As you recover from yesterday’s food coma, you’re going to wonder what to do with all that food. If turkey sandwiches aren’t cutting it, Giovanni Rana has some inspired ideas for repurposing those T-day leftovers:

6 Thanksgiving Leftover Ideas

Recipes courtesy Giovanni Rana.

Mashed Potatoes —> Pesto Croquettes
Blend leftover mashed potatoes with an egg yolk or two and a few spoonfuls of Giovanni Rana Pesto. Form into balls, dredge in bread crumbs and fry. For brunch, serve under a poached egg and with another spoonful of pesto on top.

Turkey Meat —> Turkey Bolognese
With pre-made marinara sauce, you’ll have Turkey Bolognese ready for spaghetti or lasagna in half an hour. Soften onion, carrot, garlic and celery in a pan and add shredded Turkey meat (dark meat, preferably). Simmer in Giovanni Rana Marinara, and serve with the pasta of your choice.

Turkey parts —> Tortelloni en (Turkey) Brodo
Making stock with what’s leftover of the turkey? Toss in Giovanni Rana Cheese “Delicato” Tortellini for a tacchino-take on a traditional Italian comfort food.

Sweet Potatoes —> Pasta al Sweet Potato Alfredo
Blend your leftover cooked sweet potatoes with alfredo sauce (add in chicken or turkey stock if it’s too thick). Mix with pasta (gnocchi pictured, although . Top with sage fried in brown butter and some freshly grated parmigiano reggiano.

Green Beans and Vegetables —> Green Pizza
Top your favorite pizza crust with pesto and any leftover veggies you can’t seem to eat fast enough. Feeling fancy? Finish it off with fresh grated parmigiano reggiano and a fried egg.

Stuffing —> Breakfast Hash with Potato Gnocchi
Crisp up leftover stuffing with fresh Giovanni Rana Gnocchi di Patate and anything you’d throw into a hash for breakfast— onions, peppers, bacon, you name it.

I consider myself to be somewhat of a pumpkin recipe connoisseur, but I’ve never heard of making mashed potatoes from pumpkin before – what a great idea, and how perfect for Thanksgiving! Potatopia have the lowdown on how to make these:

Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes

Recipe by Allen Dikker of Potatopia

Ingredients:

1 pound medium baking potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese

1 tablespoon butter or tub-style vegetable oil spread

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup fat-free milk

Directions:

In a covered large saucepan, cook potatoes and garlic in enough boiling water to cover for 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain. Mash with a potato masher or beat with an electric mixer on low speed until nearly smooth. Beat in canned pumpkin, cream cheese, butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Gradually add milk, beating until light and fluffy. Return to saucepan; heat through.

If desired, spoon mashed potatoes into Miniature Pumpkin Bowls and garnish with sage leaves. Makes 4 servings (3/4 cup each)

For those who are gluten free, Thanksgiving can pose a real challenge. That’s why Stanley Tucci is sharing a recipe from his wife, Felicity Blunt, in the October/November issue of AARP magazine: Quinoa with pomegranate & pistachio, a perfect GF side dish!

Quinoa With Pomegranate & Pistachio

Photo & recipe courtesy AARP Magazine; recipe from Felicity Blunt and Stanley Tucci.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 cups quinoa

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1-1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

6 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, plus 2 tablespoons for serving

3 tablespoons salted pistachios

3 scallions, chopped

1 orange, peeled and sliced into rounds (optional)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for the orange

Directions:

1. Rinse the quinoa in cold water to remove its bitterness.

2. Bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Dress with the olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and set aside to cool.

3. Gently mix the pomegranate seeds, pistachios and scallions into the quinoa. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

4. Serve with sliced oranges dressed with olive oil, if desired.

Nutrients per serving: 137 calories, 17g protein, 21g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 10g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 192mg sodium

How would you like to serve a 5-star meal this Thanksgiving – the easy way? Chef Bill Rosenberg of NoMa Social has been creating delicious dishes professionally for 20 years, so he knows a thing or two about preparing a great turkey day feast. And today, he’s sharing 5 delicious recipes for a Thanksgiving feast to remember!

Main Course: Latin Mojo Turkey Recipe

Prepared by Chef Bill Rosenberg, Executive Chef of NoMa Social

Ingredients:

18-20 lb turkey
2 cups olive oil
1 ½ cups chopped garlic
1 onion diced
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup salt
¼ cup cider vinegar
3 table spoons toasted cumin (grind)
1 bunch chopped cilantro & stems
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Directions:

Thaw bird if frozen, remove giblets and excess fat. Mix all mojo ingredients well to dissolve salt. Pour marinade over turkey making sure to rub into bird and cavity. Place into refrigerator overnight flipping the bird over at least once to redistribute marinade.

Place into a 375 degree oven for 12 minutes a pound. Reserve marinade and place into a pot and bring to a boil. Reserve as dressing for turkey when it’s done cooking. Once fully cooked, rest for ½ hour. Then carve and enjoy.

Side Dish: Mashed Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes

Prepared by Chef Bill Rosenberg, Executive Chef of NoMa Social

Ingredients:

10 Sweet Potatoes
½ lb brown sugar
2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound melted butter
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Roast sweet potatoes until soft in a 375 degree oven. Remove from oven and peel when cool enough.

Melt butter. Place potatoes in a mixing bowl and mix until pureed. Add butter, sugar and spices. Keep warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.

Side Dish: Green Beans Almondine

Prepared by Chef Bill Rosenberg, Executive Chef of NoMa Social

Ingredients:

6 lbs clipped French Beans
3 shallots diced
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup sliced toasted almonds
1 stick unsalted butter
Salt & pepper to taste
Pinch of sugar

Directions:

Place chicken stock, shallots and butter into a pan. Bring to a boil and add beans. Cook until just tender. Add sugar and season with salt and pepper to taste. When ready to plate the dish, toss with almonds and serve.

Side Dish: Homemade Cornbread

Prepared by Chef Bill Rosenberg, Executive Chef of NoMa Social

Ingredients:

1 lb Butter
1 quart sugar
9 eggs
½ quart corn meal
1 ½ quarts all-purpose flour
½ quart cream
½ quart milk
½ quart sour cream
2 tablespoons salt
2.5 tablespoons baking powder.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs 2 at a time until smooth. Next add cream, milk and sour cream. Scrape bowl; add flour, cornmeal, and salt, baking powder until just combined. Do not over mix. Pour into a buttered hotel pan & bake for 40 minutes until a tooth pick comes out clean. Cut and serve.

Dessert: Sweet Potato Pie

Prepared by Chef Bill Rosenberg, Executive Chef of NoMa Social

Ingredients:

2 cups of peeled & cooked sweet potatoes
2 ounces melted butter
2 tablespoons Jack Daniels
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of grounded cloves
1 cup cream
1 9 inch pie crust
Marshmallows topping as needed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place potatoes in a mixer with paddle attachment; add sugar, butter, eggs, Jack Daniels, salt and spices. Mix until well incorporated. Add cream and mix. Pour
into pie crust and bake for 30-45 minutes or until just set. Remove and cool. Top with marshmallow topping and serve.