What to do with Holiday Leftovers ?

Since it is the Holidays I thought that it would be an excellent time to share with you all a few good meal ideas from your leftover turkey and/ or ham. Hope that you enjoy. If you would like to see a video on any of the listed ideas or have a copy of the recipe let me know and I will provide you with it. Hope you enjoy and God Bless.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFUHjh-3L0I&hl=en

Three Light, Simple and Easy Meals from Turkey Leftovers

If you're like me, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, every year, is a blur. There never seems to be enough time to prepare for the holidays. Our immune systems plummet and stress rises. During this time, I try to find shortcuts to make things less stressful, for myself. Turkey leftovers are a mandatory part of this strategy. Even if the family dinner is not at my home, I buy a turkey. During the holiday season, it is very economical and a lifesaver.

Here are three light, simple and easy ways to use your turkey leftovers:

1 Turkey Quesidillas. Spray a whole wheat flour tortilla with Butter Pam. Place in frying pan and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped turkey pieces and sliced green onion. Place another tortilla on top and spray with Butter Pam. Brown on both sides until cheese is melted. You can add some chopped olives or jalapeno peppers if you desire. Serve with salsa.

2 Spinach and Turkey Salad. Mix together - chopped turkey, bacon flavored almonds, dried cranberries and fresh spinach. Serve with your favorite vinaigrette or honey mustard salad dressing.

3 Turkey Soup. I cook the turkey carcass the weekend after Thanksgiving. You can do that or use canned chicken broth, chopped turkey and a bag of your favorite frozen vegetables. Pour everything in a pan and heat through until vegetables are crisp and tender, about fifteen to twenty minutes. Serve with a good brown bread.

While I still love hot open faced turkey sandwiches and all of the leftovers from Thanksgiving, these fast and easy meals provide a break in more ways than one. We are constantly bombarded with food and goodies during this time of year. It's good to intersperse light dinners with heavier meals. All of these dinners can be made in thirty minutes or less. When we arrive home, after working or shopping or usually both, a light meal which takes almost no effort is a welcome relief. Having a light meal, once or twice a week, also helps to keep the calories from skyrocketing. So, give yourself a break, during the busiest time of the year. Your mind and your body will thank you for it.

Recipes for Turkey Leftovers

With the holidays approaching, I'm betting your thinking what I am - presents to buy, decorations to put up, lists to make, baking to do, get togethers to prepare, and the most dreaded thought; what to do with leftovers. The turkey on Thanksgiving Day is so perfectly matched with stuffing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, squash, and all the other scrumptious sides. Once all the guests have left and you're stuck with 10 pounds of leftover bird in your fridge, what do you do other than choke down sandwiches for the next 2 weeks?

This is my least favorite aspect of Thanksgiving - the leftovers of turkey sandwich after turkey sandwich. Recently I set out on a mission to create a couple of leftover turkey recipes that don't involve bread or mayo. So this Thanksgiving, ditch the idea of having sandwich meat for days and create some tasty dinners other than the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Slow Cooker Turkey Soup

4 cups cooked cubed or shredded turkey

1 can chicken broth

3 cloves minced garlic

4 cups water

2 cups sliced carrots

2 bay leaves

½ tsp black pepper

barley, noodles, or cooked rice

Combine all ingredients in crock pot, cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. If using barley, use 1 cup and add with rest of ingredients. If using noodles or rice (1-2 cups), prepare as directed on package and stir in at the end of cooking time.

Turkey Cobbler

1 can Cream of Potato soup

½ cup milk

½ cup water

3 cloves minced garlic

­¼ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp thyme

¼ tsp basil leaves

1 tbsp minced onion

3 cups cooked shredded or cubed turkey

2 cups frozen vegetables (I prefer carrots, broccoli, peas, corn, or a combination)

1 ½ cups bisquick

½ cup milk (in addition to above)

¼ cup egg substitute, or one egg

Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl. Add turkey and veggies, pour into 8x8 pan. Mix bisquick, milk, and egg in bowl, spoon onto turkey mixture. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes.

Put the loaf of bread away and turn on your crockpot or preheat your oven to create these easy leftover Thanksgiving meals. For more quick and easy recipes and ideas, visit www.natalies-recipes.com. Happy Thanksgiving and happy leftovers!