July Fourth Leftovers can spark as many fireworks as those from Thanksgiving feasts. Sure, holiday turkey is tried and true as a leftover, but the creativity possible with less usual summer candidates — like hot dogs, hamburgers, corn on the cob, fruit salad and All-American apple pie — just might give you freedom from cooking the following day.

Tightly cover and refrigerate all of your goodies until you are ready to prepare the leftovers within 24 hours. All ingredients are to taste. Here are some innovative ideas for your Day-After Independence Day.

HOT DOG HELP FOR BREAKFAST

Slice leftover cooked hot dogs and carefully saute in olive oil with sliced green and red bell peppers, red onions and a pressed clove of garlic before using as a filling for a cooked omelet.

KICK-START FOR CASSEROLE

Gently mix all of these cooked leftovers: sliced hot dogs, broken-up bits of hamburgers, chunks of barbecued boneless chicken, baked beans and shucked corn. Combine with your favorite casserole recipe before baking.

PICK THIS POTATO

Remove flesh from leftover baked potatoes, mash and mix with leftover grilled corn on the cob, black pepper, garlic powder, chopped chives and butter. Heat until hot.

TUTTI-FRUTTI SALAD

Place leftover summer fresh fruit salad on a baking sheet and sprinkle with brown sugar. Heat in oven at desired temperature until caramelized, making sure it doesn't burn. Let cool. Prepare a spinach salad foundation, top with the cooled caramelized fruit and drizzle with homemade or store-bought yogurt dressing.

CHEESY PLEASING APPLE PIE

Following the centuries'-old tradition of topping apple pie with cheddar cheese, place slices of both white and regular sharp cheddar cheese on top of leftover apple pie with golden raisins and candied pecans between each slice of cheese. Heat until pie is heated through and cheese is melting.

AFTER-WORK GOURMET COOKBOOK SHELF

Many food and nutrition aficionados are fans of the decades of PBS or National Public Television specials by cookbook and health authors. These often-acclaimed shows at times feature before-and-after profiles of those helped by the authors' teachings or the live audiences are filled with such participants. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to receive the attention of one of your favorite nutritional cookbooks authors, Haylie Pomroy is going to feature 6 to 10 people in her next planned special, who will have worked with the author during summer and fall of 2017. Pomroy authored "The Fast Metabolism Diet." To be considered, people must be aged 45 or older, want to lose 30 pounds or more and fulfill at least three other requirements (including being available on specific dates) listed on her website!

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.