Top Five Ways to Use Leftover Turkey

Do you expect to have a lot of turkey leftover from Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners? Do your aunts and in-laws always foist a bag of leftovers upon you when you say good-bye after holiday dinners at their homes? While roasted turkey is most delicious the day it is cooked, you can get creative and find plenty of uses for leftover turkey--as long as you don't mind eating poultry for a week!

(1) Barbecue Turkey Sandwiches:
You can adapt a recipe for BBQ chicken or BBQ pork sandwiches to include turkey. Cut up the leftover turkey into bite-sized pieces and add enough barbecue sauce to make the pieces stick together. Heat up the mixture on the stove top for about 15 minutes, then serve hot on toasted bread or rolls.

(2) Turkey Rice Stew:
Combine leftover turkey with wild rice, carrot, onion, garlic, and celery. Add enough water to make a soup or stew, and throw in a few cubes of chicken bouillon and some spices. You can even add a few spoonfuls of leftover turkey gravy to the soup base for a more richly flavored soup. Simmer the turkey stew in a crockpot or large stove pot for about 2 hours.

(3) Turkey Salad:
For a lighter meal of leftovers, cut up the turkey into bite-sized pieces and add fresh greens including romaine lettuce, baby spinach, iceberg lettuce, and red cabbage. You can add a few walnuts and sliced pears for a nutritious, well-balanced meal.

(4) Dog and Cat Food:
Carnivoruous pets enjoy leftover meats. If you have a lot of turkey leftover from the holidays, and some pieces are too gristly or fatty, you can add them to your pet's food dish. Be sure to de-bone the meat thoroughly. If the turkey is fried or heavily seasoned, you should not feed it to your pet, as it may cause indestion and noxious gas.

(5) Food Bank:
Some food banks, pantries, and homeless shelters may accept donated leftovers, others may not. For health and safety reasons, most food banks only accept packaged food or fresh fruits and vegetables. But during the holidays, when food often goes to waste, some shelters may accept food cooked in private kitchens. Call your local shelter to see if you can donate your leftovers.