All You Need Is Canned Biscuits To Transform Holiday Leftovers

If there's one thing you can count on when it comes to big holiday meals, it's leftovers. It's hard to know exactly how many people might show up for dinner, and you never want to run out of ham or mashed potatoes. As a result, it seems like the fridge is always packed to the brim with Tupperware containers the day after a major holiday. Leftovers, however, get no love. In fact, they often get thrown away. One of the biggest drawbacks to eating leftovers is boredom, so the trick is to make last night's turkey and stuffing into something different. And one of the easiest ways to turn holiday leftovers into tonight's cool new dinner is as easy as opening a can of biscuits.

Leftovers winding up in the trash are a bummer, but it doesn't have to be that way. Depending on what's leftover from your holiday dinner, you could be feasting on a turkey pot pie, steak, and cheese Hot Pockets, or a comforting ham casserole, and you probably don't need any prep other than popping open a can of premade biscuits and turning on the oven.

So, when you're doing your pre-holiday grocery shopping, toss a can or two in the cart and put them aside for later. You'll thank yourself when an easy dinner is on the table the next day.

If you had to think of a versatile ingredient in your fridge or cupboard, canned biscuits might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, the fluffy, buttery bits that come in the cardboard tube can do some major heavy lifting, especially when you're trying to use up the dishes that are common on holiday tables.

Almost every holiday meal is centered around some sort of large cut of roasted meat, including turkey, beef, ham, and lamb, and then there's usually leftover potatoes, yams or sweet potatoes, green beans, and peas. Instead of making up a plate of the same dinner you had last night, try combining all these ingredients into a casserole. All you need to do is make a simple bechamel sauce, then cut up your leftovers and mix them into the sauce. Pour everything into a casserole dish, top it with your biscuits, and bake it until the tops are golden brown. You could also bake the biscuits on a sheet pan and pour the meaty mixture on top, which not only makes a good dinner but, if you add an egg, it's an excellent breakfast.

Biscuits are also perfect for making your own homemade Hot Pockets using your leftovers. Roll the dough out flat and lay your ingredients on one side, leaving some space around the edge. Then, fold the empty side of the dough over the pile of leftovers and seal it shut by pinching the dough together. Finally, make a slash on top to let steam escape and it's ready to bake.

Another option is to grease a muffin tin and squish your rolled-out dough into the cups, then fill them with chopped-up leftovers and a little gravy then bake them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the dough turns golden brown. When they're ready, serve your savory biscuits with a little leftover gravy.

Leftovers also make great soup, and you can make a delicious dumpling-style soup using biscuits. Simply make a few tablespoons of roux as a base, whisk in some chicken stock, and add chopped-up leftovers. Then, as the mixture comes to a boil, cut up your biscuit dough with a sharp knife or kitchen shears and add it to the soup. Simmer everything for about 15 minutes to cook the dough and it's ready to go.

Now that you've got options, don't give up on your holiday leftovers. Food waste is a major environmental problem, not to mention a waste of money. If you just remember to keep a can of biscuits around during the holidays, you'll never toss out your turkey again.