by Ethel Smith

Created on: January 06, 2009   Last Updated: August 17, 2009

After all the grocery shopping we do before Christmas, is it really any wonder that most of our refrigerators and store cupboards are still bursting at the seams well into the New Year?. I guess a lot will depend on how many visitors you had over the holidays and just how efficiently you did your Christmas food and drink shopping. Sometimes our Christmas plans do not turn out as we expected and we are left with much more food than usual. Either way, I tend to find that everyone just gets fed up with overindulging and by Boxing Day most visitors are declining food and drink.

So, be it a mountain or a molehill, just what do you do with left over holiday food?.

Still fresh?

Firstly you need to make sure that leftovers are still fresh enough to eat. Labelling food as you use it will help you decide what you can still use and what you need to dispose of. Check the expiry, and use by dates, where possible. Organise your store cupboard so that the food with the shortest date is at the front, to be used first. Once you have noted what you have left to use, and when by, you can decide what to serve.

Old recipe books may offer inspiration.

Browse your old recipe books and on-line cooking sites for some tasty and unusual ways to use up your holiday food and drink. By January most of us are sick and tired of traditional Christmas fare and you may find that simple basic recipes will offer a good solution.

Baking stock.

Use your eggs, flour, fats and sugar up, perhaps with some apples that are a little past their best, to make apple pies or apple crumble. You can then use up your custard and cream as toppings.

Make a batch of quick and easy scones so that you can use up any left over dried fruits such as currants and sultanas.

Use your left over meat up in a basic pastry, to create a warming winter meal of meat and vegetable pie.

Make a classic Victoria sponge so that you use up some cream also.

Leftover meats.

Take care to only use meat that is still fresh.

Make curries and pasta dishes which only require a few other basic ingredients.

Mince the leftover meat in order to make a shepherd or cottage pie. This dish will also use up your old potatoes for the mash on top.

Any fish can also be made into a fish pie with either mashed potatoes or pastry.

Packed lunches can use up many leftovers but you may find that Turkey sandwiches just after Christmas do not go down very well. It is better to use your imagination and be creative serving up unusual meals that

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