Ultimate Thanksgiving Leftovers

            The two words “Thanksgiving” and “leftovers” are bound to raise opposite visions. “Thanksgiving” instantly calls up the gloriously groaning dining table of this feast.  Unfortunately we are apt to think of  disparate packets of the same meal, but not nearly as appetizing, reheated in the microwave the following day for the less favored second word  -  “leftovers”.  With imagination and very little work the second word can become as enticing as the first. In fact, just consider the fact that most of the work has already been done for the original feast and now you have a refrigerator full of partially prepared ingredients for several meals to come.

            Every time I watch the wild turkeys in their daily procession along the meadow from my window at this time of the year and plan our Thanksgiving feast featuring one of their domesticated relatives,  I mentally note the meal possibilities for the days after the big event. Variations for turkey sandwiches alone can be exciting.

                                    Turkey sandwich bonanza

            Turkey on toast with delicious gravy to which you have added some mushrooms can certainly be classified as comfort food, but other alternatives abound.  A baguette can be the base for several versions of tasty combinations of leftover items from the previous meal. One could be layers of goat cheese or even a flavorful cream cheese dip, thinly sliced turkey breast topped with avocado and a small dab of cranberry sauce. Any restaurant would give it a fancy name and so can you.

One of my favorites is a take-off on a Philadelphia cheese steak. Lightly toast an Italian roll.  Thinly slice turkey white or dark meat, top with sautéed onions, green peppers and/or mushrooms. Cover with a slice of provolone and broil until the cheese is melted. If you are looking for a more distinctive Italian flavor, sprinkle with some oregano and spread a spoonful or so of spaghetti sauce on the sandwich before covering with the cheese.

                        Mashed potatoes and stuffing?

Unlike turkey, leftover mashed potatoes can be less appetizing unless tweaked by some minor additions.  Potato cakes turn out to be one of my husband’s favorite childhood food remembrances.  Fortunately the main required ingredient is mashed potatoes. In a bowl mix together 1 cup mashed potatoes, 1 beaten egg, ½ tsp. onion powder and pepper to taste.  Melt 1 Tblsp. butter and ½ Tblsp. olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  Drop large spoonfuls of the potato mixture in the pan and flatten with a spatula. Brown on both sides and serve hot as a side dish.  I sometimes liven these up with a chopped jalapeño pepper and/or cheese.  Either way these will not remind you of yesterday’s dinner.

Much as some of us like stuffing in its various forms, it is a challenge to disguise it in a new format. However, if you are familiar with a variety of delicious breakfast bakes, all designed to feed large families or visiting houseguests, you realize that one of the main ingredients there is a large amount of bread cubes. Aha! Here is your main ingredient all ready to go, just requiring separation in smaller pieces. It does not matter whether you have regular stuffing or cornbread stuffing, or even stuffing with sausage, they all will work and already contain a lot of flavorful spices. Spread 2-3 cups of stuffing in a lightly buttered baking dish, sprinkle with shredded 1/3 cup Parmesan and 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese. Spread on top some thinly sliced tomato and scatter a few pitted black olive slices (optional).  Beat 4 large eggs with a cup of milk, salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the contents of the dish, pressing all down with a spatula. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

                        And finally soup

When we finally get down to the bones, they and any scraps of meat and skin will make a wonderful soup. Place everything in a 4-6 quart pot, add two stalks of celery with leaves, a bay leaf, 1 tsp. thyme, unpeeled (for color) onion cut in half with root stem removed, 2-3 sprigs of parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Cover all with cold water, bring to boil and simmer for 2 hours. Add 2 peeled carrots and parsnip (optional) and continue to simmer for an additional hour. When cool, remove carrots and parsnip and slice for the soup. Strain the soup through the sieve and discard any solids. Adjust seasoning of the broth. The soup is ready to be served with addition of some cooked rice or small pasta or peas. If you have leftover corn or green beans from Thanksgiving, these too could be added to enrich the soup with vegetables.

Thanksgiving allows us to focus on reasons for being thankful.  It gives us a wonderful gathering experience with friends and family and in addition can be a source of economical no fuss meals for days to come. One more reason to be thankful!

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

Winter Potluck Blues

            The oaks and even some of the maples in our yard seem reluctant to shed their leaves this fall, despite our Halloween Trickster snowstorm.  They seem to hang on to autumn’s mild days that we are enjoying this year. But the calendar shows the approaching Holiday Season and with it the coming gatherings of community organizations with their various festivities. Each invitation arrives with the polite note: “Please bring a potluck dish”.  A great way to feed a large number of people with everyone preparing just one thing!  Except, with that many interesting looking dishes in front of you, it is hard to avoid overloading your plate. There goes ‘the diet”, we groan and take another bite.

            My personal attack of blues always comes several days before the event, when faced with the necessity to make something, I rummage in my mind about what to make?  Oriental chicken wings?  Cabbage rolls?  Sauerkraut with sausage?  Lasagna?  Baked rice pilaf? Tamale pie? Oven roasted sweet potatoes and squash with ham?  Stuffed grape leaves?  My rendition of these was something different when I first moved here many years ago, but by now I am looking for something new.  Some women don’t like to wear a dress several years old, just in case someone else remembers them wearing it,  Instead, I just get bored cooking the same old recipes.  Unfortunately it still needs to be portable, fit in my 9x13 inch glass casserole, keep for a time before being served and should provide a spoonful or two for 15 to 20 people. Besides, it needs to be solid food.

            Sometimes the answer is to invent something new. With luck, you have a captive audience to taste test your invention. Preferably without requesting a companion helping of Tums for desert.  I will have to confess on taste testing some of my improvisations on my friends at the Dutch Neck Community Club’s monthly potlucks, which always involve serious eating before the monthly meeting.

            Recently I was having one such blues attack, when it occurred to me that the tasty grilled  chicken thighs of the summer could be transformed into a pan and oven prepared winter dish.  It would retain some spice and zest and put on a bed of small pasta, could maintain eye appeal and feed a crowd.

                                    Zesty chicken thighs on pasta

            Trim 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs of any extraneous fat nd cut in thirds.  In a mini-processor pulse ½ inch piece of fresh peeled ginger cut in small cubes with 4 chopped garlic cloves until quite fine. Add 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 ½ tsp. sweet paprika, ½ tsp. smoked paprika and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in 2 Tblsp. olive oil, 2 Tblsp. chopped Italian parsley and 1 Tblsp. dried oregano.  Add the chicken, toss well, cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hr.

            Remove the chicken from the marinade, pat dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large pan heat 2 Tblsp. olive oil with 1 Tblsp. butter and quickly brown the chicken on both sides about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to an ovenproof dish and place in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

            In the pan in which you browned the chicken, sauté ½ chopped onion for 5 minutes. Stir in 14 oz can diced tomatoes with juice, 2 Tblsp, sundried tomato paste, 1 ½ tsp marjoram, 2 Tblsp. chopped dill (optional), a spoonful of the solids from the marinade, 2 Tblsp. chopped parsley, 1 tsp. sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and cook until most of the liquid is reduced.

            In the meantime, cook small bow or wagon wheel shaped pasta according to package directions. Drain and layer in a 9x13 baking dish. Distribute the chicken pieces on top of the pasta and spoon the tomato sauce on top, leaving some of the chicken exposed. Cover and keep warm until served

            If more sauce is desired,  double the amount of diced tomatoes for the sauce and adjust seasonings. This dish could also be made with chicken breast, taking care not to overcook the chicken.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)