19 Quick Lunches to Help You Save Time All Week

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Don't throw away that pumpkin purée just yet! You can use it to make delicious pumpkin cupcakes the entire family will keep coming back for. Once you add in a little pumpkin pie spice, flour, baking soda, dark brown sugar, and more goodies, you'll have 12 sweet treats to munch after Thanksgiving.

P.S. You may want to have someone else bake this recipe a second time so you can have 24 cupcakes!

Butternut Squash and Bacon Crostini

Your family will become a huge fan of crostinis once they taste this recipe. Between the butternut squash, ricotta cheese, and bacon, everyone will be eating sweet as well as savory mini sandwiches.

Curried Pumpkin Red Lentil Soup

Blend your leftover pumpkin and squash with coconut milk, red curry paste, ginger, and more veggies for the heartiest lentil soup you've ever tasted. Everyone will be looking to recreate this dish for a taste of lentils once they eat it, er, sip it.

Gluten-Free Frittata Recipe

Bring your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers together with some cheese, peppers, and onions for a delicious frittata. You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Thanksgiving Leftover Pop Tarts

These savory pop tarts are filled with cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and bits of tender turkey, then drizzled with gravy for a snack or meal that will knock your socks off. (via The Butter Half)

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

Put the sandwiches on hold, because this turkey pot pie is the *only* way to use those turkey leftovers to their greatest potential.

Leftover Turkey Salad With Cranberry Vinaigrette

Take your comfort food and turn it into something nutritious by topping salad with leftover turkey and a vinaigrette made with leftover cranberries.

Thanksgiving Leftovers Everything Bagel Sandwich

This recipe stuffs your everything bagel with a poached egg, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and turkey.

Aunt Bee's Leftover Turkey Casserole

It's cozy casserole season, so this recipe is the perfect way to use up that leftover turkey by adding it to a pasta bake that is rich, creamy, and jam-packed with flavor.

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Nothing soothes the soul better than a steamy bowl of soup like this, filled to the brim with tender shredded turkey, nourishing veggies, and a generous dollop of Greek yogurt for extra smoothness.

Deep-Fried Loaded Mashed Potato Bites

If you don't know what to do with that heap of extra mashed potatoes, we've got you covered with these crispy potato, bacon, and cheese-filled bites of glory.

Thanksgiving on a Roll

If you want ALL the carbs, this recipe sandwiches turkey and all the fixin's between a fresh roll and it. Is. Magical.

Turkey Fajita Rice Bowls

Kick things up a notch and put a healthy spin on your leftover turkey with these veggie-filled fajita rice bowls.

Thanksgiving Leftovers Pierogi

This recipe smashes the traditional pierogi together with leftover Thanksgiving goodies for a fun and seasonal spin on a classic.

Vegetarian Meatloaf and Cranberry Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich

Vegetarians can enjoy Thanksgiving to the max too, and if anything proves it, it's this stacked meatless 'wich that swaps the usual turkey for plant-based meatloaf.

Leftover Turkey Dinner Hash

These turkey-filled hash patties will make brunch fanatics swoon with their festive flavor and golden crisp exterior.

Turkey Teriyaki Stir-Fry

This feast doesn't just give you a healthful meal after gorging on holiday eats, but it also serves as a weeknight wonder, clocking in at just 15 minutes from start to finish!

Turkey Tetrazzini With Mushrooms

Putting that leftover turkey to use never looked so good with this creamy mushroom and pasta-filled tetrazzini.

Thanksgiving Leftovers Croque Madame

This Thanksgiving leftovers croque Madame sandwich is an excellent way to serve breakfast on Black Friday. After all, you'll need an extra boost from the fried eggs to get you through your mad dash at the mall!

Butternut Squash Casserole

Not sure what to do with all the leftover butternut squash? Make a cheesy au gratin casserole!

Vegan Cornbread Stuffing

Don't throw away your cornbread after Thanksgiving! You can use what's leftover to bake vegan cornbread stuffing to give it a toasted yet flavorful taste.

Pumpkin Salad

This tasty and crunchy pumpkin salad is a great option to make if you're confused about what to do with your leftover pumpkins.

Caramel Apple Gingerbread Cookie Cups

Let's say you bought one too many apples for the apple pie you baked. Instead of lamenting over your 'mishap,' use what's leftover after Thanksgiving to make caramel apple gingerbread cookie cups!

