Recipe Roundup - 36 Creative Uses for Holiday Leftovers

36 Creative Uses For Holiday Leftovers

What a year! It is hard to believe Thanksgiving has come and gone, but I am grateful for many things this year. I am most grateful we celebrated Thanksgiving together as a family rather than virtually via Zoom. Hopefully, your holiday celebrating also returned to more normalcy this year. I am immensely thankful for you for reading our blog, trying our family-tested recipes (since 1978), and sharing your comments and ideas. Thank you!

And, last but not least, I am grateful for leftovers!

I know there are leftover lovers and haters, but if you are a leftover lover, you will love the recipes we have compiled in this blog. We’ve collected our favorite Cherchies® recipes using holiday leftovers to make your meal planning easy and stretch your budget during this busy holiday season.

Enjoy!

Comment below and let us know how you use up holiday leftovers. As always, thank you for visiting. Come back again!

Sheri-Cherchies®

Leftover Poultry (Italian Dishes)

Chicken Pasta Recipe- An easy pasta dish featuring chicken, broccoli, pasta, and Cherchies® Lem’n Dill Seasoning.

Chicken Caprese Pasta Recipe- Easy and refreshing, featuring chicken, tomatoes, pasta, mozzarella cheese, and Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz Seasoning.

Champagne Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe- Perfectly comforting featuring chicken, mushrooms, Cherchies® Champagne Mustard, Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning, and Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub & Seasoning Blend.

Leftover Poultry (Asian Dishes-Substitute any meat you have on hand)

Kathy's Thai Chicken Recipe- featuring chicken, onions, Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning and Cherchies® Garlic 'n Herb No-Salt Seasoning.

Champagne Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe- Featuring chicken, coleslaw mix or cabbage and Cherchies® Champagne Mustard.

Peachy Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe- Who needs take out when you can make this chicken dish featuring Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa.

Leftover Poultry (Mexican Dishes)

Leftover Sassy Chicken Tostada Recipe- Switch up Taco Night and pile on the fixings. This recipe features Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning and Cherchies® Select Grilling Rub & Seasoning Blend.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole- A unique Mexican dish featuring Cherchies® Lem’n Pepper Spicy Blend Seasoning.

Tex-Mex French Bread Pizza Recipe- Quick and easy! This recipe features Cherchies® Black Bean & Corn Salsa and Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning Blend.

Leftover Poultry (American Dishes)

Blackberry Chicken Flatbread Recipe- Perfect for an appetizer or light lunch featuring Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and Cherchies® Champagne Mustard.

Blooming Tomato With Chicken Salad Recipe- Refreshing and tasty featuring Cherchies® Champagne Mustard.

Chicken Salad Pie Recipe- This delicious recipe comes from Sherry Pfaender from St. Charles, MO, formerly Miss Aimee B's Tea Room. Sherry says that the secret ingredient is Cherchies® Champagne Mustard - "it just doesn't come out the same without it!"

Leftover Poultry (American Classic Recipes)

Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup- Perfect for leftover ham and chicken, Cherchies® Champagne Mustard, and Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz.

Cobb Salad With Brown Derby Dressing Recipe- This famous salad originated in Hollywood, back in the 1920's, and features Cherchies® Champagne Mustard.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole Recipe- Easy, delicious and comforting, featuring Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and Cherchies® Champagne Mustard.

Leftover Pork

Cajun Mac and Cheese Recipe- Add Cherchies®Cajun Seasoning and Andouille sausage to heavenly mac and cheese, and you've just transported yourself into the heart of Bayou Country! 

Split Pea & Lentil Soup- In 35 minutes you could have a piping hot bowl of this deliciously comforting soup! Perfect for leftover ham!

Canadian Bacon Egg Casserole Recipe- Cherchies® Lem’Dill Seasoning is the secret ingredient to make this egg dish divine!

Ham, Turkey, and Cheese Stromboli Recipe- Add a twist to pizza night and make these delicious strombolis featuring Cherchies® Mustards.

Champagne Blackberry Grilled Ham and Cheese Recipe- Gooey melty cheesy sandwiches with salty ham, tangy Champagne Mustard, sweet Blackberry Preserves, and brie cheese. Oh my!

Ham and Mustard Biscuit Recipe- What could be better than biscuits and ham?  Biscuits with ham and our signature champagne mustard.

Leftover Veggies

Irish Vegetable Soup Recipe- Perfect for whatever fresh or canned vegetables you have available. This recipe features Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning.

The Real Deal "Shepherd's Pie" Recipe- An authentic Irish recipe tweaked to feature Cherchies® Champagne Mustard, Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning, and Cherchies® Basil Pizzazz.

Homemade Potatoes O'Brien Recipe- Add some leftover meat for a complete meal. Featuring Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and Cherchies® Pretty Peppers.

