Left with extra latkes, brisket, chicken, and Hanukkah gelt after your holiday celebrations? Here are eight ideas for using up your leftovers and extending the holiday spirit.

First, some tips for reheating and storage. If you have more latkes than you can use, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer the pancakes to an airtight freezer bag or container. To reheat from frozen, place them on a baking tray and bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 to 20 minutes. If you have time, I recommend reheating leftover latkes from room temperature. Place them on an ungreased baking sheet and bake in a 250 degree F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes.

To freeze leftover brisket or chicken, divide whatever you have  into  appropriate portion sizes first, so you don’t have to defrost everything for just a few servings.

I have found Hanukkah gelt (the foil covered chocolate coins used for playing dreidel) to be virtually indestructible so I just store them in an airtight bag at room temperature in my pantry.

8 Tips for Using Up Your Leftovers

1. Use a latke pretty much anywhere a potato would go. Sure they are great with any saucy stew or braise, but latkes also make a crispy side to grilled meats and sausages, and they taste great with ketchup, barbecue sauce, and even chutneys.  Try layering a heated latke on top of your burger and sprinkling it with some  z’hug (Yemeni chili sauce), harissa (North African hot sauce) or a spicy sauce of your choice for a Big Maccabee delight.
2. Make a latke sandwich. Take two crispy, warmed potato pancakes and put hummus, leftover brisket or chicken, or another favorite sandwich filling between them. A latke grilled cheese is fabulous with your favorite combo of cheeses, some chutney or sliced apple, and a few minutes of frying or grilling until the middle is melted and gooey.
3. Try a leftover latke with an egg on top.  Much like their cousins hash browns and home fries, potato pancakes have an affinity for eggs. Place a poached or fried egg on top of a crispy latke and serve for breakfast or as a light entrée. Top with a sprinkle of chopped green onions, a pinch of sea salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. (Try heating up the latke first in a waffle maker for an extra toasty and crispy base.) Or shred latkes into bite-sized pieces and add to a lox (or salami), onion, and egg scramble.
4. Top soups or salads with crumbled latke pieces. Or use them to add texture and flavor to shakshuka and stews just before serving. I like to scatter bite-sized bits of leftover latkes on top of a sweet potato soup, butternut squash soup, or red lentil and tomato soup. Combine ½ teaspoon curry powder (or more to taste) with 1 cup Greek-style yogurt, stir well and garnish the soup with dollops of this as well. Or use the latke pieces as warmed croutons in green salads after dressing but before serving.
5. Turn leftover brisket or chicken into soup. Make (or use a purchased) tomato-vegetable soup (such as a minestrone). Shred the leftover brisket or chicken, add it to the soup, and then heat everything through.  Leftover chicken can also be added to salads or made into chicken salad.
6. Transform leftover brisket into kreplach (Eastern European soup dumplings).  Using square wonton wrappers as a shortcut, combine 1 ½ cups leftover brisket, a few tablespoons chopped and browned onions, and a large egg (plus a splash of stock if needed) in a food processor and pulse until chopped fine. Fill each wonton wrapper (you’ll need about 80) with 1 tablespoon  of the brisket filling. Moisten the inside edges of a  wrapper with water or beaten egg. Fold it into a triangle and press down on edges to seal. Repeat with the rest of the wonton wrappers and filling. Boil the kreplach for  3 to 5 minutes (or as recommended on the wonton package) and drain. Eat immediately or reheat them in chicken soup.
7. Stir fry leftover brisket in Brisket Fried Rice (from 52 Shabbats: Friday Night Dinners Inspired by a Global Jewish Kitchen). See the full recipe below – any flavorful brisket or beef pot roast with sauce works, but I recommend using the Pomegranate Molasses Brisket also from 52 Shabbats.
8. Make Gelt S’Mores. For each s’more, unwrap a chocolate coin and place it on top of a graham cracker square. Top with a marshmallow. Place on a paper towel in the microwave. Cook on high for 10 to 15 seconds, until puffy. Top with a second graham cracker square, lightly press together, and enjoy immediately!

Brisket Fried Rice

Adapted from 52 Shabbats: Friday Night Dinners Inspired by a Global Jewish Kitchen

Serves 4

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon minced ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
½ cup chopped carrots
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup shelled fresh or frozen green peas
2 cups shredded or slivered cooked brisket or pot roast
2 to 3 tablespoons sauce from the meat, optional
3 cups cooked long-grain white rice, at room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

In a 12-inch skillet or wok, heat the oil over high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper (if using) and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the peas and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the brisket and sauce (if using) and cook, stirring frequently, until hot, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the rice and cook, stirring and breaking up any clumps in the rice, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the salt, black pepper, and green onions and stir until combined. Taste, and add more salt and/or black pepper, if desired.

Serve hot, drizzled with sesame oil and sprinkled with cilantro.