Having guests for Thanksgiving dinner is great. Having treasured friends and family stick around for a couple of extra days is even better.

But guests have to eat and you just spent a week (or more!) preparing that big holiday meal and you're simply "cooked out."

Sure, leftovers will work for a meal or two, but eventually you're going to have to prepare something else.

And don't forget that big football game coming up on Friday afternoon, with even more games on TV over the weekend.

That adds up to a lot of food.

Don't worry, here are several suggestions to help keep those hungry houseguests a bay for at least a day or two and don't require marathon hours in the kitchen.

Let's start with breakfast casseroles, also called stratas, that feature layered ingredients, require little prep work and are great time-savers. They can often be assembled the night before and popped into the oven the next morning. And if your guests don't all get up at the same time, casseroles can be kept warm until they are ready to eat.

Overnight Croissant Breakfast Casserole

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes, plus overnight chilling time

12 to 15 day-old mini croissants

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 ounces diced ham

1-1/2 pounds sweet onions or other onions, chopped or sliced into 1-inch long pieces (about 4 cups)

5 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped

6 large eggs

2 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

6-8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided

Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange croissants, slightly overlapping, in 2 rows.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the ham and saute until it's lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer ham to a large bowl. (If using country ham, reserving drippings in skillet.) Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet; stir in onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned, about 20-30 minutes. Add the spinach; cook, stirring often, until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer onion/spinach mixture to bowl with ham; let cool 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper. Add egg mixture and 1 1/2 cups cup of the cheese to bowl with onion mixture and stir to combine. Pour mixture over croissants. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and chill 8 hours or up to overnight.

When you're ready to serve, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover casserole and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and center is set, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cover with foil after 25 minutes, if necessary, to prevent excess browning.

Makes 10 servings.

Recipe adapted from: Southern Living Magazine, December 2018

This recipe from food writer J.M. Hirsch makes plenty so it's easy to feed a crowd, particularly if you have guests joining the fun closer to brunch. The leftovers are easily reheated. Hirsch says he likes it served with a drizzle of maple syrup. But if you'd rather take this in a savory direction, add chopped ham when combining the potatoes and cheese.

French Toast Hash Crumble Casserole

Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes (15 minutes active)

9 eggs

2/3 cup half-and-half

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

8 slices sandwich bread

4 cups (about 1 pound) frozen shredded potatoes

3 large apples, peeled, cored and diced

8 ounces (2 cups) shredded cheese

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 tablespoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Coat a deep 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange 4 slices of the bread in an even layer over the bottom of the pan.

In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, apples and cheese. Spread the mixture evenly over the bread. Pour half of the egg mixture evenly over the potatoes and apples, pressing it with a fork to help it absorb evenly. Top the potato mixture with the remaining 4 slices of bread. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread and press gently with a fork to help it absorb.

In the same bowl used to mix the potatoes and apples, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together until evenly blended. Spread the crumble topping evenly over the bread. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until morning.

When ready to bake, heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover the baking dish and bake for 1 hour, or until lightly browned and crisp.

Makes 12 servings.

Recipe from: J.M. Hirsch

If your guests are sticking around to watch the Husker game on Friday, the 3 p.m. kick-off time means you might have to feed them - lunch if they come early, supper if they stick around after the game ... or even both.

This recipe from food writer Susan Selasky falls into the sandwich/slider category and is ideal for feeding a crowd. These Baked Ham and Cheese sliders take little effort and are impressive. Selasky came across the recipe in Cook's Country magazine and it quickly became her "go-to sandwich" for game-day or last minute gatherings.

Selasky says she has made them using the small and square King's Hawaiian Rolls, round slider buns and larger sandwich buns. You will need to adjust the amount of sliced deli meat depending on the size bun you use. Most any sliced deli lunch meat works (just don't slice it too thick), though turkey and ham are the best.

For the cheese, any variety will do, but thin sliced is best.

These sliders are across-the-board winners in terms of prep time, make-ahead and flavor.

Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

24 slider buns (see note)

6 to 8 tablespoons Dijon, coarse grain brown or yellow mustard

24 slices favorite ham or turkey (use more if the slices are very thin)

24 thin slices provolone or Swiss cheese

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange slider bun bottoms on a sided baking sheet or arrange in a baking dish (you may need 2). Brush some mustard on the bottom bun. Fold ham slices in thirds, and place 1 slice (or 2 if they are very thin) on each roll bottom. Fold the cheese the same way and then place over ham. Season with pepper. Brush the inside of the bun cap with more mustard if you'd like. Place bun cap on ham.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, onion, and poppy seeds. Microwave until butter is melted and onion is softened, about 1 minute. Whisk in Worcestershire, garlic powder, and remaining 2 tablespoons mustard into butter mixture until combined. Generously brush tops and sides of the sandwiches with all of butter mixture. Spoon any remaining solids over sandwiches.

