Thanksgiving Leftovers - Brunch Ideas

The best part about Thanksgiving? The leftovers, duh! Even so, repeats can get a bit boring depending on how many days worth of goodies are in your fridge. Instead of reheating the same ol' bird and spuds, we've got some killer recipes for turning your dinner into a brunch feast. Who better to provide us with such delicious recreations than chef Gregory Ellis of 2 Sparrows. Seriously — we'd wait in line for an hour for a plate of his duck hash, so we definitely have plans to whip of some of his inspiration in our own kitchen.

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Don't worry — we're not suggesting you spend all morning cooking when there's all that shopping to do. These makeovers only require a little bit of tweaking to get an entirely new dish (thanks, chef!). The results are so satisfying, you might even want to make them when it isn't Thanksgiving! So don't let any of that labor of love go to waste and try out one (or all!) of these fabulous brunch creations.

Turkey Hash

"This dish is an easy and delicious way to enjoy the leftover bird. All you need to do is dice up the leftover turkey and add vegetables, such as onions, garlic and diced potatoes — possibly left over from making mashed. Cook in a sauté pan with butter and until crispy on both sides, then serve!"

Potato Pancakes

"Potato pancakes are a great way to clear your fridge of extra mashed potatoes. Take the left
over potatoes, add an egg and some flour, and form the mixture into small pancakes. Sauté until crispy and serve them with eggs cooked to your preference."

Cranberry "Pop Tarts"

"For those who crave sweet breakfast items, cranberry Pop Tarts can be made with leftover pie dough and cranberries as filling. Once the dough is cut into 3-by-5-inch rectangles, the filling is sandwiched between two rectangles, sealed and baked until golden brown at 350 degrees.

Turkey Shepherd's Pie

"This dish works best as a heartier brunch idea. Start with diced up leftover turkey and mix with gravy, then add any vegetables of your liking. Next, simply put the filling in a baking dish and top with leftover mashed potatoes. Or, for a more contemporary Shepherds’ Pie, top with leftover stuffing. Place the dish in the oven and cook until heated all the way through."

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Cranberry Granita

"This icy treat can be made using leftover cranberries. It can be eaten alone for a cold treat, or placed at the bottom of a champagne flute with champagne poured on top for a fun and festive cocktail."

Ingredients:
1.5 cups cranberry orange juice

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

12 oz. fresh cranberries

1.5 cups fresh orange juice

1.5 cups water

Steps:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

2. Cook 15 minutes or until all cranberries pop. Remove from heat.

3. Pour cranberries into a metal loaf pan and place in the freezer. Take a fork and break up the frozen pieces, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan every 30 minutes for two hours. Let freeze at least one hour before serving.

Photo: Courtesy of 2 Sparrows

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