Thanksgiving Leftovers Casserole

Here's an easy, dairy free way to use up leftover Thanksgiving mashed potatoes, gravy, turkey, and vegetables. If you used the recipe for Dairy Free, Fat Free Mashed Potatoes, you're already set to make this recipe dairy free.

Reheat your leftover mashed potatoes using a few splashes of vegetable broth or chicken broth at a time, microwaving in 1 minute intervals, then mashing with a fork until soft again and easy to spread.

My gravy was just turkey drippings thickened with cornstarch, but it solidifies when refrigerated  so I microwaved about a cup of this until liquified again.

I used green beans and carrots in this recipe, but you can use any leftover vegetables, especially peas, corn, carrots, and green beans. If they are large just chop them up before adding them to the dish.

The measurements can be adjusted depending on how much leftovers you have. Just judge it as 1 part turkey, 1 part gravy, 2 parts vegetables, and 3 parts mashed potatoes. I added the paprika mostly for color, and the thyme to flavor the vegetables which were not cooked. If your vegetables are already flavored, you may not need any spices, salt, or pepper. It's like a Thanksgiving version of Shepherd's pie!

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked turkey, chopped
2 cups mixed vegetables
1/2 cup-1 cup turkey gravy
3 cups mashed potatoes or more
1/4 tsp paprika (optional)
1/4 tsp thyme (optional)
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Reheat your mashed potatoes and gravy until potatoes are soft to spread and gravy can be poured. Add chopped turkey, vegetables, salt, pepper, and thyme to a deep 8x8 casserole dish and mix together.

2. Pour half the gravy into the vegetables and mix. Then pour remaining gravy to fill in the space until turkey and vegetables are just covered.

3. Dollop mashed potatoes on top of the gravy mixture, and spread until fully covered and flat. The thickness of the mashed potatoes really depends on how much you want to use, and how deep your dish is. Once spread until smooth, you want to fluff the potatoes so that the tops get a little crispy in the oven. You can use a fork to rough it up or make a pretty design by carving into the smooth potato surface. Sprinkle with paprika.

4. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until hot. Set the oven to broil, and broil for 3 minutes or until the tips of the potatoes get a little bit browned. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then serve.

For dessert, leftover cranberry sauce mixed with cool whip--yum!

Delicious Dairy Free, Fat Free Mashed Potatoes

Why didn't I make these before? Adding mayo and Smart Balance to mashed potatoes tastes delicious and is a great dairy free option, but it adds a lot of fat. A healthier option to try for your Thanksgiving feast is this recipe right here. It has so much flavor! Use vegetable broth to make it vegan. Serves 13-15 people.

Ingredients:
12 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
5 1/2 cups low sodium, fat free chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
1/2-1 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp salt (optional)

Directions:
1. Cover peeled, cubed potatoes with desired broth in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.

2. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 12-15 minutes or until tender. Try testing with a fork for softness. The potato cube should break apart easily.

3. Drain, but reserve 1 cup of broth.

4. With a hand masher or electric mixer, mash potatoes with 1/4 to 1/2 cup reserved broth, adding a little at a time. Be careful not to overdo it or the potatoes could be too moist.

5. Stir in chives, salt, and pepper.

Three Potato Barbecue Chips

Try these out for a perfect game day snack! This is the tastiest BBQ seasoning I've ever had, and the different types of potatoes make it uniquely yours. Make sure to slice them very thin, and use the leftover seasoning on your barbecue chicken dinner!

Ingredients:

10-15 small purple, red, and gold potatoes, very thinly sliced*
1/2 cup canola oil

Seasoning:

2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon fine ground sea salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch of red pepper

*Makes 2 1/2 to 3 cups of potato chips.

Directions:

1. Fill a large bowl with ice water about halfway full. Rinse potatoes under warm water, and then slice them very thin. Place slices in a small colander and let soak in ice water as you are slicing.

2. Heat the canola oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. You should use just enough oil to cover the potatoes--anymore is just too much.

