3 Thanksgiving leftover sandwich recipes that even non-cooks — like me — can try

As this story’s headline indicates, I’m not much of a cook.

I can do meatloaf in a pinch and can manage some roasted veggies — and I’ve even been known to create some of the best baked spicy chicken wings this side of … well, this side of my street. Maybe.

‘Let’s get to cookin’!’

That said, this Thanksgiving Day, do you have plans for all those leftovers that have predictably piled up after dinner is done? All of that turkey, stuffing, and, of course, cranberry sauce?

Sure, there are plenty of exotic recipes for leftovers out there that require a bit of effort — as well as ingredients that may not be so easy to procure if you don’t already have them on hand (especially amid crowded Black Friday shopping conditions). And who wants to exert even more effort after hours and hours of prep time and cooking time on this holiday?

Certainly not me — and I’m not even the one doing the Thanksgiving cooking. Ease and speed and comfort are the kings in this kitchen.

In an effort to help y’all think ahead, how about a trio of post-holiday sandwich ideas that can win the day and pare down the piles of food left in your fridge?

Thanksgiving leftover sliders

This entertaining fellow — his YouTube handle is @morehowtobbqright — presents on video what appears to be an easy recipe for sliders that even I’d be game to try. (He also calls them “samiches,” so you know they’re gonna be good.)

Our chef tells us, “Let’s get to cookin’!” and then shows us how.

Looks like you need a pack of King’s Hawaiian Savory Butter Rolls — but hey, maybe you can repurpose leftover dinner rolls from your T-Day feast too. He says you then place all the bottom roll halves on foil, pile up a bunch of American cheese slices, followed by leftover turkey pieces, then your leftover stuffing, then your leftover cranberry sauce — followed by, you guessed it, more of those American cheese slices — and then you pop the top halves of the rolls on top to crown your creation.

Our chef also instructs us to melt some butter and brush it on the top of the “samiches,” after which you wrap ’em all in foil and then bake them on a tray for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Then you uncover the sliders and bake them for 15 more minutes to brown the tops.

Thanksgiving leftover quesadillas

Believe it or not, even easier than the sliders.

Our chef — her YouTube handle is @MealsWithMaria — shows us in a less-than-30-second video how simple these quesadillas are to create.

Just warm some butter in a skillet over medium heat and add a tortilla. Then add leftover mashed potatoes, leftover sweet potatoes, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and chunks of leftover turkey. Then you fry it all up until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy.

Finally, for the last minute of heat, you add some leftover cranberry sauce on top and fold over the tortilla. She suggests slicing it in half and, if you want, dipping it in leftover gravy.

Thanksgiving leftover deluxe grilled cheese sandwiches

OK, now for the “deluxe” portion of our program.

Our YouTube guide — his handle is @Chef_Tyler — presents a snazzy grilled cheese sandwich recipe in his brief video. First, he suggests toasting your leftover bread in an oiled pan before assembling the stuff in the middle. (It also looks like he’s slicing part of a leftover hard-crusted loaf. This is already a mighty big cut above the grilled cheese I typically make.)

He then tells us to mix our leftover cranberries with mayo — to prevent things from getting soggy — and then spread the mixture on the toasted bread. (Oh, got any herbs on hand? They’re good for that cranberry-mayo spread too.)

Then you put your cheese on top of the spread — he recommends slices of aged cheddar or gouda, but anything will do. Then the leftover turkey chunks. The drier the better, believe it or not. (And don’t forget to heat the turkey in the pan before putting it on top of the cheese, as Chef Tyler says that will help the cheese melt faster.)

It appears you cook the sandwich on both sides until the crust is golden brown — natch — and then dip it in leftover gravy if you want.