Thanksgiving Eggrolls

While there are plenty of ways to enjoy leftovers from your Thanksgiving holiday meal, serving them up as a deep-friend appetizer or light meal alongside a sweet and savory cranberry dipping sauce is just way more fun. While I've provided a guideline on how to prepare these delicious eggrolls, there's no real 'recipe' per se... just use whatever leftover ingredients you've got on-hand as a filling.

INGREDIENTS:

Thanksgiving Leftovers, Whatever you've got on hand! (Cooked, Cold, Room Temperature)

• Turkey, Chopped
• Mashed Potatoes
• Sweet Potatoes or Yams
• Green Bean Casserole or Green Beans
• Stuffing
• Corn
• etc.

Eggroll Wrappers

• Eggroll Wrappers (find these in your refrigerator section, often near meat substitutes)
• 2 Tbsp. Water

Dipping Sauce

• Canned Cranberry Sauce
• Water

Frying Oil

• 1-½ Quarts Neutral Cooking Oil (such as Canola)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1: Gather your eggroll wrappers and whatever Thanksgiving leftovers you'd like to include and place the containers on a clean work surface. You'll also want a cutting board, and some spoons.

Step 2: In a deep pot over medium-high heat, add your oil so that it fills the pot just a little over half-way. Clip a candy thermometer to the rim and monitor the temperature until it reaches 350℉. 

If you are not using a thermometer, the end of a wooden spoon inserted into the oil will begin to bubble when your oil is hot enough to begin frying.

Step 3: In the meantime, fill a small bowl with water, and lay out one or two eggroll wrappers onto your cutting board. Begin spooning your leftover ingredients into the center, a little at a time, but be mindful of not adding too much, and leave room around the borders. Dip your finger in the water and run it all along the edges of the wrapper to moisten. This will help it to seal.

Step 4: Fold the bottom corner up over the center, tucking in the filling. Next, fold the sides in, pressing down, so that the wrapper looks like an unsealed envelope. Lastly, tightly fold the top down. Repeat with as many eggrolls as you wish to make, laying each, fold-side down, onto a sheet pan.

Chef Note: Don't forget to keep an eye on your oil temperature while your work!

Step 5: When hot enough to begin deep-frying, slowly lower 2 eggrolls at a time into the oil, rotating over a few times using a pair of metal tongs. Fry each batch of eggrolls for about 3 minutes, just until the wrappers are lightly golden brown. Remove the eggrolls from the oil and immediately place on a paper towel lined sheet pan.

Chef Note: Maintain an oil temperature of 350℉ while frying. If the oil gets too hot, there is a risk that the wrappers will burn before the filling warms; if the oil drops much below, the wrappers will soak in too much oil and be super greasy, not to mention they will fail to get that nice golden-brown color.

Step 6: Once you've finished frying, set the egg rolls aside and whip up a quick sweet and sour dipping sauce using leftover cranberry sauce and a splash of water. In a small bowl, break up the cranberry sauce using a fork, add a little water, and pop into the microwave for about 30 seconds, just to thin out the consistency a little bit, not to warm it.

Step 7: Serve the eggrolls alongside the cranberry dipping sauce. If not serving right away, keep the eggrolls in the oven under the warm setting.

---