The Bite (Issue 9): Will it waffle? The Thanksgiving leftovers edition

Will it waffle? none One of the results of cooking fairly often is that, every few months, I become freshly enamored with a piece of cookware or a kitchen gadget. For a stretch, it was my Dutch oven; there was a lot of braising, I became a “[soup person](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0RhaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlYXRsYW50aWMuY29tL2hlYWx0aC9hcmNoaXZlLzIwMjAvMDEva2l0Y2hlbmFpZC1sZS1jcmV1c2V0LXBlYWstZG9tZXN0aWNpdHkvNjA1NzE2L1cDc3BjQgphjuQromGtgfoLUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACU~)” anew and even[bugged J. Kenji Lopez-Alt](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0RMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjAvMTEvMTgvai1rZW5qaS1scGV6LWFsdC1uby1rbmVhZC1icmVhZC1kdXRjaC1vdmVuL1cDc3BjQgphjuQromGtgfoLUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACU~) about the secrets to making a crispy no-knead loaf in one. Over the summer, it was my mandolin for all-shaved everything, from peppery wisps of radish to the kind of simply dressed summer squash that could[inspire a sort of epiphany](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0SAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMDYvMjIvY2hlZi1hYnJhLWJlcmVucy1zdW1tZXItc3F1YXNoLWVwaXBoYW55LWZhbGwtaW4tbG92ZS13aXRoLXRoZS1zZWFzb25zLXVuZGVyYXBwcmVjaWF0ZWQtcHJvZHVjZS9XA3NwY0IKYY7kK6JhrYH6C1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl). But when Billy, a family friend (who also happens to be a[tremendous woodworker](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0RgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZmFjZWJvb2suY29tL3BhZ2VzL2NhdGVnb3J5L0Z1cm5pdHVyZS1TdG9yZS9CcmFkZm9yZC1GaW5lLUZ1cm5pdHVyZS00ODE4MjkyNjE4OTE2MjAvVwNzcGNCCmGO5CuiYa2B-gtSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAJQ~~)) asked me the other day how I was planning on using up the inevitable leftover odds-and-ends of Thanksgiving leftovers, I had two words for him: waffle iron. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Thanksgiving leftovers go-tos almost as much as the meal itself. A [turkey sandwich](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0RNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjAvMTEvMjcvaG9saWRheS1sZWZ0b3ZlcnMtc2FuZHdpY2gtdHVya2V5LWNyYW5iZXJyeS9XA3NwY0IKYY7kK6JhrYH6C1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl) on thick, white bread, stacked high with random bits from the fridge and a smear of cranberry mayonnaise, provides one of the best first bites of the year. While living in Kentucky, I learned to love a Hot Brown, a mess of an open-faced sandwich that’s smothered in velvety mornay sauce and topped with a single ruby slice of tomato. Turkey soup is a seasonal comfort, while a leftovers-packed burrito is a stoner’s delight (though, if you have the wherewithal, you really should pickle your leftover cranberries for a relishy-salsa accompaniment). Writer Maggie Hennessy’s updated [turkey rice supreme](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0RQaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjYvYS1jYXNzZXJvbGUtcmVkdXgtYmVmaXR0aW5nLW9mLWxlZnRvdmVyLXR1cmtleS9XA3NwY0IKYY7kK6JhrYH6C1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl)sounds divine. However, one of my absolute favorite uses of Thanksgiving leftovers is simply asking, “Will it waffle?” Most folks know this, but your waffle iron is multi-use beyond breakfast. As long as you make sure your waffle maker is well-oiled, most carby things tend to crisp up really, really well; I like using PAM nonstick spray for baking, which is made with both oil and flour. Before I share some of my favorites, let me know how you’re using your leftovers. Do you have a go-to recipe? Or are you finding yourself a little stuck? Let us know at food@salon.com — Ashlie D. Stevens, deputy food editor none Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes Mashed potatoes, sweet or regular, can be whisked together with an egg, a little flour and a few add-ins — crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, minced onion and garlic — to create crisp, almost latke-like potato waffles. Top them with gravy or serve them alongside sour cream with some chopped chives. Stuffing and Macaroni and Cheese Whether cornbread or sourdough-based, the stuffing is the Thanksgiving