Cover dish with aluminum foil and let sit for 10 minutes to allow sandwiches to absorb sauce. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until cheese is melted around edges and tops are slightly firm, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve.

Makes 6 servings (4 sliders each).

Notes: You can brush the sandwiches with the sauce, cover and refrigerate up to 1 day in advance. You can use any type roll or bun for these sandwiches. If you use larger rolls, consider adding more than one slice of ham to each one.

Recipe from Cook's Country magazine, via Susan Selasky

If your crowd is into dips, go a step further and offer a hot option.

Hot-and-Creamy Pesto Spinach Dip

Start to finish: 30 minutes (10 minutes active)

2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

9-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess liquid

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup milk or cream

1/4 cup minced fresh basil

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a shallow, 4-cup baking dish or 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.

In a medium skillet over medium, heat the oil. Add the garlic, stir for 30 seconds, then add the spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach is cooked and no liquid remains in the pan, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, Monterey Jack, Parmesan, milk, basil and a hefty pinch each of salt and pepper. Use an electric mixer to beat until well combined, then add the spinach mixture and mix again until fully incorporated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, smoothing the top, then bake for 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbling. Serve hot with bread or crackers.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe from: Katie Workman

chili is always a hit on game day and this Beef and Black Bean chili is a vegetable-rich bowl that hits all the right notes. Food writer Daniel Neman describes it as "warm and deeply satisfying, expertly blending the heat and complexity of just the right amount of chili powder with the sweet redemption of bell peppers and mushrooms.

"And not only does it taste the way chili is meant to taste, it is good for you, too. The recipe comes from Weight Watchers, though it does not have that low-cal, dieting feel at all. I usually make it with ground turkey to get the calorie count even lower, and vegetarians can easily adapt it for their needs by leaving out the beef, adding more beans and using water or vegetable stock."

Beef and Black Bean Chili

1/2 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey

2 onions, chopped

2 celery ribs, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 (10-ounce) package sliced cremini (baby portobello) or white mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 (14-1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups water, or 1 cup water and 2 cups vegetable stock

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano or 2 sprigs fresh

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Spray a large nonstick saucepan with nonstick cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain any fat.

Add onions, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes.

Add tomatoes, beans, water, stock (if using), tomato paste, bay leaf, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the chili is thickened, about 45 minutes.

Makes 4 servings (2 cups each).

Recipe from: Daniel Neman

And last - but certainly not least - is dessert. Once the pumpkin pie is gone, check out these easy-to-make bars. The sweet and tart tastes of fall are brought alive with the cranberries and pear nectar. Do not substitute old-fashioned oats for steel-cut oats or quick cooking oats.

Cranberry Pear Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar, plus another 2/3 cup, divided

3/4 cup cold butter

1 cup regular rolled oats

2/3 cup pear nectar

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 cups fresh cranberries

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan with foil, leaving about 1 inch of foil extending over the ends of the pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the oats.

Reserve 1 cup oats mixture. Press remaining mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for about 15 minutes or until light brown.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan stir together pear nectar and 2/3 cup brown sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries. Let simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat, stir in nutmeg.

Spread cranberry mixture evenly over baked crust. Sprinkle reserved oat mixture over cranberry mixture. Bake for about 25 minutes more, or until the top is light brown.

Cool in pan on a wire rack. Use the overlapping foil to remove from pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into bars.

Makes 32 bars.

Recipe from: "Baking Step by Step" by Better Homes and Gardens

Rice Krispies Treats get a peanutty twist here. The chewy, gooey bars are treated to a chocolate and butterscotch topping that make them ethereal.

Chocolate-Butterscotch Crispy Bars

1 cup honey

1/4 cup sugar

1-1/4 cups crunchy peanut butter

6 cups crisp rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies

1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels

1 (12-ounce) package butterscotch morsels

1/2 cup chopped honey-roasted peanuts

Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, stir together honey and sugar over medium-high heat. Bring just to a boil; remove from heat. Add peanut butter stirring well until combined. Add cereal, stirring until evenly coated. (Mixture will be thick.)

Press cereal mixture into prepared pan.

In a medium bowl, place chocolate and butterscotch. Microwave in 30-second intervals until they melt, stirring after each interval.

Spread chocolate mixture in an even layer over cereal mixture. Top with peanuts. Let cool until chocolate hardens; cut into squares.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Recipe from: Taste of the South magazine, Fall Baking 2015 issue

Terri Hahn of Osceola has worked in food media for more than 30 years and has won numerous state and national awards for her writing.