TERT . Turn Your Turkey Day Leftov er s Into Party-Time Favorites (NAPSA)—After enjoying your Thanksgiving meal complete with a stuffed turkey and steaming mashed potatoes, it can be disappointing to find your delicious work of art lying cold and half eaten in the fridge. Thanksgiving leftovers are inevitable, but they don’t have to go to waste. This holiday season, the chef instructors at Le Cordon Bleu have developed 3 poe ll tasty treats to create party-time favorites from your extra Thanksgiving food. For many, Thanksgiving signifies the beginning of cold weather and holiday parties. Thanks to Chef Edward Leonard, certified master chef and Le Cordon Bleu executive chef, you can throw a cocktail party to kick off the holiday season and put your uneaten food to good use. “Everyone looks forward to Thanksgiving food, but eating the same leftovers day after day can take the joy out of traditional holiday dishes,” said Chef Leonard. “To keep the excitement in Thanksgiving favorites, it’s important to think outside the box. This season, why not use your leftovers to create cocktail party appetizers?” Le Cordon Bleu chef instructors suggest trying new recipes in smaller proportions to avoid the pressure that comes when making a dish for thefirst time. Try serving a combination of familiar foods along with untried hor d’oeuvres. “Cocktail parties are a great time to try new recipes because you can makea little bit of everything,” said Chef Leonard. “You have already done the hard part photo credit: IStockPhoto Use holiday leftovers to create festive appetizers at your next cocktail party. creating your Thanksgiving meal and now you can experiment. At Le Cordon Bleu, we are always encouraging our students to put their own unique twist on traditional dishes.” Le Cordon Bleu teaches the foundational techniques needed for students to apply their skills and passion to transform traditional cuisine. For students and foodies alike, the holidays are a great chance to start looking for new ways to spice up classic recipes to give them a personaltouch. “For those who have a passion for cooking and want to develop uniquedishes of their own, I suggest checking out the Le Cordon Bleu MasterChef classes,” said Chef Leonard. “Our 16 campuses across the country host these monthly hands-on classes where food enthusiasts can experience a class with a professional Le Cordon Bleu instructor.” To learn more about Le Cordon Bleu, visit www.chefs.edu. MashedPotato Bites 2 cups mashedpotatoes 3 eggs, whisked % cup grated Asiago or Gruyere cheese % cup mincedscallions % cup diced turkey Salt and pepper Heat the oven to 400 F. and lightly grease a muffin tin or several small ramekins. Whisk together the mashedpotatoes, eggs, 4 cup of cheese, scallions and turkey. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place a large spoonful of the mixture into each cup. Add a pinch of cheese to the top of each potato bite. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cups are set. The bites should appear browned on top and hot. Serve immediately. Makes between 12 and 24 bites, depending on the size of the pan or ramekins used.
