Christmas cooking has always been fun. The excitement of a family dinner and all the goodies that you can make for your family is simply wonderful. The long hours of looking thorough those magnificent recipe books that you had tucked away, the search online for what’s cooking for Christmas dinner at other homes is always a great idea for enthusiastic cooks. The terrific planning and yes, you have done it all - the grand Christmas dinner that had everyone eating straight out of your hands. However, your concern for not running short of food and giving everyone all that they could eat has surely left you with some leftovers.

All those leftovers definitely has me thinking of what to do with it all. Wasting all that lovely delicious food that I spend hours cooking is a miserable feeling. It is surely criminal wasting food. Whether your centerpiece was a turkey, chicken, ribs or goose, here are some wonderful recipes that would give you a great idea of what to do with those tasty leftovers. Creating something interesting out of leftovers is truly an art and all the more so if you have some fussy eaters at home. Here are some quick and easy ideas for creating great leftover delights:

-Sandwiches: Sandwiches are an anytime meal and that leftover turkey or chicken can make for a tasty filling for your sandwiches.

-Wraps: Wraps are another wonderful discovery. Probably a peek into the history of wraps would take you to a home where a desperate mom was in search for a great leftover idea. I am sure the need to find an interesting and healthy way to recycle the leftovers is what led to the birth of this tasty dish – the wrap. Add that meat, your favorite veggies, some mayonnaise, sauce and top it with cheese. Wraps are indeed a quick bite that you would enjoy every bit of. Get your kids to pitch in to roll these up and it sure is going to be a great family fun working together.

-Pizza: Pizza toppings from your Christmas dinner are an innovative way to relive the Christmas experience. Get a movie and its fun again with homemade pizza and family fun.

-Sauces to add to the taste: Experiment with a few flavors and tastes. Put on that thinking cap and make some tasty new sauce to add flavor to your slices of turkey or other meat. Add a dash of sauce some chocolate sauce and a scoop of ice cream to your dessert for a fresh new bite of taste to have a sweet ending to your meal today.

-Casseroles and pastas: Casseroles with that leftover meat, ham and veggies are a wonderful one dish idea that can turn those leftovers into a creative treat. You can also cut down on your workload in the kitchen for today after all the hectic cooking and preparations that you have been through .

Use your leftovers quickly. It is not safe to keep them for long. Freeze them immediately so that they stay safe for consumption. Get started on some innovative and delicious leftover meals. What is your favorite leftover recipe? Share some ideas that would be many who have their freezers full and are on the lookout for that magical leftover recipe.

Check out:

-Chicken croquettes  

-Chicken Salad

-Leftover turkey wraps  

-Chicken fingers

- Fruit Parfait (add in your leftover dessert) 

Pic courtesy: http://www.ashwells.co.uk/