Thanksgiving leftover recipes
Have tons of leftover turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce? Here are some recipes and meal ideas to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers. Pictured is Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker (9) and wide receiver Jacoby Jones (12) reaching for pieces of a turkey after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 22-20 during a NFL football game on Thanksgiving at M&T Bank Stadium on Nov. 29, 2013. Reuters

You slaved all day in the kitchen Thursday to prepare a Thanksgiving meal for yourself, family or friends. And after all that hard work for the holiday dinner feast, your loved ones fell asleep from the notorious tryptophan, and you're stuck with the leftovers, especially the turkey.

But look at it this way: On the bright side, you don't have to cook for at least the next week, and you'll save some money on your monthly grocery expenses. Yet you don't want to eat like it's Thanksgiving forever, and you certainly don't want to hear the dreaded, "Turkey again?" whining.

So, you'll have to come up with a creative way to use up that leftover turkey as well as the mashed potatoes, corn, cranberry sauce and stuffing. Plus, you'll make more time for shopping the Black Friday sales.

Not a clue what to do with the rest of your turkey and side dishes? Here are 11 recipes and meal ideas that don't taste like leftovers.

Curried Mash Potato and Turkey Soup recipe

Turkey and vegetable soup is a bore, so try this spin on a hearty soup to use up your roasted turkey and mashed potatoes, spiced with a bit of curry powder, in just 20 minutes. [Recipe from Oprah.com]

Thanksgiving Macaroni & Cheese recipe

On the cheap, this macaroni and cheese dish can me made with your favorite pasta plus turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce in just 40 minutes. The best part? The kids will love it. [Recipe from FoxNews.com]

Mushroom, Turkey and Potato Pie recipe

There's nothing easier than throwing some ingredients, like your leftover turkey, string beans and mashed potatoes, into a baking pan. So try this comfort dish which can be made in 30 minutes. [Recipe from Oprah.com]

Double Grilled Cheese and Turkey recipe

Everyone loves grilled cheese so try this classic hit with your favorite bread, maybe even leftovers from that Thanksgiving dinner basket. [Recipe from Food52]

Turkey Hash recipe

If you're in the mood for something fried with turkey and mashed potatoes, try this hash patty recipe which you can whip up for a snack or quick bite in 30 minutes. [Recipe from Oprah.com]

Turkey and Waffles recipe

This easy recipe uses frozen waffles and that leftover turkey. Add bacon for an extra breakfast kick. [Recipe from FoodieCrush.com]

Hot Turkey Sandwich recipe

The classic Thanksgiving leftover idea? The sandwich. But in case you need convincing, or if you find it hard to assemble a sandwich, try this "recipe." [Via SimplyRecipes.com]

Pulled Turkey BBQ recipe

Sick of the plain turkey sandwich? You can make this pulled turkey and cranberry BBQ sandwich, with instructions how to make a special barbecue sauce. For lazy cooks, substitute with your favorite bottled BBQ sauce. [Recipe from FoodNetwork.com]

Turkey Club Salad recipe

Nothing easier than a salad, like this one which you can personalize with your favorite ingredients. [Recipe from ABCNews]

Tacos de Papa (Potato Tacos) recipe

A spin on the classic taco, this uses up all of those mashed potatoes. Consider also adding in turkey, corn and maybe gravy for a topping. [Recipe from Sweet Life Bake]

Turkey and Mushroom Risotto recipe

This risotto could make for a side dish or a full meal for a family or small group. [Recipe from Bon Appetit]

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