Leftover Mashed Potatoes Make This Retro Dish A Breeze To Make

The holidays are a time of feasts. Then, in between each giant meal, it's a time of finding ways to eat all the food that wasn't finished. If more often than not you're just reheating what's in your fridge, or if, when you're feeling wild, turning them into a leftovers sandwich, we have a suggestion of a fun dish to make: Thanksgiving leftovers shepherd's pie.

Shepherd's pie is a traditional British dish of ground lamb, hence the name shepherd's, with a delicious top crust of mashed potatoes. It originated as a way to use up what was on hand, so making it with the mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, and turkey sitting in the fridge fits.

This version is simple. You can make your own pie crust or buy a premade one. Line the bottom of the crust with a mix of butter and ground stuffing. On top of that, place chopped up leftover turkey, veggies, and gravy. Cover with leftover mashed potatoes and slash to allow for steam to escape. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes and enjoy.

One of the great aspects of shepherd's pie is that it's a meat (or mushrooms for a vegetarian version), covered with mashed potatoes, which leaves it open for variation. One simple addition is cheese. Stir in some shredded cheddar cheese to the mash for some gooey deliciousness. Sprinkle cheese on top to add some extra browning and a crisp layer.

If you roasted some root veggies for Thanksgiving, you can mash them into the potatoes for an extra depth of flavor. Roasted parsnips, carrots, and turnips will bring a sweet caramelization to the mix. Make sure they're nice and tender, and to get them perfectly creamy, you may want to blend them before incorporating them in with the potatoes.

To add some crunch to your meal, you can top your pie with potato chips. Trader Joe's has a popular stuffing-flavored potato chip that would work well on top, but almost any chip will do. Fried onions will bring crunch with a nice onion flavor. Flash-frying herbs can be another source of crispiness with a world of fun flavors to play with. Hopefully, these tips help you breathe new life into your leftovers!