Thanksgiving Leftovers Pizza

This delicious leftover pizza is a thoughtful option for anyone who swears they're tired of eating leftover Thanksgiving turkey after a couple of days.

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup

Chances are it'll be cold the week of Thanksgiving so use your leftover sweet potatoes to create this creamy soup. It's good for the soul!

Vegan Mini Chocolate Pies with Pecan Caramel

Mini pies are the perfect Christmas dessert because they're hand-held and bite-sized, plus these feature chocolate, pecan, and caramel flavors! They're also vegan, which just makes us love them even more. (via Brit + Co)

Easy Puppy Chow Recipe

You probably already have everything you need for this DIY dessert recipe: peanut butter (or another nut butter), chocolate chips, Chex cereal, butter, and powdered sugar. The red and green candies are just a bonus! (via Brit + Co)

The Best Sugar Cookies

These sugar cookies are so good, they don't really need any embellishments, but would it really be a Christmas party without reindeer cookies?! Save a few to leave out for Santa, too. (via Brit + Co)

Oreo Red Velvet Cheesecake

If you love red velvet cake and you love cheesecake, then this is the dessert for you. The crust, cheesecake filling, and whipped cream come together beautifully so that every bite you take is better than the last! Plus, the Oreos on top are the perfect finishing touch. (via Brit + Co)

Paleo Christmas Cookies

Cookies will never be totally healthy, but there are definitely ways that you can make them healthier. Check out this easy Christmas dessert that's paleo-friendly. (via Brit + Co)

Eggnog French Toast

Have breakfast for dessert by adding eggnog to your French toast batter. It adds just the right amount of spice to the recipe and makes it creamy and smooth. (via Brit + Co)

Sweet Chai Latte Cupcakes

Turn your favorite morning beverage into a sweet treat with these cupcakes. The flavors and spices make for the perfect holiday season dessert. (via Brit + Co)

Peppermint Macarons with White Chocolate Ganache

Find a new way to enjoy the minty flavor of peppermint with this macarons recipe. Covered in white chocolate, it's a nod to the traditional French pastry. (via Brit + Co)

Chocolate Pumpkin Tart with Gingersnap Crust

Move over white chocolate ganache, because this pumpkintart is ready for its turn in the spotlight. We love that the gingersnap crust helps balance the rich taste of dark chocolate. (via Brit + Co)

Puff Pastry Apple Roses

These roses look good enough to eat – because they are indeed edible! It's the one time you'll enjoy stopping to smell the roses. (via Brit + Co)

Vegan Apple Cake

If puff pastry apple roses feel like too much of a lite dessert, you'll want to keep this vegan apple cake recipe handy. (via Brit + Co)

Baked Hot Chocolate Doughnuts

We have a *major* sweet tooth for anything that involves gooey chocolate, so combining our love of doughnuts and hot chocolate sounds like a dream come true. (via Brit + Co)

Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Yogurt Cups

Take a break from traditional Christmas desserts and make candy recipes instead! Who knows, someone may request that you make frozen chocolate peanut butter yogurt cups for their birthday next year. (via Brit + Co)

Eggnog with Sugared Rosemary

Who says desserts have to be food? This sweet drink is a classic Christmas dessert, whether you're decorating the tree or curling up for a movie night. Our favorite detail is definitely the sugared rosemary. (via Brit + Co)

Mini Gingerbread Cheesecakes

If regular slices of cheesecake are too rich for you, try these mini bite-sized options for your next get-together. They're a little bit spicy, a little bit sweet, and just the right amount of creamy. (via Brit + Co)

Even Santa Will Want A Bite Of These Christmas Desserts!

