Question: I never have any good ideas about what to do with all of the food left over from Thanksgiving. Would you give us some guidelines in this area? Thank you.
Answer: I received an advertisement from Pinpoint Publishing with some excellent suggestions for leftover Thanksgiving food. (Note: This company sells a computerized cookbook with more than 1,000 recipes. The address is P.O. Box 7329, Santa Rosa, CA 95407-0329.) I will summarize some of the ideas and include a recipe for you to use.
1. Roast an extra turkey and make generous amounts of other dishes to have plenty of "planned-overs" after Thanksgiving.
2. Extra turkey stuffing? Add some cut-up cooked turkey and spoon into acorn squash halves and bake until squash is tender.
3. Leftover pumpkin pie? Enjoy a piece for breakfast! Or, use excess cooked pumpkin in soup, muffins or even pudding.
4. Too much gravy? Add chopped cooked turkey and favorite vegetables to gravy and serve over potatoes, noodles or rice. Or, pour warmed gravy over slices of bread topped with turkey.
5. Extra rice? Use it to make Chinese fried rice to accompany your favorite stir-fry entree. You can also add it to soups, salads or use it to extend hamburgers or meat loaf.
6. Leftover vegetables? Puree a compatible mixture and heat, stirring, for a delicious soup. An extra pinch of herbs or curry powder will add flavor. For a creamy, low-fat version, stir in a little yogurt just before serving (remove soup from heat first). Your leftover vegetables will be a hit in casseroles, lasagna, omelets or marinated for use in salads, too.
7. Need to use up some fresh fruit? Add it to fruit-flavored gelatins or puree it to make sorbet. Also, try delicious fresh fruit milkshakes, fruit tarts or use it in fruit salads and compotes.
8. Leftover mashed potatoes? Spoon potatoes onto a baking sheet, making serving-size dollops. Brush with melted butter, if you wish, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 400 degree oven until slightly browned and heated through.
Be sure to store leftovers properly. Rather than allowing cooked foods to cool to room temperature, place them in clean, covered containers and refrigerate immediately after a meal. Partially used canned foods should be stored in covered glass or plastic containers rather than remain in the can.
Below is a recipe for turkey enchiladas that sounded good.
RECIPE
TURKEY ENCHILADAS
2 cups cooked turkey, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
20 ounces canned enchilada sauce
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
12 6-inch corn tortillas
2 tablespoons onions, chopped
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped pitted black olives
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
In a medium bowl, combine turkey, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, chiles, onion flakes and cilantro. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons turkey mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll tortillas jelly-roll style to encase meat. Spray baking dish with cooking spray; place tortillas, seam-side down in dish. Top tortillas with remaining enchilada sauce, onions, tomato, olives and cheese. Bake in 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly. Serves 6.