LIFE

The only Thanksgiving leftovers recipe you need

There are waffles involved

Liz Biro
liz.biro@indystar.com
So simple but so yummy, this leftover turkey and gravy over waffles is a fun and quick way to use Thanksgiving leftovers.
  • Easy waffle recipe
  • Ham and sweet potato waffles
  • Leftover storage tips

The average American consumes 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day. That’s equals 15 hot fudge sundaes. But here’s the thing: The feasting is not over after the big meal is cleared away.

Sixty-five percent of Americans questioned by The Harris Poll said eating Thanksgiving leftovers is more important than eating their regular Thanksgiving meal. When I asked Indianapolis chef Regina Mehallick about recipes for Thanksgiving leftovers, the kind of smile that signals a happy memory lit up her face.

“My mother used to make turkey and waffles.”

“Wait! What?” I replied. “You mean before anyone cared about chicken and waffles?”

Mehallick nodded her head, and then she dashed into the kitchen at her R2GO specialty food market to retrieve her mother’s recipe. “My brother still makes it,” Mehallick said. “It was a way to use up all that dry turkey breast.”

R.Bistro and R2GO chef/owner Regina Mehallick stirs turkey gravy to spoon over turkey and waffles, the perfect Thanksgiving leftovers dish for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.

Back in the 1960s, Mehallick’s mother got the kids involved in the day-after-Thanksgiving waffle-making process. She laid reheated turkey slices over the warm waffles, followed by big spoonfuls of leftover gravy. That’s all there was to it.

Of course, you may doctor your turkey and waffles any way you want. I’m thinking a scoop of stuffing or a dab of cranberry sauce spiked with chipotle. I might skip the gravy, add a few candied yams alongside the turkey and finish with a drizzle of bourbon-barrel aged maple syrup and a sprinkling of chopped pecans. Now that I think about it, wouldn’t that combination be great with ham instead of turkey, some marshmallows on top to toast quickly under the broiler? Green bean casserole would be delicious on waffles, too with or without the turkey.

Got Thanksgiving leftovers? Read this

My imagination is ticking off ideas like mad. That’s sort of how Thanksgiving leftovers meal planning goes. You just start building and see where it leads you. This turkey and waffles idea works for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. If you don’t have a waffle iron, make pancakes instead. Better yet, patty out some stuffing and saute the rounds in a hot pan.

Remember to store Thanksgiving leftovers properly so that no one suffers food poisoning. Have plenty of refrigerator space set aside ahead of time. Crank down your refrigerator temperature. Lower the setting a little, at least temporarily. The refrigerator temperature should be 34 to 40 degrees at all times.

Pack leftovers quickly after the meal. Food should not be at room temperature more than 2 hours after it’s cooked. Don’t store food in serving dishes. Instead, put leftovers in several shallow containers that allow food to cool quickly. Leave space between containers in the refrigerator so that cold air can circulate. Freeze what you know you won’t eat within four days.

Turkey and Waffles

For the waffles:

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1¾ cup milk

½ cup melted butter

1 tablespoon sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

For the topping:

1 pound roasted and boned turkey meat, reheated

2½ cups gravy, reheated

Heat waffle iron. Meantime, in a large bowl, beat the eggs and then beat in remaining ingredients. Make waffles.

Lay 2 or 3 waffles on each of four plates. Evenly divide turkey over top of waffles. Spoon plenty of gravy over the waffles.

Serves 4.

Source: Regina Mehallick, chef/owner of R2GO.

Call Liz Biro at (317) 444-6264. Follow her on Twitter @lizbiro, Instagram @lizbiroFacebook and Pinterest.