Peppermint Bark Cannoli

You just can’t get through the snowy season without indulging in some sweet and cool peppermint bark. No surprise, it's amazing in cannolis. (via Sugar and Cloth)

Mott's Gingerbread Cups

These lil cups are a fun, festive, and fabulous treat to make with and for your little ones — or for anyone else, frankly! Just look how cute they are! (via Mott's)

Rum and Eggnog Bundt Cake

We like big bundts and we cannot lie; a slice of this, we can't deny! Flavored with rum and eggnog, this luscious cake is slathered with a generous coating of eggnog cream cheese icing that will make your tastebuds sing. (via Liv for Cake)

Eggnog Cheesecake Brownies

With creamy eggnog cheesecake swirling into fudgy goodness, these brownies will make even eggnog naysayers fall in love with the soft and chewy bites. (via A Cookie Named Desire)

Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake

We know you’re thinking it because we’re thinking it — be still, my heart! This rich, minty, and chocolatey cake is dripping with glaze and topped with crushed candy canes. Can you say flavor bomb? (via Two Peas & Their Pod)

Champagne Donuts With White Chocolate Glaze

One of the best things about donuts is they can be enjoyed as both a dessert *and* as a sweet breakfast option. The Champagne-infused dough and white chocolate glaze create the ultimate holiday treat. (via Sugar and Cloth)

Apple and Mincemeat Filo Wreath

This swoon-worthy recipe stuffs crisp apples and mincemeat into a flaky filo pastry, resulting in complete dessert heaven. Adorned with cranberries and drizzled with custard, this treat is guaranteed to be a hit at any holiday party. (via Domestic Gothess)

Mexican Wedding Cookies

These tiny snowballs are slightly salty, nutty, buttery, and downright delish. (via Two Peas & Their Pod)

Cranberry Dark Chocolate Biscotti

We hope you’re ready for additional caffeine, because you’ll be brewing an extra cup a day just for an excuse to dip and devour these beauties. Totally addicting, these munchies are packed with nuts and cranberries and drizzled with chocolate. (via Pinch of Yum)

Homemade Marshmallows

Storebought marshmallows will never taste the same after you make these. Dip them in chocolate or add them to your hot cocoa for a truly decadent treat. (via The Real Food Dietitians)

Eggnog Panna Cotta with Spiked Cranberry Sauce

Silky smooth panna cotta may seem like a summery dessert, but when made with eggnog and topped with orange liqueur-spiked cranberry sauce, it's completely festive. (via Sprinkle Bakes)

You Won't Want To Share These Delicious Christmas Desserts

White Christmas Sparkle Cake

If you prefer snowflakes and twinkly lights to bright red and green decorations, you'll love this fluffy vanilla almond cake with cream cheese frosting. (via How Sweet Eats)

You Won't Believe How Tasty These Christmas Desserts Are

Meringue Christmas Wreath Cake

But if you do love colorful decorations, opt for this wreath cake, decked out with nonpareils and candy canes. (via Sprinkle Bakes)

Holiday Sugar Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Instead of rolling out dough to make individual cookies, bake up these bars, and have fun making your own sprinkle design on top. (via Averie Cooks)

Marmalade Thumbprint Cookies

It truly isn’t the holidays without some jam-filled thumbprint cookies to munch on. Though a berry jam is most commonly used, the choice of this orange jam is brilliant. (via The View From Great Island)

Christmas Tree Mousse Cups

You don't have to be an artist to make an adorable tree-shaped dollop of mousse in these chocolate cups. (via My Life Cookbook)

Peppermint Cream Puffs

Bite-size cream puffs are the ideal treat, and with a light peppermint ganache and festive sprinkles, they're holiday-ready. (via Best Friends for Frosting)

Chocolate Peppermint Mousse

We love how fluffy mousse is, and this Christmas dessert (which only needs four ingredients, FYI!!) mixes in peppermint extract for the perfect seasonal flavor. Add some crushed candy canes on top for an extra cute detail. (via Feel Good Foodie)

Funfetti Christmas Cake Roll

Don't be intimidated by the cylindrical shape; this colorful cake is both easy to bake and easy to roll up while hot. (via Passion for Savings)

Italian Pear Cranberry Tart

If the cranberry sauce at your Thanksgiving dinner didn’t satisfy your cranberry needs, this festive tart will. Fresh cranberries are piled into a shortbread crust over a luscious layer of almond cream, and it’s kind of the best thing ever. (via Just a Little Bit of Bacon)

Viennese Crescent Cookies

Popular in Austria, these melt-in-your-mouth Christmas cookies are a simple blend of hazelnuts, butter, and powdered sugar. (via Leite's Culinaria)

We'd Recommend These Christmas Desserts To Everyone

Mincemeat, Marzipan, and Apple Bread Wreath

Filled with mincemeat, marzipan, and apricot jam, this impressive buttery wreath is packed with flavor. And since it's fruity, you can get away with eating it for breakfast. (via Domestic Gothess)