Leftover Mashed Potato Cups Recipe- A fun re-make that you could either serve as a side or serve it as an appetizer for guests, featuring Cherchies® Lem’n Dill Seasoning.

Teresa's Ham & Asparagus Quiche Recipe- Yes, real people (men and women alike) eat quiche;) This recipe features Cherchies® Champagne Mustard and Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning.

Fried Rice Recipe- Perfect for leftover chicken and veggies, featuring Cherchies®Garlic ‘n Herbs Seasoning and Cherchies® Champagne Mustard or Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard.

Leftover Salsa

Tex-Mex Burger Recipe- This burger recipe is a force to be reckoned with, as it hits all the flavor notes, sweet, spicy, and smoky, all wrapped up in one lip-smacking package! It features Cherchies® Black Bean & Corn Salsa.

Black Bean and Corn Breakfast Burrito Recipe- A bold and robust breakfast burrito featuring Cherchies® Bean & Corn Salsa.

Tex-Mex Avocado Toast Recipe- Are you ready for a flavor party for your mouth? This recipe is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack and it features Cherchies® Black Bean & Corn Salsa.

Leftover Jam and Jelly

Homemade Toaster Strudel Recipe- The perfect breakfast treat or afternoon snack featuring leftover Cherchies® Preserves or Butter Spreads.

Blackberry Monkey Bread Muffins Recipe- Quick, easy, and a fabulous way to start the morning, featuring Cherchies® Preserves or Butter Spreads.

Jam and Brie Cups Recipe- These delectable cheesy bites, featuring Cherchies® Preserves and Butter Spreads, whip up in minutes and make for an elegant easy appetizer.

Spinach Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette Recipe- Did you know leftover jams and jellies can be used in vinaigrettes? This recipe features Cherchies® Cranberry Preserves but our other preserves of butter spreads would work nicely too.

Cheesy Jam Thumbprint Recipe- Another quick and easy appetizer featuring leftover jam or jelly. This recipe works great with Cherchies® Preserves or Butter Spreads.

Memaw’s Strawberry Cake Recipe- Leftover Cherchies® Strawberry Butter Spread in cake mixes makes for an easy tasty dessert.

Baked Apple Cider Donuts Recipe

Baked Apple Cider Donuts Recipe

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Difficulty: Easy

One of the fondest memories I remember growing up was Apple Cider Donuts from our local orchard. It was always a special treat when my parents would bring home a bag full of them for my sister and me to enjoy. The ones from the orchard were deep-fried and dredged in cinnamon sugar, so the outside was crisp and sweet, yet the inside was fluffy and moist. Yummy!

Fall is notorious for everything apples, apple cider, applesauce, apple butter, and so much more. We will not even touch on pumpkin spice (that’s for another blog post). I am always looking for new recipes for Cherchies® Apple Butter Spread, and I ran across this recipe for Baked Apple Cider Donuts, which I adapted from littlespicejar.com. Even though most foods deep-fried are incredibly decadent, I prefer the baked version, and these melt-in-your-mouth donuts will not disappoint. The donuts were nicely crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle, with the perfect cinnamon/sugar richness to round out your taste buds, just like I remember, sans all the calories.

So the next time you have a craving for the flavors of Fall, whip up these Baked Apple Cider Donuts for your family but grab some for yourself because they will disappear right before your eyes.

Comment below and let us know if you made this tasty recipe.

Thank you for visiting, and please come back again.

Donut ingredients: (adapted from littlespicejar.com)

• 2 cups apple cider

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 large egg

• 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted

• 2/3 cup light brown sugar

• 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup half and half, mixed with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar)

• 2 tablespoons Cherchies® Apple Butter Spread

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  For the cinnamon-sugar coating

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preparation

1. Begin by simmering the apple cider in a small saucepan over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until it reduces down to about 1/2 cup. Pour the apple cider into a small bowl and refrigerate while you prepare the donut batter.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Spray a donut pan (we used a silicone donut pan from Wappa) with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt, set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the egg, melted butter, and brown sugar, whisk until smooth. Then, add in the apple butter, vanilla, buttermilk, and concentrated apple cider.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.

5. Either pour the batter by the spoonful (about 3/4s of the way full) into the prepared donut pans (We used Wappa silicone donut pans) or add batter to a large ziplock-type bag and snip off the end with a pair of kitchen scissors for a make-shift pastry bag. If you go this route, you will need to squeeze the batter into the donut pan. In either case, make sure to not overfill.

6. Bake donuts for 9-12 minutes or until done. Insert a toothpick into a donut and remove. The toothpick should come out clean.

For the cinnamon sugar coating:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon together. Dip the tops of each donut into the melted butter then coat with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat with all the donuts. For best results, donuts should be eaten the same day but they can be stored for up to 2 days if tightly wrapped and kept at room temperature.

   Enjoy!

