What to do with those Thanksgiving LEFTOVERS-without making a casserole!

How many of you even have Thanksgiving Leftovers?  Our family, like many, makes a plethora of delicious traditional and non-traditional dishes to share pot-luck style for Thanksgiving.  I can definitely say we do not over look the true meaning of how it was in the beginning when our forefathers sat down to some wild game, grains, nuts, berries, and some veggies, but all of us in our family love putting on a good meal with each other when we can, so there are no stops when entertaining for any occasion.  We look forward to granny's cheesy beans or my aunties prize-winning pies, or our highly requested crusty sausage-cornbread stuffing with cranberries or perhaps one of my favorites- granola-topped sweet potato souffle.  And then there is the turkey....and the regulars like mashed potatoes, rich gravy, biscuits and cornbread, and everything else that adorns the beautiful tablescape my mama prepares.  But what happens to the rest of the food after it has been dived up to relatives in little plastic containers to take home, what do they do with it?  Here are a few favorites our family has shared:

Microwave White Turkey (or chicken) Chili

3 whole heads garlic (about 48 cloves), unpeeled

¾ tsp salt, divided

3 tbsp olive oil, divided

2 poblano peppers

1 medium onion

2-3 cups cooked turkey

2 tbsp Southwestern Seasoning Mix

2 cans (15.5 oz each) Great Northern beans, drained

1 jar (16 oz) salsa verde

With heavy knife, slice about 1/4 in. off the pointed top of garlic heads to expose cloves. Place garlic cut side up in large mixing bowl. Sprinkle garlic with 1/4 tsp of the salt and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the oil. Cover batter bowl with lid; microwave on HIGH 3 minutes or until garlic is soft. Set aside to cool.   Meanwhile, finely dice peppers. Chop onion, and combine peppers and onion in covered microwavable baker. Trim and finely dice turkey.  Add turkey, seasoning mix, remaining 1 tbsp oil and remaining 1/2 tsp salt to baker; mix well. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 4 minutes; stir to separate turkey. Cover; microwave an additional 4-6 minutes or until turkey is cooked through.  Meanwhile, gently squeeze cooled garlic from heads into batter bowl (discard skins); mash and add beans and salsa to batter bowl. Transfer bean mixture to baker; mix well.  Microwave, covered, on HIGH 5-7 minutes or until chili is heated through. 

Turkey and Cranberry Wreath ***This is our favorite!

2 pkg. ( 8 oz. each) Pillsbury crescent rolls              3 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley

½  cup mayonnaise                                                   2 cups chopped cooked turkey

1 ¼  cups ( 5 oz) shredded Swiss cheese                2 tablespoons honey Dijon mustard

½  teaspoon coarsely ground pepper                       1 pkg. sweetened dried cranberries

Preheat oven 375 degrees. In large mixing bowl combine turkey, 1 cup of the cheese, celery, cranberries, parsley, mayonnaise, mustard and black pepper; mix well.

Unroll 2 pkgs. of refrigerated crescent rolls; separate into 16 triangles. Arrange eight triangles in a circle on large round pizza pan with wide ends 3 inches from edge of baking stone and points towards the outside. Points will extend off the edge of the baking stone. Arrange remaining triangles in center of baking stone, matching wide ends with triangles already in place. Points will overlap in center. Using a small rolling pin or your fingers, roll over seams of triangles where wide ends meet creating a smooth surface. 

Scoop the filling evenly over dough. Beginning with last triangle placed in center of baking stone, bring point of triangle straight across filling. Next bring point of opposite outside triangle diagonally across filling, covering point of previous triangle. Filling will show. Repeat, overlapping points of inside and outside triangles to form a wreath. Tuck last end under first. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Here are some additional recipes, click on the link below...

e-How shares some delicious ideas.