Thanksgiving Leftovers
Ah Black Friday, one of the most feared and anticipated days of the year. Of course I am referring to the Friday after Thanksgiving – the annual quest to figure out what to do with all of those Turkey Day leftovers. I’ve never understood why people get so worked up about it. Seriously, all that media coverage just because of a few leftovers? Madness!
I watched some of the innovative ideas that the TV chefs offered this past week during the barrage of Thanksgiving food shows that permeated cable. Some were pretty good. I especially liked Sunny Anderson’s idea for taking leftover dressing and deep frying it. Perhaps it is because I am from the 
South where we fry everything and I mean everything – alligators, dill pickles, chicken gizzards.
The problem with most left-over recipes is that they still taste like Thanksgiving dinner. However, soups can offer an escape from that trap. Do you have a leftover can of pumpkin pie filling? Make pumpkin soup. Do you have leftover potatoes? Make loaded potato soup. Leftover turkey? I have got a soup for that as well. It was an improvised soup of the day I did at a restaurant once that people liked so much it went on the permanent menu. It’s called Turkey Queso Soup and it’s easy.
| Turkey Queso Soup |
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 8 ounces pepper Jack cheese, shredded or diced
- 1 TBL Cumin
- 1 tsp smoked parika
- 1 tsp Chipotle chili powder
- 1 cup leftover turkey meat, pulled or diced
- In a large sauce pan over medium heat, combine the cream of chicken soup, evaporated milk and cheese. Bring slowly to a simmer.
- Once the cheese has melted into the soup stir in the cumin, then smoked paprika and finally the chili powder. Let simmer for a few minutes then stir in the turkey.
- Allow to simmer a few minutes more and then serve with tortilla chips on the side.
Or you could do what I do with leftover Thanksgiving dinner, reheat and eat. Come on we wait 365 days for Thanksgiving dinner because we love the meal. Why not enjoy it another time or two before moth-balling it for another year? Now that I have helped you to put your leftover fears to rest you can spend Black Friday doing something fun like going shopping. I bet you’ll have the stores to yourself.
Food Network Presents ‘Thanksgiving Live!’
Food Network Helps Viewers Avert Turkey-Day Disasters First-Ever, Two Hour, Interactive ‘Thanksgiving Live!’ Special
Hosted by Alton Brown and Featuring Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray and More
‘Thanksgiving Live!’ Airs Sunday, November 20th from NOON-2pm ET
Viewers Submit Questions Live via Facebook, Twitter and Skype
NEW YORK – October 17, 2011 – Home cooks—and their Thanksgiving dinner guests—have another reason to be thankful this year! The experts at Food Network come together to answer viewers toughest questions about holiday meal-making on Thanksgiving Live!, a two-hour, interactive show hosted by famed Turkey-master Alton Brown, airing Sunday, November 20 from 12 pm to 2 pm EST/PST (west coast airing will be taped). On hand to address perennial problems from dry turkey to lumpy gravy, as well as demonstrate helpful tips and delicious recipes will be Ted Allen, Sunny Anderson, Anne Burrell, Melissa d’Arabian, Bobby Flay, Alex Guarnaschelli and Rachael Ray.
“Thanksgiving Live! is a unique opportunity for home cooks to get expert holiday meal preparation advice from the television chefs they love and trust on the Sunday before the big day,” said Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President of Food Network. “We’re excited to offer this one-of-a-kind television experience, in addition to our other media platforms, to make Food Network the go-to resource for Thanksgiving food programming and instruction.”
In this first-ever Food Network live event, Alton will field viewers’ Thanksgiving meal preparation questions and refer them to an all-star cast of celebrity chefs. Viewers will not only have the opportunity to submit questions ahead of time via Facebook, Twitter (use #FNThanksgiving) but can also simultaneously submit questions during the broadcast. Skype submissions (Username: FoodNetworkThanksgiving) will be exclusive to the two-hour broadcast.
As a side dish to the on-air broadcast, the network’s website (www.foodnetwork.com) will serve up a three-hour Thanksgiving Live webcast. Starting a half-hour before airtime, the site will stream a preshow featuring celebrity chef interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of Alton and the cast preparing for the live television event. During the show, viewers can participate in a unique, co-viewing social experience implemented on FoodNetwork.com, Facebook.com/FoodNetwork and Livestream.com/FoodNetwork. A mix of real-time conversation including video, photos, Facebook and Twitter posts, all seamlessly integrated into the live video stream, it will allow chefs and viewers to share tips, recipes and commentary. After the on-air broadcast concludes as the cast sit down to enjoy the Thanksgiving feast they prepared during the show, the online streaming video will continue with post-show coverage. Each guest will contribute a signature dish, covering everything from starters to desserts—and Alton Brown will carve the turkey!
