Talking Turkey: Leftovers That Is!

 

Inevitably when the holiday meal is over there will be leftovers.  Of all sorts, not just of turkey, but most especially of turkey if you are a smaller family.  And honestly, a wise woman would make sure there are leftovers because it's so darned handy to have especially over the holiday weekend.  I have a small file of recipes I absolutely love to make with leftover turkey, some simple and some a little more fussy and all of them good.  But I'll also share a few other recipes for other things you might have leftover that I've learned works well.

But first, turkey!

Meals for the Third Week of November 2024

 

Is it the cooler weather?  The advent of holidays?  Just a less weary frame of mind?  I don't know but once more I feel I am in my element in planning meals.  I like this space far better than feeling tired of everything we have and wanting only what we don't.  Hideous state of mind, really, when one has so much.  I like this state of mind much, much better.  For one thing, I have not planned one single item that is not already on hand.  That's not to say I don't need to go shopping.  I still need a turkey.  I have a short list of outages (reminder to self, check allspice in my spare spices...).  But I am very appreciative that I have all I need for this week's meals.  That's saying something!

To Do/To Don't...List for the third week of November

 

Over the past week, I did the most random things.  Anything from my list?  Yes.  All of it?  Nope.  I bought 5 birthday cards and then remembered when I got home that I have another early December birthday, so I need to go buy that card. I picked up Christmas stamps.  I blew leaves off the two porches.  I took time to think about my theme for Christmas this year and might have decided it.  I wrote out several thoughts towards getting my 2025 resolutions pinned down.  I worked on bills and the 2025 budget (not on the list).  I wrote the last of the Thanksgiving series of blog posts.  That among all the usual meals, bread making (bread and bagels), making an apple pie, cleaning, running errands, going to small group, had a long and lovely phone conversation with Katie.  And nursed a tummy virus through it all, so I'm not beating myself up over what didn't get done.

Journal for the Second Week of November: Love and Prayers

 

Nov. 9, Saturday:  Today has been such a day of mixed feelings of all sorts.

We left home very early, before 8am so that we could head to church for a special Veteran's Day recognition breakfast.  In a military base town, there are a copious number of veterans in the churches, and ours is no exception.  They had a limited capacity of 234 people, and I'd say that probably 224 seats were filled.  

It was a beautifully done honors day for our veterans.  And yes, John is a veteran.  The program was about an hour and a half long and included a very nice breakfast.  It is always moving when the music begins to play the anthems of each branch and those who served in that branch rise to acknowledge the music. 

Thanksgiving Preparation Timeline

 

The credit for this post and the next in this short series all go to Maxine who asked if I could write out a few more ideas on the subject of Thanksgiving meal prep and leftovers.  I'm happy to take her request and run ahead with it.  I hope you find the information helpful.

I think one thing I've never understood was the woman who spent countless hours in the kitchen preparing a huge holiday meal only to realize that fifteen or twenty minutes after she'd set it on the table everyone was done eating, and she had countless hours of clean-up ahead of her...

Coffee Chat: Well Traveled

I said earlier this month that the leaves on the pecan tree were getting thinner.  I looked out the window this morning into the front yard and realized my Faith tree is completely bare.  Leaves scattered all across the ground underneath and over the patio and I'm sure partly cover the front porch as well.  There was no brilliant color this year to enjoy, as we had too much dry fall weather and too warm temperatures.  I have a feeling the lovely drive I took on the way to Mama's and back the other day is going to be the bulk of what we see for autumn color this year.

John is off having lunch with his former work partner, and I am home alone with time on my hands.  And while I have a ton of tasks I might do, I have instead, settled down with the computer on my lap to write because if there is anything I miss in my current season of life, it is the uninterrupted, quiet time to write.  

Meals for the Second Week of November

We came into this weekend with leftovers:

Corn Relish

Meatloaf (about four servings)

1 cup of mashed potatoes