Mason Jar Thanksgiving Leftovers

In my opinion, wrapping and storing Thanksgiving leftovers can be a challenge with all those various sized dishes, a giant turkey and ham, and limited refrigerator space. Then you get it all put away to only hear, "I'm hungry" from your precious children, and have to pull the entire ensemble out all over again. For days. Now that we are Masoneats here in the Big Red, the after dinner clean up looks like an assembly line of leftovers being layered in jars for the next day's lunches, a busy week night dinner, or a freezer stockpile of delicious meals for a rainy day.

How to Masonate Your Thanksgiving Leftovers.


You can always fill jars with leftovers, each item in its own jar, but here are a few other ideas.


Want to be the coolest dude or gal at all those post Thanksgiving Football watching parties? Bring a Turkey Sandwich Kit of turkey slices, cranberry sauce, and cream cheese to make every one's favorite post T-Day sammies. I layered everything in a quart sized wide mouth jar and placed the spreads in the tiny little 4 ounce jelly jars. Grab a bag of rolls and chips along with your cool kit and you are ready to feast in style. Score.

Those little Turkey Shepherd's Pies are a breeze to make since you will already have the turkey, gravy, and mashed potatoes. Place equal amounts of gravy, diced turkey, and some frozen peas and carrots in a bowl and stir. Layer in 8 ounce wide mouth Mason jars and top with some mashed potatoes. The only thing I added to my gravy to jazz up these little pies was a splash of good red wine.


No more hum-drum leftovers...

1. When you set up your post Thanksgiving Mason Jar assembly line, ask your family what they would like in their jar, then layer away. I like to keep the veggies separate and layer meat with gravy, and potatoes or stuffing (or both). Meat and gravy should go at the bottom so that when you turn the heated jar over the stuffing or potatoes are at the bottom with all that meat and gravy spilling over top.

2. I did place my cranberry sauce in a triple layer of paper cupcake liners so that I can remove it before heating. You can also use foil or silicone cupcake liners, being sure to remove them before placing jars in the microwave for reheating. I have found that cupcake liners do a swell job at separating layers for those who do not like their food to touch. Swell.

3. Don't forget the desserts which do a fine job of being layered in jars. Pumpkin or apple pie layered in jars, reheated, then topped with some ice cream. Yum!

SHARING
It is a good idea to make up a few of these jars to send home with family, or friends and neighbors so that they too can enjoy Thanksgiving Day leftovers. But it is also a good idea to share some of the Thanksgiving Mason Jar Meals with the elderly who are housebound, a new mommy who needs a break, or a friend who is sick. Tell them Robin Sue sent you.


Future leftovers! Thanksgiving Recipes
Cream of Peanut Soup
Bûche de Merci
Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes
Thanksgiving Harvard Beets
Thanksgiving Savory Corn Pudding
Thanksgiving Yummy Yams
Thanksgiving Hot Spiced Cider or Wassail



Have a Blessed Thanksgiving

Work true, play hard, pray long, sleep slow. Love deep.
And be always- Thankful.

Robin Sue

For More Big Red Kitchen...Subscribe/Newsletter/Fan Club