Happy Weekly Food Fun to you!

With Thanksgiving last week, this week was filled with leftovers.  I love Thanksgiving leftovers.  Firstly, Turkey. Secondly, the main part of the meal is already cooked, add some sides, or mix it up, it makes dinner easy.   I can eat Turkey all week, lunch and dinner and not get tired of it.  Although, my husband does get tired of it, so I try to come up with some new recipes to use each year.  And, thankful again for my leftover freezer meals.  That way I can fill up with Turkey, and my husband can have something good other than turkey and I still don’t have to do a bunch of meal prep.

My first and favorite leftover – Turkey Nachos
This is the one that kicks off my Thanksgiving leftovers, This year cooked them in my cast iron skillet, crispy goodness.
Writing this I want more, sadly though they are done for another year.

Turkey Leftovers Patty –  Not sure what else to call this, it was a recommendation I found.  Think of it like a salmon patty.  This is with cut up turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, egg to hold together.  Mix and fry in a hot skillet, serve topped with gravy and a side of cranberry sauce.  This was one of our new additions this year.  I liked it as is, although my guys don’t like stuffing, so omitted that on theirs.  Mine was also put on top of leftover creamed spinach.  So many flavors, and they all mixed so well together.  This will be continued next year for our leftover recipes.

Turkey Quesadilla – Again a split menu in the house.  My guys had turkey and cheese.  I like stuffing, so I made mine with Turkey, Cheese, Stuffing, grilled then added cranberry sauce.   I had this type of sandwich for the first time this year at a local restaurant, which was very good.  So, as I was making the Quesadillas decided to add it all in.  It was crispy and tasty.

Turkey Broth – Not really a leftover meal, although I can’t let any bones go away without making broth out of them.  I share with my mom, then I freeze the rest, 2 cups at a time in a freezer bag.  For the next several months I have broth to use with rice or casseroles.  It is also good if you make soups, although I am not good at soups.  I put the bones in the crock pot, add 2 tablespoons of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 onion cut in half (skin on – not sure, just read somewhere the onion skin adds to the broth so why not), some powdered ginger, maybe a teaspoon to tablespoon, and Bragg Liquid Aminos, about 1-2 tablespoons.  I don’t add salt because I want a base stock.  I can season as needed in whatever I choose to use it in.  My crock pots are big, so with the bones I add 16 cups of water, I put it on low for at least 24-36 hours.  Strain in a regular colander to get the bones, onion ect out.  Then I strain again in a small metal strainer to get any other small bits of anything out.  This makes for a nice simple broth.

Turkey Leftovers Sandwich – This again a new one for the year.  You could easily do this with just Turkey and Mayo like most do. I did that also during the week, it is quick and easy and yummy.  This one however was a kicked up version.  On a hot skillet, heat up the Turkey, along with stuffing.  A side note on the stuffing, I heated up to much to fit on the sandwich, so I ate some as is…  oh wow.  Fried stuffing is a must try if you like stuffing.  The outside is crunchy, the inside is stuffing goodness.  Back to the sandwich, I put the bread, my favorite is Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, on the skillet to warm and toast the inside.  Layer the turkey, stuffing then cranberry sauce.  Then, well, nap time.

Always enjoy the fun of food, and leftover creations.