Thanksgiving feasts usher in the holiday season like no other tradition. A table laden with favorite foods symbolizes the warmth and goodwill families and friends share.
But preparing that sumptuous Thanksgiving meal is no simple task. In a season filled with demands on time, hearty home-cooked dinners often are in short supply during the Christmas countdown.
That's why a few actions taken after others have pushed away from the table on Thanksgiving can prove so valuable in the busy days to come.
With an eye toward conserving time and energy, leftovers become less of a hassle and more of a valuable commodity.
"Having leftover roasted turkey or baked ham is not a disaster," said Janet Kline, nutrition/health education specialist with the University of Missouri Extension Benton office. "It's a real time saver for the rest of the holiday season to have some cooked leftovers on hand."
Thanksgiving entrees can make for some versatile dishes that the family won't even recognize as leftovers, she said. That's a secret good cooks have long recognized.
"Use your imagination," said Claire Barnes, chuckling as she paused from reading off a rapid-fire list of tasty-sounding possibilities featuring leftovers. "If you don't experiment, you never learn to cook."
Barnes, who lives in Cape Girardeau, speaks from experience. Her cooking career has included preparing meals at schools, hospitals and nursing homes.
Just for starters, she noted, "You can make a cold salad out of any kind of meat." From a base such as mayonnaise or sour cream, "you can add your own condiments," such as peppers, celery and onions, Barnes said. Raisins and nuts make for a sweeter taste.
"Lots of people don't realize you can make salad out of leftover roast," she noted. "You make it just like you would chicken or tuna salad. You can use sweet pickle relish or dill pickle, to taste."
"People eat with their eyes," said Barnes, noting that small additions such as red pimentos and other colorful accents can enhance a dish's appeal.
Foods that freeze well make for excellent crowd pleasers in the weeks to come. Turkey and ham, for instance, will retain their flavor up to three months in a freezer if stored in proper made-for-the-freezer containers.
Glenda Crosno, another local cook whose recipes have pleased friends and family for years, uses leftover turkey, dressing and gravy in a casserole dish that's a first-rate pleaser. "I mix all of it together and put it in the freezer," Crosno said. "When I get ready to cook it, I just take it out and put in a can of chow mein vegetables, a can of chow mien noodles and a can of cream of chicken soup."
Cooked at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, "it makes the best casserole you'll ever eat," Crosno said. "You can make a nice white sauce and pour over it too."
In many dishes, the meat ingredient is largely interchangeable, Kline noted. Turkey, for instance, can often be used in place of chicken or even ground beef.
There are a few safeguards persons should take when handling leftovers, health and nutrition experts advise.
First, it's best to tend to the leftovers right away. "We usually say don't leave food at room temperature for more than two hours," Kline noted.
It's a good idea to package the meat in ready-to-use portions. Less handling means better retention of texture and taste.
"Some people actually cook more turkey than they need so that they will have leftovers," Kline noted.
An often-asked question is whether a whole turkey can be frozen for future use, said Susan Mills, food and nutrition specialist with the University of Missouri Extension Jackson office. "You don't want to freeze the whole turkey, because the bone will retain heat and increase chances of bacterial contamination," she explained. For that reason, meat should be removed from the bone before it's frozen.
To ward off the potential of serving mystery meat months from now, Mills recommends jotting the date on the packaged meat before putting it in the freezer. "If it gets forgotten, the quality diminishes and then you have wasted money and time," she said.
Leftover cooked turkey will keep in the refrigerator for about three or four days, Kline said.
Some dishes, such as fruit salads or potato-based foods, don't freeze well and should be eaten within a few days of preparation. Cream pies and pumpkin pies typically won't retain their full flavor if frozen but pecan pies freeze well, Mills noted.
Cakes and homemade rolls can taste almost fresh-baked just a few minutes out of the freezer.
More information about which foods freeze well is available through local extension offices.
Planning for and preparing leftovers may cost time up front, Mills noted, but with the demands of the approaching Christmas season, "it can sure save you time if you get in a pinch."
Here are some tips.
-- Remember to save the turkey broth. It's a great base for homemade soup or dumplings. Skim the fat off the top before using.
-- Barnes offers this tip: Put the turkey carcass in a large stock pot. "You won't think there's any meat on it, but it makes a good broth," Barnes said. Add salt and pepper and cover with water. Cook for about an hour or until broth thickens. Remove bones, discard skin. Add rice and celery or noodles or make vegetable soup. Broth can be frozen.
-- Mix corn and lima beans together. Saute an onion in butter or olive oil, mix together and heat.
-- Freeze the third layer of a large-recipe cake, save it for drop-in company during the holidays.
-- Make an extra batch of rolls or an extra pecan pie and freeze it.
-- Chop leftover cooked turkey and mix with barbecue sauce for a great quick sandwich.
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