28 | Holiday Leftovers

1 |   Main Dish

Nutty Patties with Mushroom Gravy

It seems like a lot of holiday dishes call for fresh herbs, but then how do you use up the extra sage and parsley? Here's a tasty option. Brazil nuts make a nice, protein-rich base for this dish, and have a crisper texture than other nuts. You can also use up your leftover mushroom gravy, or follow the directions for making a simple one from scratch.

3 |   Side

Mashed Potato Soup

Perhaps you made beautiful, fluffy mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, but now the leftovers are stiff and cold in your fridge. One great way to give them new life is in potato soup. As a bonus, if you have excess celery from making stuffing or a veggie platter, that can go into the soup, too. Warm and creamy, this is perfect for a chilly fall evening.

2 |   Salad

Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad

I love the rich, nutty flavor of roasted brussels sprouts. Tossing them into a salad takes your fresh greens to another level. Then add some toasted pumpkin seeds with a spicy rub, and you get a special touch of holiday warmth and cinnamon sweetness. The dressing is simple: olive oil and lemon juice, but the addition of a creamy avocado makes the salad decadent.

4 |   Dessert

Easy Brownies

This recipe isn't about using up leftovers. It's about treating yourself after a hard week of cooking and family, work schedules and vacation, fun and cleaning up afterwards. Take the time to enjoy a little something extra that doesn't take extra time. Besides being simple, these brownies are well taste-tested; I've made them for many groups of friends, and they are always a hit.

1 |   Main Dish

Nutty Patties with Mushroom Gravy

1 cup Brazil nuts

2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 15.5 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? Already dairy-free and gluten-free!

Make ahead option– The patties can be prepared ahead and kept chilled. Cooked patties can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the cooked patties, just be sure to allow them to cool completely before placing them in a freezer-safe container. They will stay good for up to 3 months. Alternately, you can form the patties and freeze them uncooked, ready to finish as an easy meal.

The Simple Steps...

1. Pour the nuts into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the carrots, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, sage, and oregano to the food processor and pulse until finely ground.

2. Add the beans and salt. Pulse the mixture to crush the beans.

3. Divide the mixture into four and shape each portion into a patty.

4. Heat a pan over medium heat. Pour in one tablespoon vegetable oil. Cook the patties for 4 minutes, until a golden brown crust forms. Brush the patties with one tablespoon oil and gently flip them. Cook them for another 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and allow them to cook for 4-5 minutes more. They tend to crack and may spread slightly, so pat them gently back into shape if they spread. Leave to stand for 2–3 minutes to firm up.

Mushroom gravy:
Use leftover gravy from your Thanksgiving meal or: Slice 6 mushrooms, and sauté in olive oil for 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms, and add a tablespoon oil to the pan. Add a tablespoon flour, then stir and cook on low for a minute. Add one cup of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and stir frequently. Add the mushrooms, and spoon over the Brazil nut patties.

2 |  Salad

Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad

1 pounds brussels sprouts

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

4 ounces spring greens

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 avocados

1/3 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

olive oil

Salt

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This is already a gluten-free salad. For an easy dairy-free option, simply omit the Parmesan cheese.

Make ahead option– The brussels sprouts can be roasted up to 5 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator. The toasted seeds will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

The Simple Steps...

1. Use leftover brussels sprouts or make some fresh.
• My Method: Preheat the oven to 425˚. Clean the sprouts by cutting the bottom off and removing any wilted or dark green outer leaves. Rinse them and cut an “X” in the bottom of each.
• Bring 3 cups of water to boil. Add the brussels sprouts and steam them for about five minutes. Strain the extra water.
• Cut the sprouts in half. Toss them on to a large baking pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoons maple syrup.
• Roast them for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are brown and crispy. Once cooked, set this aside.

2. Toast the pumpkin seeds.
• My Method: Toss the seeds in 1 tablespoon oil, mustard powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Place on a baking tray and toast for 2-4 minutes. Listen for them to start popping. That’s the clue that they are done.

3. Place the lettuce in a large mixing bowl. Toss the leaves with 2 tablespoons oil, the lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the chopped avocado and toss again. It’s ok if the avocado gets a little mashed… that’s part of the creaminess if the dressing.

4. Place the lettuce mixture on a medium platter. Top that with the brussels sprouts, Parmesan cheese, and toasted seeds. Enjoy!

3 |  Side

Mashed Potato Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion (about 1 cup finely chopped)

1 medium carrot, shredded

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 cups shredded cabbage

2 cups water

1 cup vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups mashed potatoes

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This dish is already both gluten and dairy-free.

Make ahead option– The soup will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

The Simple Steps..

1. Heat a medium pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Saute the onion, carrot, and celery for 4 minutes.

2. Stir the cabbage in and cook for another 4 minutes. Pour in the water, broth, and salt. Bring this to a boil at high heat and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Turn down the heat to medium. Stir in the mashed potatoes. Bring to a boil again. Taste for saltiness. Depending on how salty your mashed potatoes are, you may need more salt. Add another 1/4 teaspoon if it’s lacking. The potatoes I made this year had roasted cauliflower in them too, which adds another layer of flavor to this soup.

4. At this point, I use an emersion blender to pulverize the cabbage and other chunky veggies, or you could blend half the soup in a blender and return to the pot. I like to leave some chunks for texture. Top the soup with your favorite add-ons, like shredded cheese, chopped green onion or chives, or fake bacon, and serve.

4 |   Dessert

Easy Brownies

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 tablespoons melted butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup add-ins (ideas: walnuts or pecans, chocolate chunks or chips, caramel, cherries)

Make ahead option– Once the brownies are fully baked, store any extra on your counter covered with aluminum foil for up to 4 days.

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚. Grease a 9x9-inch pan.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the cocoa powder and vegetable oil together until well combined.

3. Stir in the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until incorporated.

4. Gently combine the flour and salt to the batter.

5. Stir in your favorite add-ins to equal one cup. I used 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks.

6. Pour the batter into the 9x9 pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. When done, the edges should look dry and cracked and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist particles clinging to it.