Sugar Cookie Chocolate Crème Brûlée

Have more Christmas cookies than you know what to do with? Use them to top these velvety, chocolate-rich crème brûlées. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

If you want to get real fancy, haul out your bundt cake pan and try this recipe. The patterned cake looks even more impressive when laden with a shiny glaze. (via The View From Great Island)

Slice and Bake Heart Cookies

These heart-shaped cookies are so much easier to make than you'd think. Impress your Christmas guests with a bout of sugar cookies! (via Crowded Kitchen)

Tahini Brownies

If you can't handle full-on sweetness, try these brownies that mix in some tahini for a nutty flavor addition. The flaky salt on top adds an edge that you do not want to miss out on. (via Forks and Foliage)

Vegan Peanut Butter Blossoms

Is there a better duo than chocolate and peanut butter? These blossoms feature creamy peanut butter and dark chocolate chips for a rich, smooth take on the classic combo. (via Rachel Mansfield)

Olive Oil Orange Cake

This citrusy, just slightly olive-oily cake will brighten up your winter diet, and the touch of Grand Marnier makes it taste extra-elegant. (via Averie Cooks)

Hazelnut Shortbread with Salted Ganache Sandwich Cookies

Okay, regular Oreos. We raise you one with these uniquely delicious (and super festive!) homemade sandwich cookies! (via Vanilla and Bean)

Sugar Dusted Donut Christmas Tree by Chef Genevieve LaMonaca

For this delicious Christmas dessert, roll 60 (3lbs) white donut holes in 2.25oz green sugar sprinkles, then cover a 5.5 x 13.5-inch foam cone in plastic wrap. Insert your toothpicks (you'll need 60) into the foam, then push donut hole on the toothpick. Start from the bottom and work your way up. Add 1/2 cup peanut M&M’s to fill holes to resemble Christmas ornaments. Top with gold star cupcake topper. Cover with saran wrap until ready to use. Make up to 3 days ahead of time!

Is Joseph Quinn joining Narnia?

We haven't gotten an official confirmation that Joseph Quinn is joining the Narnia movies, but near the end of a Vanity Fair game with his Gladiator 2 costars, Fred Hechinger guesses Joe's favorite movie franchise is Narnia — and everyone immediately starts acting suspicious. Making faces at each other, getting quiet, and being super awkward is not the way to act inconspicuous, you guys. It definitely reminds me of the Outer Banks cast trying not to spoil the OBX 4 ending, which doesn't help the situation.

Who else could be in Greta Gerwig's Narnia cast?

After a reunion with Brie Larson at the 2024 Golden Globes (they starred in 2010's Greenberg together), X users are hoping the Oscar winner will make an appearance! "She need to get in Narnia somehow," one user said when they retweeted a video of the reunion. The reunion in question features Brie hopping like a bunny over to Greta, who squeals as they hug. That's exactly how I greet my friends IRL.

"When [Brie Larson] gets the Best Supporting Actress nomination for playing the White Witch, wait," one user added.

Saoirse Ronan told The Wrap at the Sundance Film Festival that she's already asked to be in Greta Gerwig's Narnia movies! The actress played the lead in two of Greta's films: Jo March in Little Women and the titular character in Ladybird. "We have that kind of relationship where I’m like 'So I’ll be in the next one!,'" she says. The actress also told The LA Times that "if [Greta] asks me, I’ll be in it."

However, it looks like we do have an idea of who we won't see in the cast. OG Narnia cast member William Moseley (Peter Pevensie) told Bleeding Cool he doesn't expect a call from Greta Gerwig: "I’m not part of that world anymore, which sometimes makes me sad because I love the world of Narnia and becoming a part of it."

"In terms of what I think about Greta Gerwig directing, I think she’s incredible," he continues. "Barbie was an amazing movie, and Little Woman was brilliant. Everything she touches turns gold, so I think Netflix is lucky to have her, and I’m sure she will embrace the challenge. I hope she enjoys it because it’s an incredible world to create, and I can’t wait to see what she produces."

Which Narnia story is Greta Gerwig adapting?

The specific Narnia movies the writer-director's making haven't been named, but a TIME interview claims Greta's adapting "the first book" in the series. The only hiccup is that they don't confirm whether they mean the first book chronologically (The Magician's Nephew) or the first book C.S. Lewis published (The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe). I'm thinking it'll be The Magician's Nephew since we've never seen that story onscreen.

