What to do with all that turkey leftover?

I don’t know if it is the pandemic, living in California’s earthquakes and fires, or something else, but I’ve noticed I’ve become an unintentional prepper.

At first, prior to the pandemic, it was earthquake prep. I got my emergency supplies ready and started buying some MREs (basically freeze-dried meals) and some water.

When the fires started getting bad, I packed some more. I took one of those plastic mini dressers and packed extra clothes that I could easily grab. I invested in a fireproof document container. And more MREs and water. My husband, Matt, thought I had lost it entirely when I announced I had purchased us some masks to help us if we faced some bad smoke.

The joke is now on him since we had masks at the beginning of the pandemic when there was a shortage. But the pandemic also had me prepping as well. I bought 50 lbs each of flour, rice, and beans. Tons of meats were frozen (thank you extra freezer) and canned goods and pasta were piled up.  Our garage is loaded!

It wasn’t just the hoarding; my mindset had changed in other ways. I began saving the scraps from veggies and froze them. I looked at a piece of meat and thought about how I could extend its leftover use.

When it comes to leftovers, my mother-in-law had a system where it often meant reheating the same meal for another meal. A reheated meal three times a week wasn’t my husband’s ideal dining, and certainly not mine. With a little creativity, I learned I could stretch my meat for at least one different meal, and at times, two or three meals.

So enter Thanksgiving, where, even though we’re a small family, the meal is large: a big turkey, more sides than can fit on a plate, appetizers, and many desserts too!

Since I am not one who enjoys eating turkey sandwiches for a week, I came up with some yummy options that make leftovers joyous.

Elizabeth’s stacked thingy. My old friend (and great artist) Elizabeth Phillips made this for me one year after Thanksgiving with leftovers and since then I was hooked. Essentially it’s a layered open-faced sandwich of leftovers. I know I told you I am not a sandwich person, but when this baby is topped with delicious hollandaise sauce, it’s something spectacular. And I make it every year. All you have to do is start with toasted bread and stack on all the items you want: turkey, dressing, veggies, cranberry sauce, warm the sandwich a bit, then top with the hollandaise.  DA BOMB.  Don’t be scared off by hollandaise. You can make in the microwave easily:

• • Take a 1/2 cup butter and melt slightly (not completely… about 15 seconds). Mix 3 egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice together then whisk into the butter.  Let sit for about a minute, then microwave, stopping every 15 seconds to whisk.  Keep cooking at 15-second intervals and whisking until smooth and thick.

Turkey Broth. You cannot have enough bone broth. It is the base of so many additional meals you can make and really inexpensive.  Remember those veggie bits I’ve been freezing? Things like carrot tops, celery bits, onion ends, garlic – all make great additions to this.  Essentially take the turkey carcass and add to water with salt and veggies. Bring to a boil and simmer all day.  (Or if you are like me and have an instant pot, pressure cook 60 minutes.) Strain the broth and let cool. Freeze it for use later. I typically make soups with it, including pho and matzo ball soup, which are family favorites.