minutes, or until completely heated through. This is a wonderful way to enjoy a delicious leftover Thanksgiving dinner. It is an especially nice option when you don't care to spend hours in the kitchen to prepare yet another dinner. Afterall, you've probably already put your time in the kitchen while preparing for the Thanksgiving feast to begin with!