3. Take about 20 slices of potatoes out of the ice water and pat dry on paper towels, then add them to the hot oil. Cook for about three minutes on each side or until browned and crispy. Remove chips from oil with a slotted utensil and place on plate of paper towels to absorb excess oil.

4. While chips are still drying, sprinkle seasoning on one side, then flip layer of chips over and sprinkle on the other side. After a few minutes they are ready to go into a serving bowl.

5. Start your second batch and continue frying until finished. Seal in an airtight container or Ziploc bag to keep fresh--if you have any leftovers!

Dairy Free Whipped Potatoes

Usually the best ingredients in mashed potatoes are butter and cream, but for the lactose intolerant person in your family, those ingredients won't be helpful in your Thanksgiving spread. That doesn't mean your mashed taters have to be dry and bland! It's easy to use Lactaid milk instead of regular milk, but if you want to eliminate milk altogether, and there are no egg allergies in your family, try adding mayonnaise. Now before you say, "Eww, mayonnaise," really consider the creamy possibilities here. I'm not talking about Miracle Whip--that fake, salad dressing stuff. I mean real, made from eggs mayonnaise. For some reason people think mayonnaise is made from dairy products, just like some people think eggs are dairy products--but I have never seen any version of mayonnaise made with dairy. I have also never considered eggs a dairy product. Milk is produced by cows, eggs come from chickens. Eggs have never been milk.

Anyway, mayo is a great replacement for cream in mashed potatoes. Mayonnaise and potatoes always go together--think potato salad. But you aren't adding a cupful, you don't want your potatoes to taste like mayonnaise. You shouldn't taste it at all. By adding a couple tablespoons to your dish you are merely making them creamy and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. My recipe uses Earth Balance Buttery Spread--a blend of healthy oils that serves as a butter and margarine replacement, and it also uses a mixer, to get that creamy, whipped consistency you can't get by simply mashing.  This time around I used red potatoes; leaving most of the skins on adds more nutrition to your potato dish. But, they aren't really the best potatoes to use for mashing. It's best to use Yukon Gold if you have them.

Ingredients:

5 or 6 medium to large potatoes, preferably gold potatoes
2 tablespoons of Earth Balance or Smart Balance Buttery Spread
2 tablespoons of Real Mayonnaise--I used Best Foods.
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of dried parsley

Directions:

1. If leaving the skins on, scrub the potatoes under warm water with a vegetable brush. I cut off the unsightly spots. Or, just skin the potatoes completely and rinse.

2. Cube the potatoes and put them in a large pot. Fill with water until just covered.

3. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover. Cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Be careful not to over cook! You could get a gluey consistency when you whip.

4. In a large bowl, add the Earth Balance, mayo, and potatoes. With your mixer, whip on medium speed until combined, adding salt, pepper, and parsley as you whip. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and make sure everything is mixed well, but no need to over mix. Serve smothered in turkey gravy. Never doubt mayo again.

My Thanksgiving Spread: Reynolds Oven Bag Turkey, Cranberry Stuffing, Charred Citrus Broccoli, Mayonnaise Whipped Potatoes, and a huge helping of homemade gravy.

Leftover Potatoes for Breakfast

Is your stomach feeling those extra glasses of Moscato from the night before? Have a few potatoes sitting in your fridge? Make a dairy-free comfort breakfast with easy to digest carbohydrates, perfect for the weekend morning. Here is an easy breakfast potatoes recipe that you can quickly throw in the oven and then go back to sipping your morning coffee.

Ingredients:

6 small gold potatoes, cubed
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion*
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic olive oil*
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic*
Fresh parsley, coarsely chopped*
1/2--1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
Dash cayenne pepper*

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Cube your potatoes and place them in a 7" x 11" (2.2 quart) or larger baking dish.

3. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, garlic oil, onions, and minced garlic and toss until coated with oil.

4. Sprinkle the onion powder, black pepper, sea salt, oregano, and basil over the potatoes and toss to coat evenly.

5. Bake at 30-35 minutes, or until tender. The potatoes will be soft and browned on the edges. Remove from oven and stir in the chopped parsley. Enjoy!

*Updated and optional.