Blue Cheese Wedge Salad Recipe

Bleu Cheese Wedge Salad Recipe

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Serves 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Have you ever tried a recipe out of pure curiosity? The wedge salad, for example, an unassuming iceberg lettuce salad (that graced menus in the '50s and '60s), has made a resurgence on menus of fancy restaurants and steak houses EVERYWHERE. Why? I had to see what all the buzz was about for myself.

So why the popularity? One, it is easy to make. Ok, I get it. Honestly, the thought of eating a majestic cliff of iceberg lettuce instead of my preferred mixed greens or spinach seemed less than appealing, and you can imagine my hesitation.

Now, here is where the magic begins. Add to the iceberg mountain awaiting fresh juicy tomatoes, sweet tender shallots, crispy salty bacon (hello), clouds of tangy blue cheese, and drizzle it with a creamy homemade blue cheese dressing. Now, we're talking about a whole different taste sensation. The crispness of the salad melded together with the savory ingredients is a flavor party ready to explode in your mouth! Wow, was I surprised! I loved it!

If your curiosity is piqued and you have not tried this iconic salad, it is worth tantalizing your taste buds.  It makes for the perfect meal or hearty side dish. It is refreshing, colorful, and easy to make, the perfect blend of deliciousness. The homemade bleu cheese dressing (everything in moderation), made with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and Cherchies® Champagne Mustard, is the pièce de résistance of this dish. What are you waiting for?

Comment below and let us know if you made this majestic salad. We would love to hear from you!

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have tried this tasty salad. Return for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

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Salad Ingredients

• Iceberg lettuce washed and cut into fourths

• 8 slices of bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped

• Tomatoes, coarsely chopped (could use halved cherry tomatoes)

• 1 shallot, finely chopped

• Blue Cheese, crumbled

• Blue Cheese Dressing (below)

• Dash of Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning

• Dash of ground pepper

• Chives, chopped (optional for garnish)

Blue Cheese Dressing (can be made ahead)

• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/2 cup buttermilk* (or 1/2 cup half and half + 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp.) white vinegar)

• 1 teaspoon (tsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) pepper

• 2 oz. good blue cheese, crumbled

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp.) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard

Preparation

Prepare the salad dressing by combining all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside. (This dressing can be made at least a day ahead, as the flavors tend to marry if made in advance).

Chop the cooked bacon, tomatoes, shallot, and chives (optional) for the salad and set aside.

Rinse the lettuce in cool water and remove any outer leaves as necessary. With a sharp knife, cut the lettuce in half, then half again to create four halves. Arrange on individual plates or a platter. (For a fun party idea, make mini wedges for guests, cut them into smaller halves, and arrange them on a platter).

Sprinkle a dash of Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and ground pepper (to taste) on the lettuce wedges. Next, add the salad dressing, tomatoes, bacon, blue cheese, shallots, and chives (optional) for garnish.

Serve and enjoy!

The Best Cowboy Caviar Recipe

The Best Cowboy Caviar Dip Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Serves a crowd

Difficulty: Easy

Hello friends. How are you doing? We all are finally beginning to return to some sense of normalcy, and more of us are seeing family and friends, entertaining, and it feels nice. I have been wanting to post this delicious Cowboy Caviar dip recipe for some time, but it seemed unbefitting writing about entertaining and parties when most of us were hunkering down at home. Times are changing.

This tasty dip (featuring Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro) is extremely easy to make, and it will surely become your favorite go-to dip for summer entertaining, for game day, or just about any occasion. It is fabulous as a quick dip, but versatile enough to use as a topping for tacos, over grilled fish or chicken as a nice punch of freshness, and so much more! 

I first learned of Cowboy Caviar (or Texas Caviar) Recipe many years ago from The Rachel Ray Show (thank you, Rachael). The intriguing part about this dip is that it uses frozen corn, so by the time your guests arrive, this corn has been defrosted and the dip is chilled to perfection and ready to serve with your favorite chips. The Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning Blend takes the flavors in this dish over the top. This recipe feeds a crowd, so depending on the size of your gathering, you can add more beans, tomatoes, and corn. Just adjust the vinegar and oil accordingly.

So the next time you are looking for a new, easy, flavorful dip recipe to serve your guests this summer, look no further and make this tasty black bean and corn dip. Your guests will love it and may even ask you for the recipe.

Thank you for visiting and please come back and visit. Please comment below if you made this recipe. We love hearing from you!  

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn

• 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed

• 1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed (can substitute fresh chopped tomatoes)

• 1 small red onion, finely diced (can substitute diced green onions (white and green part)

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup white vinegar (or a combination of white and red vinegar)

• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning (more to taste)

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) ground black pepper

• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Can be made a day ahead and chilled in the refrigerator. (*This recipe is better if made the day before, as it allows the flavors to marry and intensify). If need in a hurry, leave on the counter an hour before guests arrive to defrost the corn).

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips and enjoy!