Let’s be honest. Thanksgiving is delicious and all, but the best part is all of the leftovers. If done correctly, the fridge will be full of meals that I don’t have to work too hard for for the majority of the week. The first couple of meals are generally a similar version of the original meal; swap the virtuous Brussel sprouts out for another helping of mashed potatoes or skip the macaroni and cheese in order to make room for the last deviled egg. But at some point the gravy will run out and I am sick of having to relocate the platter of turkey just to reach the milk. It’s at this juncture that the creative leftover meals kick in.
We look forward to using up the rest of the ham in my husband’s ham and cabbage soup, and I have been known to cook the turkey carcass down to make a pretty mean turkey stock perfect for the wintertime stews that we love. It’s the cranberry sauce that throws me though. Only my dad and I eat the stuff on Thanksgiving and I am always left with half a can (yes, we prefer the canned cranberry sauce) languishing in our fridge. Fortunately, a couple years of catering taught me that cranberry sauce is amazing on a sandwich. Does it have to be the canned variety? No. If you have an awesome homemade version feel free to use that instead.
I love these little leftover sliders. They use so many of the things I generally have floating around the kitchen after Thanksgiving; rolls, turkey, cranberry sauce, and remnants of the cheese platter. This recipe works great with chicken, too, and if you like a little spice I recommend a thin slice of fresh jalapeno on each sandwich for a little boost!
Ingredients
- 12 Hawaiian Dinner Rolls
- 2 Tablespoons mayo
- 2 Tablespoons whole grain brown mustard
- 2 cups shredded cooked turkey
- 2/3 cup canned whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1 cup shredded Fontina Gouda or Jack cheese
- 3 Tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Remove the rolls from the package and slice the rolls in half horizontally (don’t separate the rolls. Treat them as one giant slab of bread.)
- Place the bottom half of the bread cut side up and spread with half of the mayo and mustard. Then spread and even layer of turkey meat on the bread. Sprinkle with cheese. On the top half of the bread, spread the remaining mayo and mustard as well as the cranberry sauce. Place the top half of the bread onto the bottom half, making 12 sandwiches. Drizzle the melted butter on top of the sandwiches and then sprinkle with poppy seeds. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes or until the turkey is warmed through and the cheese is melted. Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes to let the rolls brown. Remove from the oven and slice into individual sandwiches. Serve warm!
[…] turkey sandwich is the iconic Day-after-Thanksgiving food for most Americans and our household is no exception. […]