Leftovers: What to do?

It’s a challenge this time of year. You think we’d learn. If you purchase a large turkey or ham, you are bound to have lots of leftovers even with Uncle Ernie sneaking into the kitchen for a third midnight snack. So what do we do after two days of delicious turkey sandwiches or ham and cheese on rye? Yes. We order pepperoni pizzas or go out for Chinese. But this doesn’t answer the question. What do we do with all of this leftover food?

I did some scientific research to search for the most nutritious and efficient uses of leftover carne. The vegans laugh at this problem since they don’t subscribe to eating meat or much of anything that’s produced by animals. Think honey. It’s a no-no.

The old standby is soup. Clean that turkey carcass or ham bone of all the remaining meat, well, for more sandwiches. Or leave some on the bone for a thicker soup and fewer, have mercy, sandwiches. I make excellent turkey soup, and you have to admit, the weather is finally cool enough here to eat soup. So cover the turkey carcass or ham bone with water in a large pot. Once it begins to boil turn the heat to simmer and start picking out the bones. Clearly, this is easier if you are working with a ham bone. Turkey soup requires close supervision to pick out all bones especially when guests at the house are rusty on the Heimlich maneuver. Add herbs and spices, barley or rice, carrots, onions. Whatever you need to clean out of your veggie drawer before it turns to compost.

While I think turkey soup is a good alternative to turkey sandwiches, a friend just told me his mother put the kibosh on turkey soup. He even made one Chinese style, but his family ran from the house once he began serving anything made with turkey. They have a point.

Ok. How about a turkey barbecue sandwich? The New York Times was featuring this as one of their leftover choices, but I couldn’t get the exact recipe since I don’t subscribe to their foodie newsletter. The picture is instructive enough. Shred the turkey, and sauté the turkey in a pan along with chopped onions. Add a generous amount of Stubb’s barbecue sauce and serve on hamburger buns or pan birote. For more excitement, top with a large jalapeño. You should have already stocked up on ultra strength antacid so let’s get on with indigestion.

There are local Mexican restaurants that know how to use turkey leftovers. I have enjoyed turkey machaca at La Fonda. It’s delicious whether with corn or flour tortillas.

So beyond leftovers management, what’s happening? Thanksgiving and Christmas are the seasons for charitable giving. Non-profit organization mailings are keeping the post office busy, and my mailbox is full. I just saw a poll of the world’s most charitable nations. Charitable designates more than writing a check. It also includes assisting a stranger. Interestingly, all but one nation is Asian-Pacific: 5. Sri Lanka, 4. New Zealand, 3. Australia, 2. United States, and 1. Myanmar. China was ranked as least generous. In Europe, England is most giving.

Locally, Thanksgiving dinners for the LGBTQ – plus community, the homeless, and low income families were provided by the Imperial Valley LGBT Resource Center. Brawley’s Feed the Need provided $50 Vons gift cards enabling families to purchase Thanksgiving meal kits. Included were the homeless, the elderly and anyone without a Thanksgiving meal. The El Centro Salvation Army will be serving a Christmas dinner. Additionally, the Imperial Valley Food Bank provides tons of food to pantries, churches and school backpack programs throughout the Valley year-round. Each of these organizations deserves your contribution now during the holiday season and throughout the year when there is less focus on the importance of giving.

Let’s do better than the No. 2 spot in charitable giving.