Thrifty Recipes for Leftover Turkey

Understanding thrift begins at home, including thrifty ways to use up all that leftover turkey. The Pilgrims would have used up all the remaining bits of food. American Indians used every part possible of a plant or animal. Our African American foods are based in using up everything possible. Because goods and food are so readily available to us today, or because we get bored easily trying to eat up all the leftovers, is no reason to waste the abundance with which we have been blessed. Ironically, we are often starving in our abundancy - starving for good, healthy food cooked slowly and lovingly, that nourishes not only our body, but also our soul. Something even as easy to prepare as the following can satisfy those cravings.

Here are my favorite Thanksgiving leftovers recipes. If you have some great recipes to share with us, please post them in the comment section. Today, I'm makin' gumbo from a tried and true recipe I've used for the last 29 years. My family loves it and has come to anticipate it on this day. I hope your holiday season is filled with good food, good friends, good converation and good memories.

Turkey Gumbo
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil and 1/4 cup olive oil
3 stalks celery
1 red onion
1 green pepper
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 sack frozen sliced okra
2 cans chicken broth, plus water to cover
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 drops Louisiana hot sauce or to taste
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced
1/4 cup or to taste, diced leftover ham
2 cups or more diced leftover turkey, baked or smoked
1 bay leaf
Heat oil in heavy kettle or stock pot; add flour slowly, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. Cook, stirring until a medium brown roux is formed, about 20 minutes (you will have to turn the heat down - don't burn it). Add vegetables (down to okra, but not the okra) and continue cooking in roux until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes or more for a better tasting roux. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 to 2 hours. Can add 1 teaspoon brown sugar during last 10 minutes of cooking, if desired. Serve over a bed of rice in a soup bowl. My goal is to rival The Gumbo Shop's gumbo in New Orleans - the above recipe does not use shrimp or seafood and I like it that way at Thanksgiving. Here is The Gumbo Shop's recipe:
http://www.gumboshop.com/recipes

Turkey Tetrazinni
3 cuos leftover turkey, diced
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 jar Alfredo sauce
1 can sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
7 ounces cooked vermicelli, cooked
Stir together chicken, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and next 7 ingredients; stir in pasta. Spoon into lightly greased 7x11 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until heated through. Makes 6 servings.

Turkey-Stuffing Bake
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups leftover stuffing or 1 box instant
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups diced turkey
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup cooked broccoli
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
In saucepan, heat 3/4 cup of milk and the butter to scalding. In a large bowl, pour milk over stuffing; toss to mix well. Pat 1/2 stuffing mixture into a buttered 11x7 baking dish. In medium bowl, mix soup,remaining milk, chicken, 1 cup of cheese, broccoli and thyme. Spoon evenly over stuffing - top with remaining stuffing. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Serves 6.

And my favorite on Friday morning...
Scrambled Eggs with Stuffing and Smoked Turkey
1 to 2 eggs per person
Any leftover stuffing - 1/8 or more cups, depending on number of eggs
1/2 or more cups diced turkey - more for more eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated smoked gouda or a nice Havarti or any grated cheese you have on hand
Prepare eggs as normal for scrambled eggs. Heat butter in skillet as you normally would for
scrambling eggs. After eggs have set up a bit, add stuffing, turkey, salt and pepper and continue scrambling, turning as needed until eggs are cooked. Top with cheese immediately and seve while hot. Happy Black Friday!

-----------Melony