BY KASSIDY ARIAS, Tarpon Springs High

Your fridge mostly will be stuffed with leftover turkey, mashed potaotes and cranberries next week after the big Thanksgiving meal. We asked a professional for some creative and tasty ways to deal with them.

Katie Foltz, head chef director at the Jacobson Culinary Arts Academy at Tarpon Springs High, has been cooking professionally for more than 10 years. Foltz makes dishes from leftovers with ease, and not just because she trained at Culinary Institute of America. “We have leftover night at least once a week at my house.” Foltz says. Her Thanksgiving favorites are “leftover” turkey pot pie and “leftover” cranberry bread pudding. Here are her recipes:

“Leftover” Turkey Pot Pie

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

·       2 cups cooked turkey meat (the darker the meat, the more moist) diced or shredded

·       ½ cup peas

·       ½ cup cooked carrots

·       ¼ cup corn

·       ¼ cup onions, diced

·       1 ½ cups turkey gravy

·       1 tablespoon butter

·       ½ teaspoon fresh thyme

Pie crust ingredients

·       ¾ cup flour

·       ¼ teaspoon salt

·       ¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, diced into cubes, chilled

·       2 Tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled

·       2 Tablespoons ice water

Directions:

Preparing the pie crust dough

1.     Combine the flour and salt in a food processor.

2.     Insert the chilled butter cubes and pulse five times to combine.

3.     Add shortening and pulse a few more times or until the dough resembles a coarse cornmeal with some pea-sized pieces of butter.

4.     Add in ice water a tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition. Continue this until the dough sticks together when pressed between your fingers.

5.     Empty the food processor onto a clean surface.

6.     Use your hands to mold the dough into a ball. Then flatten the dough into a disk.  

7.     Sprinkle the dough with a little flour and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

Preparing the pot pie

1.     Sauté onions in butter until the onions become translucent.

2.     Stir in turkey, cooked vegetables, thyme and gravy.

3.     Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. 

4.     Divide the warm filling among 4-10 oz. ramekins.

5.     Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until it’s a little less than quarter-inch thick.

6.     Cut into four rounds, slightly larger than the circumference of the bowls.

7.     Lay the pieces of dough on top of each pot pie filling. If you’re feeling creative make a decorative lattice top.

8.     Place the pies on a baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling.

9.     Let cool for at least five minutes before serving.

Cranberry Bread Pudding

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 ½  cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• Dash of nutmeg
• 4 lightly packed cups rolls or bread, large dice
• 1 cup cranberry relish

Directions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, nutmeg and vanilla.
2. Place oven proof bowls on a foil lined baking sheet.   
3. Starting with cranberry relish, layer 1 cup diced bread and 1/4 cup cranberry relish in each bowl. Repeat layers.     
4. Divide the milk mixture evenly amongst the bowls. 
5. Press bread down gently so that all the bread absorbs the liquid.     
6. Cover each bowl with foil and let it sit while the oven preheats.     
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
8. Place the baking sheet and bowls into the oven and bake covered for 30 minutes. 
9. Remove the foil from the bowls and bake an additional five minutes.     
10. Serve immediately.