“[The films] won’t be counter to how the audience may have imagined those worlds,” Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos tells TIME, “but it will be bigger and bolder than they thought.”

While we don't have official confirmation on which movie Greta Gerwig is adapting, we know she wants it to have even more of an impact than Barbie. "I want to make it feel like magic," she says. “C.S. Lewis said that the goal of writing fantasy — you know, something from his imagination — he’d say, let’s say you wrote about an enchanted forest. The goal would be that then every time you walk into a forest after you read it, you’d say to yourself, ‘maybe this is an enchanted forest.’ So that’s a tall order, but I guess re-enchantment of the world [is my goal].”

It looks like we can expect to come away from Greta Gerwig's The Chronicles of Narnia movies with even more love for the world, more childlike wonder, and more courage and kindness towards each other — and I am totally here for it.

How long has Greta Gerwig wanted to make a Chronicles of Narnia movie?

Like the intentional planner she is, Greta Gerwig actually thought about directing a Narnia movie way before her involvement was ever confirmed. "I would say the land of Narnia is equally exciting and terrifying," she says on The Empire Film Podcast. "I have nothing really to report on it other than it’s something I was actually talking about before I made Barbie. So, that’s been sort of in my unconscious working its way through. But that has been a pattern. I wrote a draft of Little Women before I made Lady Bird."

Narnia, Little Women, Barbie — Greta Gerwig has a knack for turning our beloved childhood stories into something complex and emotional that resonates with us even more as adults!

“I’m slightly in the place of terror because I really do have such reverence for Narnia,” Greta tells BBC Radio 4. “I loved Narnia so much as a child. As an adult, C.S. Lewis is a thinker and a writer. I’m intimidated by doing this. It’s something that feels like a worthy thing to be intimidated by."

"As a non-British person, I feel a particular sense of wanting to do it correctly," she continues. "It’s like when Americans do Shakespeare, there’s a slight feeling of reverence and as if maybe we should treat it with extra care. It is not our countryman.”

Are these new The Chronicles of Narnia movies a continuation or a reboot?

We don't have any info yet on whether this adaptation will pick up where The Voyage of the Dawn Treader left off, whether it will be a remake of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, or if it will be a totally new story within the Narnia universe (similar to Prime Video's The Rings of Power).

I'm personally anticipating that it will be the first option because I would love to see Greta bring something like The Magician's Nephew (which has never been adapted) to life onscreen.

What is The Chronicles of Narnia about?

The Chronicles of Narnia revolves around the fictional land of Narnia, and the children in our world who find it. Time passes differently in Narnia than it does on earth, which means that even though around 50 years pass for the characters, they find themselves in a different decade or century every time they reenter the magical land.

Each book has themes like good vs. evil, family, and identity as the characters face different challenges and adventures. The coolest thing about these books is how open-ended C.S. Lewis wrote them — because your own personal experiences, life lessons, and worldview impact your imagination, you have a different experience every time you read them.

“It’s connected to the folklore and fairy stories of England, but it’s a combination of different traditions,” Greta Gerwig tells TIME. “As a child, you accept the whole thing—that you’re in this land of Narnia, there’s fauns, and then Father Christmas shows up. It doesn’t even occur to you that it’s not schematic. I’m interested in embracing the paradox of the worlds that Lewis created, because that’s what’s so compelling about them.”

Are these new The Chronicles Of Narnia movies for Netflix?

Yes! Netflix acquired the rights to The Chronicles of Narnia (which were previously held by Walden Media) in 2018, but there wasn't much news for the next few years. The New Yorker confirmed that Greta is attached to write and direct these Narnia Netflix films in the near future.

Why did Disney stop making Narnia movies?

The final Chronicles of Narnia adaptation for Disney was 2010's The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Even though the film set up a sequel, issues with the rights ended the film series early.

The Chronicles Of Narnia Adaptations To Watch

Animated Film:

• The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe — on YouTube

BBC Miniseries:

• The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe — on YouTube
• Prince Caspian — on YouTube
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader — on YouTube
• The Silver Chair — on YouTube

Disney Feature Films:

• The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe — on Disney+
• Prince Caspian — on Disney+
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader— on Max