[Donna]

I know that Erin has already broached this subject on her blog, but I still have a lot of leftover food in the freezer and was curious about what others have done with the leftovers of the holiday meals!

We had a big Christmas Eve sit down dinner party - our tradition - and served crown roast of pork with pain de mie dressing and gravy, roast goose with a blackberry sauce, chiffonaded brussels sprouts, sauteed green beans with ginger & garlic, roasted potatoes (oh yes - roasted in goose fat!),...the list goes on.

We used the most of the potatoes the next morning in hash browns. The day after Christmas I used about half the leftover goose and the end of the potatoes in a goose pot pie with a whole wheat crust - which turned out quite fabulously, I must say. The Brussels sprouts I finished by tossing them with some chopped endive and radicchio and a little vinaigrette. Very crunchy and light and delicious.

So did YOU do with your leftovers? I still have about two meals of pork roast to deal with!
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L'appetit vient en mangeant. -Rabelais

[Erin]

Wow Donna, sounds like a fabulous dinner! If only I had all of those leftovers, but cooking for two usually only yields me one night of leftovers, two at the most. mmm. . . I'm thinking roast goose empanadas with the blackberry sauce for dipping and Cubanos with the pork.

Great topic, I am all about transforming my leftovers into something else.
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"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

[Donna]

Hi Erin!

I have cooked pork loin with a citrus-y, cumin-y marinade and called it Cubano - what did you have in mind? I have been thinking about a chili verde with the pork - but a Cuban prep also sounds interesting! Or I have about 1 cup of onion chutney leftover that I might just cube the pork into and braise it in the oven. Hmmmmmmmmm.......

On a normal day, I don't have anywhere near this much leftover food. The goose we got this year was 12 1/2 pounds (for 8 people)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I asked for an 8 pound goose, but they were ALL 12 or over!) :shock:So - even sending some home with guests meant that there was a LOT leftover! And of course, we order enough pork roast as if there were no goose! I sent pork home with Ben on the plane!
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L'appetit vient en mangeant. -Rabelais

[Erin]

I think I forgot a word, I should have said Cubano sandwich! With the pork, ham, pickles and cheese pressed and toasted. I like to slather them with caramelized onions and make a right mess of it.

Next year I'm coming over for Christmas dinner at your house!
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"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

[Donna]

OOOOH! That sounds so yummy! We have a great Cuban resto here (in Alameda, Erin) and I love their sandwiches! I ended up making a chili verde with some New Mexico green chili I had in the freezer. It is bubbling away as we speak!

I forgot one other "leftover" dish that I made. We had Maine lobster new Year's Eve. It was so inexpensive - purchased in Chinatown for $6.99 a pound - rather than at Whole Foods for $14.99 a pound. I got 2 frisky beauties for $21!!!!! They were absolutely the best lobster I've had in ages!And less expensive than the last time I bought lobster in Connecticut!

However, we weren't able to finish them and had a good 8 oz of leftover tail and claw meat! I used some proscuitto, mushrooms, green peas and the lobster to make a lobster carbonara served over a farro pasta. Oh YUM! It was kind of hard to really call that "leftovers"!

Erin - you are on the guest list for next Chhristmas Eve! However - if you get down this way - now that you're on the Left Coast - let me know and I will plan something!
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L'appetit vient en mangeant. -Rabelais

[David]

I'm not sure which has been whetted more1 My appetite or my sense of inadequacy! LOL
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Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

[Erin]

Yum, chile verde! Lobster carbonara! I think I should have breakfast, this is making me hungry.

We may be neighbors yet Donna. We are still living in limbo and Alameda is one of six possibilities for our move. I am a little afraid we won't find out until the week before our move!
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"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

[Donna]

Well, the chili verde came out very well. I had forgotten how PICANTE that green chili from New Mexico is! (I usually stock up on it when I go to my Godmother's house in Albuquerque.) I served it over black beans because I was out of pinto beans - which is how I have had it in New Mexico.

Sam wants me to use the rest of the pork in a Jambalaya with andouille sausage. I was rooting for those Cubano sandwiches! Darn! Maybe I can convince him over the weekend!
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L'appetit vient en mangeant. -Rabelais

[Amy Jemima]

Either Jambalaya or Cubano sandwiches sound good to me! Do you have either of those recipies posted anywhere?
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Amy J ~ www.ArtichokesandLemonade.com

[Donna]

Hi Amy,

This is a jambalaya recipe from my sister, who lives in Baton Rouge, LA. So it's authentic and DEE-LISH-USS!

This makes a rather copious amount - I always have to cut it down unless I am having company.

Creole Jamabalaya

• 1 lb. fresh pork (pork shoulder or butt or pork chop)
• 1 lb smoked sausage - such as Andouille, sliced
•1 lb ham, cubed (or any scraps from leftover roasts of pork, chicken or beef)
• 1 tomato chopped
• 2-3 green bell peppers, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 sprigs parsley, minced
• 2 bay leaves crushed
• 1+ Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion minced
• 2-3 Tablespoons Creole seasoning (see below)
• 1 1/2 Cups raw rice, well washed

Fry onion, garlic & green pepper lightly in olive oil, till wilted. Add cubed ham & sausage slices. Add remaining ingredients - EXCEPT FOR RICE - and cook over medium heat, stirring carefully for about 5 minutes. Make sure not to scorch it. Add three quarts hot water and boil gently for 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the rice and press it into the liquid. Cook for another 30 minutes on a gentle simmer until rice is tender. You can add oysters and boiled shrimp at the end.

Creole Seasoning
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons paprika
• 2 T sea salt
• 2 T garlic powder
• 1 T onion powder
• 1 T freshly ground black pepper
• 1 T cayenne
• 1 T dried oregano
• 1 T dried thyme

Stir together, mixing well. Store in a glass container in a dry place.
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L'appetit vient en mangeant. -Rabelais

[Amy Jemima]

Hi Donna,

Thank you so much for sharing!!! The recipe looks divine and I can't wait to try it. Think I will halve it the first time around. The closest I've had is Zataran (lol) so I can't wait to make this. Thanks again for sharing!
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Amy J ~ www.ArtichokesandLemonade.com