What to Do with Leftovers

by Molly Niendorf — November 17, 2008

As Thanksgiving approaches, I anticipate good times with family and friends, and some seriously delicious food. For traditionalists, there's turkey and stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, and pumpkin pie (in my estimation, no Thanksgiving meal is complete without pie!). For adventurous types, perhaps there's experimentation, a twist on an old recipe or something entirely new and off-beat.

I don't like to skimp on Thanksgiving. Usually one to make reduced calorie or low-fat recipes, I go full steam during turkey day and enjoy the "real" thing, while keeping portion control in mind and realizing that a Thanksgiving meal is one meal, not a month full of meals.

When all is said and done, there are often leftovers that you don't want to waste. This week, I'll profile recipes that make use of leftovers. You can still enjoy your rich leftovers, while combining them with other healthy and hearty foods, so that you don't fall into the trap of eating a full Thanksgiving meal for the entire week following the holiday. If all else fails and you realize you're sick of some of the same flavors, put your leftovers in sealed Ziploc bags or Tupperware, and freeze them. Enjoy this week's recipes, and feel free to share some of you own!