7 Easy Recipes to Make the Most of Your Christmas Leftovers

The holidays bring family gatherings, cherished memories and massive amounts of food. Everyone has a favorite dish they wait for all year long. After the third or fourth helping, however, they are more than willing to wait till next year before they eat it again. When you have an abundance of some of your favorite foods, you can either freeze the Christmas leftovers or use them as ingredients in other recipes. A few include:

1. Candy Cane Kisses – Melt three different types of chocolate in three separate bowls (2 3-ounce bars of semisweet chocolate, 1 3-ounce bar milk chocolate and 1 3-ounce bar white chocolate) Drop a tablespoon full of semi-sweet chocolate on wax paper, top with a spoonful of the milk chocolate and then the white chocolate. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

2. Ham and Polenta Casserole – This is easy to make and full of flavor. Ingredients can be practically thrown together and baked within a few minutes, making a hearty meal on a warm winter day.

3. Chicken Tomato Wraps – Mix the ingredients and set out tortilla wraps. Add some chips and let everyone make their own plate. Easy to make and works well for a quick lunch – or if you are in a hurry.

4. Ham and Swiss Quiche – Colorful, tasty and ready to eat in less than an hour. Makes for a great brunch or carry in dish.

5. Cranberry Meatballs – You can use either freshly made or frozen meatballs for this recipe. Mix together the cranberry sauce and other ingredients, add the cooked meatballs and serve with toothpicks. Great for snacks or tailgate parties.

6. Wild Rice Chowder with Ham – If you have an ample amount of leftover ham, this dish can be made and served as soup for the guys when they gather for New Year's to watch football.

7. Potato Pancakes – Mix flour and a small amount of cornstarch into mashed potatoes until a soft dough is formed. Place large spoonful in hot skillet with moderate amount of cooking oil or butter. Cook and serve as you would regular pancakes.