side I look forward to most each year. It’s also one of the better leftovers because it reheats pretty well, though is all the better when done so in the waffle iron. Want to immediately up your leftover sandwich game? Top it with a disc of crispy stuffing. The same goes for macaroni and cheese. Cranberry Sauce While cranberry sauce itself decidedly does not waffle, it’s a fabulous mix-in for standard waffle batter. A tablespoon or two goes a long way, especially if accompanied by a little fresh citrus zest. Leftover Pie Dough Leftover pie dough, however, does waffle. Roll out a round of pie dough to fit your waffle iron and sprinkle it with brown sugar and a generous amount of cinnamon. Top it with another round of pie dough and cook it. It’s amazing as-is, but if you want to be a little extra, serve them alongside some cream cheese icing. Fried Rice This isn’t so much a suggestion for transforming your leftovers, per se, as it is for a vehicle for serving said leftovers. Leftover rice — which is bound with whipped egg, some soy sauce and sesame oil — can be cooked in a waffle iron until crisp. Use that as the base for your open-faced leftovers sandwich. From the kitchens of our home cooks Quick and Dirty: [Stay inside Black Friday and eat scones instead](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0RRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjYvc3RheS1pbnNpZGUtYmxhY2stZnJpZGF5LWFuZC1lYXQtc2NvbmVzLWluc3RlYWQvVwNzcGNCCmGO5CuiYa2B-gtSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAJQ~~) Oracle Pour: [How to make a Cranberry Mojito, the perfect compliment to any Thanksgiving feast](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0RxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjQvaG93LXRvLW1ha2UtYS1jcmFuYmVycnktbW9qaXRvLXRoZS1wZXJmZWN0LWNvbXBsaW1lbnQtdG8tYW55LXRoYW5rc2dpdmluZy1mZWFzdC9XA3NwY0IKYY7kK6JhrYH6C1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl) What we’re reading - [Londoners Lose Their Minds Over the Debut of Popeyes in the UK](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0RSaHR0cHM6Ly9sb25kb24uZWF0ZXIuY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjQvMjI3OTYwNjMvcG9wZXllcy1jaGlja2VuLXVrLXJlc3RhdXJhbnQtb3BlbmluZ1cDc3BjQgphjuQromGtgfoLUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACU~) — Eater - [Did you (or your dog) eat a suspicious mushroom? These very online mycologists want to help](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0RWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudm94LmNvbS9kb3duLXRvLWVhcnRoLzIyODAwNzkzL211c2hyb29tLXBsYW50LXBvaXNvbi1mYWNlYm9vay1oZWxwLWRvZy1wZXRXA3NwY0IKYY7kK6JhrYH6C1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl)— Vox - [Why Gen Z Is Flocking to New York’s Old-School Hotels and Bars](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0RPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8xMS8yNi9ueXJlZ2lvbi9iZW1lbG1hbnMtcmFpbmJvdy1yb29tLXJldml2YWwuaHRtbFcDc3BjQgphjuQromGtgfoLUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACU~) — New York Times Finally, something rancid… Hat tip to Salon science editor [Keith Spencer](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0QsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL3dyaXRlci9rZWl0aF9hX3NwZW5jZXJXA3NwY0IKYY7kK6JhrYH6C1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl)for bringing this monstrosity to my attention. Folks, let me introduce you to the Cthurkey, which is what would happen if H.P. Lovecraft was tasked with the Thanksgiving entree. Part turkey, part octopus, part crab legs — all the stuff of nightmares. You can check out some photos of them [here](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0QwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5zdGFncmFtLmNvbS9leHBsb3JlL3RhZ3MvY3RodXJrZXkvVwNzcGNCCmGO5CuiYa2B-gtSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAJQ~~). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, 19801 DE [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0Q8aHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvdGhlLWJpdGUvdW5zdWJzY3JpYmU_aWQ9QDM0NTA5VwNzcGNCCmGO5CuiYa2B-gtSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAJQ~~) Copyright © 2021 The Bite, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhLDiP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgphjuQromGtgfoLUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACU~)