Thanksgiving Leftovers

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!  Now, what to do with the leftovers?

First, let's dispel the myth that it all has to be eaten right away or it will go bad.  If you've had enough turkey for a while, put the leftovers in zip close freezer bags and toss them in the freezer.  You can easily defrost them and have the pre-cooked meat ready for another meal.  Don't forget to freeze the gravy as well.

Whether you decide to use the leftovers now or later, here are a few suggestions:

Sandwiches:

     -Combine the meat and the gravy for use as hot open faced sandwiches.
     -Shred the remaining white meat and mix with mayo or Miracle Whip for turkey salad.
     -To use many leftovers, make a hearty sandwich of sliced turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

Make turkey pie:
     Throw some frozen peas, carrots, and corn in the mixture, pour in a pie plate and cover with pre-made pie crust or biscuits.  Heat in a 375 degree oven for about an hour.  You'll know that it's done when the gravy starts to bubble up.

For something a little different:
    Coat a frying pan with cooking spray.  Toss in the chunked turkey meat, pour in some teriyaki marinade and some fresh or frozen broccoli.  Cover and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the broccoli is crisp tender.  Serve over rice.

For a Mexican flair:
     Coat a frying pan with cooking spray.  Toss in the chunked turkey meat, cover with a jar of your favorite salsa.  You can also add in black beans and corn if you'd like.  Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 15-20 minutes, until heated through.  Serve over tortilla chips.

Like curry?
    Coat a frying pan with cooking spray.  Toss in the chunked turkey meat.  Pour in enough orange juice to almost cover the meat.  Add a teaspoon of mustard and sprinkle generously with curry to taste.  Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat until most (but not all!) of the orange juice has reduced.  Serve over rice.

You can substitute turkey in almost any recipe that calls for chicken.  Use your imagination AND your leftovers - you may even make a new family favorite!