How to save time, make way for the bird and use up the leftovers
Published 2:50 pm Tuesday, November 16, 2010
A plan of attack for other meals during Thanksgiving week:
Monday: No-stress salad
With all eyes trained on the holiday meal, it’s difficult to gear up for lots of other cooking this week. But darn it if the family doesn’t need to eat every day. The sheer calorie count to come demands going light tonight. How about some easy peel-and-eat shrimp with a big green salad loaded with whatever raw veggies the family will eat? Crunchy bread sticks on the side.
Tuesday: Fridge clean
Big Tom Turkey needs space, so go through the fridge and survey the edible leftovers. The cafeteria lady calls it “variety day,” and you can, too. Look in the dark corners of the freezer for anything that can be cooked up fast: ravioli or tortellini, soup you were smart enough to freeze a month ago, pizza or burgers.
Wednesday: Chicken
If ever there was an evening you needed something quick, it’s tonight. While you’re doing your last-minute holiday shopping or searching for something for the potluck, pick up a rotisserie chicken, plus ripe tomatoes and cucumbers to make a quick salad dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Check out the store’s bakery for a loaf of rustic bread — studded with garlic cloves or black olives if they have it.
Thursday: T-day on a roll
You know today’s main menu, but how about Thanksgiving on a bun for your midnight snack? Make sure you’ve got some sturdy rolls and pile them high with turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing. Don’t forget the mayo. Press down hard and grab a big glass of milk. Tomorrow, you diet. Or maybe next Monday.
Friday: Turkey redux
For those lucky enough to have leftover turkey and mashed potatoes, turkey potato casserole (recipe below) is a no-brainer. Though it doesn’t call for cranberry sauce, a few scoops will sweeten the pot. (Add it with the mushroom soup; I kid you not.) This recipe is a perfect fit for rotisserie chicken, too. The proverbial two birds with one stone.
Turkey potato casserole
1pound cooked turkey meat, shredded
1onion, chopped
114.5-ounce can green beans, drained
110.75-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
8ounces shredded cheddar cheese
8ounces cubed cheddar cheese
4cups prepared mashed potatoes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place turkey in an even layer on the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Top with a layer of onion and a layer of green beans so that the turkey is no longer visible. Pour the condensed soup over the green-bean layer, then sprinkle with shredded cheese. Stir together the cubed cheese and mashed potatoes; spoon over the top of the casserole, and spread to cover. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until heated through.
Serves 6.
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