Things to Do with Leftover Turkey

For many people, the days following Thanksgiving are full of leftovers and sandwiches. You know the feeling, your turkey was too large, you made too many potatoes, there's an entire bowl of stuffing left. So, we gather 'round the fridge, make sandwiches and re heat leftovers until we're absolutely tired of it and swear we're never making turkey again.

There is so much that one can do with the left over turkey, besides sandwiches, that it's crazy we generally resort to slapping slices of it between bread and adding condiments. Here's a few of the things we do with our left overs, to keep things exciting.

Turkey Burritos:

In a frying pan, saute butter, garlic and onion.

Thinly slice turkey and heat it in the sauce.

Lightly dust with your favorite spices. I use chili powder, black pepper and parsley flakes.

When turkey is heated, add to tortillas with salsa, sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce and cheese.

Turkey and Rice:

If you have a crock pot, this can be an easy way to get rid of any left overs.

Add rice with double the amount of water

Dust the top of the water with your favorite spices. I use chili powder, garlic salt, parsley flakes and black pepper. Stir.

When the water is hot, add turkey and any loose vegetables you may have left over. Also canned or frozen vegetables work well.

Eat when the rice is fully cooked.

When I have several pounds of turkey left over, I will dice it into small pieces and put it in a large frying pan with olive oil. Adding Cream of Mushroom Soup and Powdered Onion Soup and letting it sit over low heat, stirring frequently, until the turkey is completely coated with both soups. If there is left over mashed potatoes I will serve this dish over them, but it also tastes great over noodles of your choice or fried potatoes.

Note: This requires a lot of turkey, or the mushroom and onion soups will be overbearing and too rich.

Turkey salad is a light and healthy snack that can be enjoyed on crackers or a leaf of lettuce.

Cube the turkey and add mayo, celery, apples or raisins and walnuts. Add each of these to taste.

For those of you who prefer a healthier meal, heating slices or chunks of the leftover turkey in a saute of garlic and butter, or olive oil, then adding mango slices and a touch of mango juice can make for a very healthy meal. The mango sauce should not be too runny or too thick. This goes well served over noodles of your choice. If you don't have mangos readily available, apples or oranges make a great substitute.

If all of these above ideas seem a bit vague, it's because cooking is supposed to be fun and creative. The mentioned ideas are to give you a jump start and all ingredients can be substituted with your own preferences. I did not grow up in a household where recipes were written down and I do not write them down myself. Every meal is a new and creative idea, always building off the last time I made a particular dish. No two dishes are ever the same.

All of your favorite meals that include meat can be substituted with turkey. Using left over turkey just cuts down on cooking time. Put away the bread, mustard, mayo and other sandwich fixings, step into your kitchen, be creative and have fun! If you have any left over side dishes, you can always serve them alongside anything you can creatively whip up with your turkey. You can even get your kids involved with any age relative tasks, like stirring or helping to get certain ingredients for you. Your family will likely thank you for breaking the monotony of left over sandwiches! Just remember the two most important things: be creative and have fun.