Thanksgiving; What to Do With the Leftovers?

Anyone who has hosted a Thankgiving dinner knows that the holiday isn't over just because the dishes are done.  Most agree that the best part of Thanksgiving are the leftovers!  I'm sure we've all tried to make many different sandwiches out of turkey before but do you ever wonder if there are other options for the leftover food we have?  There is!  Here are two favorite recipes to use for the Thanksgiving leftovers!

A quick an easy food to make every Friday after Thanksgiving is Turkey Rice Soup.  It's a great way to make your turkey stretch to cover several meals!  This soup also give you a chance to add other veggies to the soup that you might have had from the day before!  Soup is a really nice change from just eating the usual leftovers.

Turkey Rice Soup

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
5 cups chicken or turkey broth
3 cups turkey, chopped
3/4 cup brown rice
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cups broccoli, chopped

Directions

1. Drizzle olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Toss in diced onions and garlic and stir continuously.
3. After 5 minutes, add carrots, celery, chicken or turkey stock, and chopped turkey.
4. Turn the heat up to high and let the broth start to boil.  Once boiling, add rice.  Immediately turn the heat back down to medium-low, cover the lid, and cook for 20 minutes.
5. After the rice is cooked, add mushrooms and broccoli. 
6. Cook for another 5-10 minutes and serve!!!

** Is someone in your family is not a fan of broccoli, try adding other veggies like spinach, chard, or kale in place of broccoli.


Another leftover to use is the stuffing.  What do we do with all that leftover stuffing?  The next recipe answers the question by baking it in a bell pepper!  This is a simple and easy way to add some of your favorite leftovers into the bell pepper.  Try making this recipe several ways!

Stuffing Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients
4 large bell peppers
1 cup shredded turkey
1/2 cup reduce fat cheese
3 cups leftover stuffing
Leftover broth or gravy

Directions

1. Take bell peppers (any color) and cut 1/2-1 inch off the top of the pepper so that you have a removable lid.  Then remove the seeds and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix turkey, cheese and leftover stuffing.
3. Add in enough gravy or broth to moisten the mix.
4. Stuff the mixture into the bell peppers and top with their "lids".
5. Roast in a 450 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until the peppers are tender.

** Try getting the kids involved with mixing all the ingredients and stuffing the peppers!  Make it a meal by serving it with a crisp green salad.

Cooking a Turkey!

You're hosting the family Thanksgiving dinner this year!  You already know what side dishes you will make, but you've never had to cook a big turkey before.  Here are some great tips to keep your Thanksgiving turkey safe for all!

First, decide if you're going ot make a fresh or frozen turkey.  Either one is a good choice, but you will need to take special steps once you decide.


Fresh Turkeys

• Fresh turkeys should not be bought more than 1-2 days before you cook it.  Keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook it and keep it on a large tray or pan to catch any raw juices that may leak.  It is best to store on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator to limit any juices from getting into your other food.
• NEVER buy fresh turkeys that are pre-stuffed.  Harmful bacteria can live in the stuffing and could make you and your family sick.
• Plan for about 1 pound of turkey per person.

Frozen Turkeys

• Keep the turkey frozen until you are ready to thaw it.  Turkeys can be kept frozen in the freezer for a long time; use it within one year for the best quality.
• Allow 1 pound of turkey per person.

Thawing Your Turkey

• Thaw your turkey in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. 
• Allow 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds of turkey if you are thawing the refrigerator.  A 4-12 pound turkey will take 1-3 days to thaw; a 12-20 pound turkey will take 3-4 days to thaw.  Keep the turkey in its original wrapper.  Keep it on a large tray or pan to catch any raw juices that may leak.
• Allow 30 minutes per pound of turkey if you are thawing it in running water.  Wrap your turkey well so that water is not able to leak through the wrapping.  Submerge your wrapped turkey in cold tap water.  Change the water every 30 minutes.  Cook the turkey right after it is thawed.
• Use your owner's manual to see what size turkey you can thaw in your microwave and how many minutes per pound it will take.  Remove all outside wrapping and put the turkey on a microwave-safe dish to catch any juices that may leak.  Cook your turkey right after you have thawed it in the microwave.

Roasting Your Turkey

•  Turn your oven to 325 degrees.  Put your turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
• Cook your stuffing outside of the bird; do not stuff your turkey. 
• Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the whole turkey, at the thickest part of the turkey breast.
• Your turkey must reach 165 degrees before serving.
• If your turkey has a pop-up thermometer, you should still check the internal temperature, which should be at least 165 degrees. 
• Let the turkey stand for 20 minutes before carving it to let the juices set and carve more easily.

(Adapted from "Let's Talk Turkey:  A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey" by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, April, 2010)

Must Haves For Your Kitchen

Nothing is worse than coming home and having no idea what you are going to make for dinner.  Try to avoid this by keeping a few items in your pantry at all times.  This way if you don't plan meals ahead of time, you know that you will always have something on hand to whip up a quick and healthy meal.

Here are 5 must have pantry staples:

1. Quick cooking brown rice. Brown rice has more fiber in it than white rice.  Rice is easy to add to a stir fry or soup.
2. Tomato sauce.  Who doesn't love spaghetti?  Adding some tomato sauce to other recipes can add a lot of flavor.  You can even poach eggs in tomato sauce!
3. Bread crumbs.  You can make your own from leftover bread or buy some at the grocery store. Bread chicken with it, bake it, and top with tomato sauce for a quick chicken parmesan.
4. Your favorite herbs and spices.  Chili powder and Italian seasoning are great to have on hand.  You can find different spices at the grocery store and event at discount stores like Dollar Tree and Big Lots.  Rosemary is great when you roast potaotes, and cinnamon adds a lot of flavor to oatmeal.
5. Beans.  Always have a few cans of beans on hand.  Some favorites are: chickpeas, black beans, and great northern beans.  They help to add protein to salads or soups, and you can even cook black beans in salsa for a quick and delicious side dish. 
6. Eggs.  Yes...although it says "5" items, but technically eggs aren't a pantry item -- they belong in your refrigerator.  They couldn't be left off this list.  Eggs are so useful and can be used in many ways.  They can help you bread chicken and bake banana bread.  The best part -- scrambling or poaching an egg or two for a quick dinner can be very easy.

There are other things in your pantry that could be used for a healthy meal, but keeping these items stocked at all times makes grocery shopping easier and also makes cooking a healthy dinner on a busy night much easier.

Homemade Soup is as Easy as 1-2-3!

You can make a healthy one-pot meal in just a few steps.  Use the items you have on hand to prepare homemade soup in minutes.

Buy canned, low sodium soup stock and warm it on the stove.

1. Add frozen, canned, or leftover vegetables.
2. Add cooked whole grains such as pasta, barley or brown rice.
3. Add cooked lean protein such as beans, chicken, meat or fish.

Add fresh or dried herbs to soup for flavor without added fat or salt.  Some good ones to try to include:  black pepper, thyme, basil, parsley, and oregano.

Enjoy the flavors of the season with these recipes using fall fruits and vegetables: Black Bean and Apple - Parsnip Soup, Sweet Potato Chili, and Minestrone Soup.