Don't forget the leftovers!
If you find certain members of the family lurking in the kitchen between meals during the festive season, they might be wondering what's going to happen to the leftovers, as some consider these to be the real treats of Christmas.
No-one needs a recipe for a turkey sandwich, but have you considered how much the leftover bird can be brought back to life with a dab of freshly made tarragon mayonnaise dressing? In the video above, Gordon Ramsay's making it to go with poached salmon, but it works really well with turkey too.
Turkey can also be turned into a great risotto (use a chicken risotto recipe) or why not try these turkey, sage and chestnut empanadillas?
Adding a tasty condiment can work just as well for ham or leftover roast meat. Why not try this simple but spicy pear chutney. It can be made well in advance as it keeps for up to six months.
If you have any ham left over after the sandwiches, try a hearty pea and ham soup. It can be perked up by adding a lovely slice of freshly made seeded soda bread.
If you've ended up with more roasted vegetables than you needed, why not make the most of that roasted flavour and combine them to make a warming vegetable soup? You could serve some cheesy garlic bread on the side. Or ring the changes with this tasty combination of sun-dried tomatoes and ciabatta bread.
If you're hoping to make meals with the leftovers but don't actually have enough to go round, why not add them to a gratin, pasta bake, fried rice, quiche or frittata?
Leftover Christmas pudding can be made into ice cream. Just crumble it into a pot of home-made or shop-bought custard and freeze for at least two hours. Serve with a splash of 'leftover' booze - brandy, whisky, Amaretto and Grand Marnier all work well. It's even been known to go down well with people who don't even like Christmas pudding!
More tasty ways of using leftovers:
Pea and ham soup
Chicken and ham soup (substitute turkey for chicken)
Mustard and ham macaroni cheese
Spicy ham and pea risotto
Ham and courgette lasagne
Turkey and ham casserole
Quick ham and eggs Benedict
More seasonal food ideas:
Festive cocktails, hot drinks and party food
Start the year with healthy lunchboxes
Lighter meals for January
