Make a frittata with leftover ham and roasted vegetables
Beat together eggs with cream or milk and season well with salt and pepper. Add plenty of freshly chopped herbs. Layer sliced vegetables with chunky pieces of ham and good quality feta cheese in a deep oven-proof frypan or baking dish. Pour over the egg mixture and bake until just set and golden brown. Cool and serve in thin wedges with caramelised onion on sliced sourdough baguette for summer entertaining.

Use leftover turkey to make a Vietnamese-style coleslaw
Marinate sliced red onion and finely sliced lemongrass with rice vinegar and a little sugar to make a quick red onion pickle while you chop the rest of the ingredients. Add shredded wombok, red cabbage, grated carrot and green papaya together on a large platter. Add shredded turkey and the onion pickle, along with the pickling vinegar and mix gently. Drizzle over a little olive oil. Scatter over fresh Vietnamese mint and coriander leaves, chopped roasted peanuts and crisp fried shallots. Serve with prawn crackers and nuoc cham sauce.

Go Mexican with pulled pork tacos
Make a quick tomato chipotle sauce with chopped fresh tomatoes and tinned chipotle chillies in adobo. Add shredded pork and some cooked black beans and heat through. Serve on warmed soft corn tortillas with barbecued corn salsa and avocado guacamole. Add some finely shredded cabbage for crunch.

Make deluxe scrambled eggs with leftover smoked salmon
Lightly beat fresh eggs with cream and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Chop leftover smoked salmon and fold through eggs with lots of dill. Gently cook in a pan with melted butter until soft curds just set, then pile onto toasted grain bread. Serve with smashed avocado and a squeeze of lime.

Left with stale bread? Turn it into a delicious panzanella salad
Tear the bread into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop chilli and garlic and mix with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Pour over torn bread pieces in a large salad bowl and allow the bread to absorb the liquid. Grill whole red and yellow peppers until blackened then peel and remove seeds. Catch any juices and add these too. Tear the peppers with your hands and lay on top of bread. Add anchovies, wedges of ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, capers and black olives. Finish with marinated goat's feta.

Turn leftover panettone into an impromptu bread and butter pudding to feed unexpected guests
Lay slices of panettone in a shallow baking dish with plump, boozy rum-soaked raisins and chunks of good quality dark chocolate. Beat eggs with cream, fragrant vanilla and lemon zest. Pour over the panettone and allow to soak for a few minutes. Bake in the oven until just set. Serve warm with scoops of vanilla ice-cream and drizzle with extra hot chocolate sauce.

Christmas cake truffles
Make a chocolate ganache with equal parts cream and good quality dark chocolate. As the mixture cools and thickens, stir in crumbled Christmas cake and some finely chopped almonds. Pour into a shallow tray and set in the fridge. Use a melon baller or teaspoon to scoop dainty little truffles. Roll in dutch cocoa or dip in melted chocolate. Serve as petit fours with coffee.

Flavour ice-cream with leftover Christmas pudding to create a sensational summer dessert
Use store-bought vanilla ice-cream and allow it to soften in the fridge. Crumble up leftover Christmas pudding and stir through the ice-cream. Add a good pinch of cinnamon, some grated nutmeg and chopped nuts. Pour into a lined loaf tin and return to the freezer until set. Serve slices with lightly poached cherries in their syrup.

Leftover pavlova gets reinvented as Eton mess
Slice fresh strawberries and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Layer spoonfuls of pavlova in glass jars with whipped cream and balsamic strawberries. Repeat layers and finish with some fresh berries. Garnish with mint leaves, top the jars with lids and take on a summer picnic.

Adults-only popsicles will pack a punch
Any leftover cocktail mixes or punch? Try this simple idea. First, take a sip and adjust the flavour if necessary. Pour into small shot glasses, add wooden popsicle sticks and freeze for 2-3 hours until set. For an adults-only Golden Gaytime, try Frangelico with toffee ice-cream, frozen in moulds then rolled in melted chocolate and crushed biscuits. Or Campari and orange juice, sweetened with a little sugar syrup for a frozen take on a classic combination.