Burp! The Day After Turkey Day

So, how is everyone feeling this morning? Groan...

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and the refrigerator is full of leftovers. What are you going to do with all the leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, vegetable medleys and other side dishes? (easiest? sandwich! see left image)

Most of us share the bounty by giving away the goodies to everyone who came over for Thanksgiving dinner, but there is still a lot leftover. Here's a couple of super quick meals that are sure to please!

Breakfast Turkey Hash

1/4 cup of diced onion

olive oil

1 cup of diced turkey

1-1/2 cup of stuffing

2 cups of mashed potatoes

gravy (to taste)

chopped chives (to taste)

In a large fry pan, add olive oil to coat the pan. Add onions. Caramelize onions until onions are translucent and brown on edges. Add turkey and mix until warmed through. Add stuffing and potatoes and mix. Add gravy and heat through. When thoroughly heated, add chives. Stir and mix. Add a side of fruit to compliment this quick meal or one of the leftover vegetable side dishes. Serves 2-4

Variation: add an over-easy or scrambled egg on top to serve.

Turkey and Waffles

4 Belgian-style waffles (store bought or homemade)

8 slices turkey

gravy (to taste)

Toast waffles and set aside. Warm turkey slices using a frying pan or microwave oven. Warm gravy in a saucepan or microwave oven. Assemble: waffle; top w/ 2 slices of turkey and top with gravy. Serve with fruit on the side. Serves 4

Turkey Potato Patty

olive oil

1 cup of diced turkey

1 cup of mashed potatoes

1/4 cup of stuffing

1/4 cup of diced scallions

1/4 flour (or less)

1 large egg mixed in a small bowl with salt and pepper

gravy

In a bowl, add turkey, potatoes, stuffing, scallions and mix well. Dust your hands with flour. Form patties with your hand. Set patties aside. Heat frying pan to medium heat. Add oil to coat pan. Dip patties in egg and add to heated pan. Heat through and flip patties over and brown. Serve with a dollop of warm gravy. Add a side of fruit or one of the vegetable side dishes.

Turkey Wraps

1/4 olive oil

1/2 cup onions (reserve 1/4 raw onion)

1/4 cup of diced green pepper

1 cup diced turkey

tortillas (flour or corn)

salsa

chopped cilantro

corn chips

In a large frying pan at medium high heat, add olive oil. Add only 1/4 cup onions and brown. Add green peppers and cook until thoroughly wilted. Add turkey and cook through. Warm tortillas over the pan. Assemble: tortilla; top with turkey mix and dress with salsa, cilantro and left-over raw onions. Serve with corn chips on the side or fruit. Add a vegetable side dish from the leftovers for a complete meal. Serves 2-4

Turkey Salad Version 1

1 cup chopped turkey

1/4 cup diced celery

1/4 cup diced onion

diced scallions (to taste)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup diced apple

mayonnaise (to taste)

1 tsp mustard

1 Tbsp finely diced sweet pickle

Mix everything together in a clean bowl. Add mayonnaise to your liking. Spread onto whole wheat bread and top with another slice of bread. Cut into quarters. Add one of the vegetable side dishes to complete this lunch. Serves 2-4 generously.

Turkey Salad Version 2

Leftover cooked vegetables:

broccoli, asparagus, green beans, carrots, red onions, beets, etc

Leftover crudites

Romaine lettuce

2 cups of diced turkey

your favorite salad dressing

Chop all vegetables and lettuce in a uniform sizes. Toss into bowl (do not add beets until the end or everything will be pink). Add turkey. Serve on a generous sized platter. Add beets on side or on top. Use your favorite salad dressing. (I like a black cherry salad dressing) Add a bowl of turkey soup to complete this meal. Serves 4-6

Desserts (there were leftovers?!?)

As far as the leftover pies, tarts, and other goodies... a great suggestion is to freeze it and bring it out again at a tea party, brunch or dessert after dinner. If you freeze the goodies, make sure you label the package with a date. But, it's only a few more weeks to Christmas dinner... dare I serve them again? Hee Hee...

Tips and Resources for Safe Food Handling of Leftovers:

Nourishing Thoughts

List My 5

Celebrations

Rubbermaid

Home Food Safety

Farmer's Market | FOOD! Resources

Those of you who are lucky to grow your own food know what I mean when I say that fresh is always best. A fresh plucked cherry tomato off of a sunshine-warmed vine is absolute heaven. Apricots picked off of a heavily laden tree so ripe that the flavor explodes in your mouth, is a culinary delight by itself. Even fresh churned butter recently milked from your cow is something that you have never tasted at the supermarket. Fresh is always best.

For the rest of us, we shop at our local markets. The fruit and the vegetables have been picked and shipped days before, rinsed repeatedly and then displayed in cold cases at the supermarket. The flavor loss is profound along with the nutrient content. Try to shop at great markets such as well-known Whole Foods that feature "Farmer's Market" produce. Or try to organize your local neighbors and share the produce that may be growing in their own backyards.

The best place for those of us in California are the Farmer's Markets. Local farmers flock into locations convenient for city dwellers and sell their produce. The markets are divine.

Freshly picked that morning, the produce has traces of the rich soil still clinging to the gems. Beets, onions, carrots, squash, herbs are in their glory when picked fresh. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage can be eaten raw; the flavors are so rich. And, fresh corn... why cook it? The just picked corn is a flavor delight that can't be matched by store bought, frozen or canned.

If your town has no Farmer's Market or Farmer's Cooperative, try to organize one. Farmers and growers are generous souls. They want to see their produce sold and shared. They do not want to see any of locally grown produce wasted.

1. Contact a local government official and share your idea. They will put you into contact with the rules and regulations for food safety and other restrictions in government.
2. Contact the growers. Try to have common every day produce along with exotics.
3. Pick a one time date (start small) to organize a Farmer's Market festival.
4. Form a volunteer group to create flyers, email alerts and a Facebook event.
5. Locate a shaded area w/ public transportation nearby.
6. Provide large sturdy tables for the growers.
7. Bring a small local musical group to entertain the attendees.
8. Contact ethnic communities to bring demonstrations of food cooking. The food demonstration will draw in a lot of cooks and chefs to watch how other cultures prepare food.
9. Contact all restaurant buyers/owners in the area. They will flock to the event for the opportunity to buy fresh produce for their culinary staff.

If the Farmer's Market Festival is successful, the growers and community will come together to create a once-a-week market in your area. We did this in California and now, Farmer's Markets are available almost everyday of the week somewhere close by.

Be adventurous with your food! Buy an item that you have never tried and add it to your regular menus. Try everything! You will be delighted!