Penelope is here to help.

Leftover Thanksgiving Food Ideas

I don't know about you, but I've finally had enough coffee to kick off all the tryptophan from yesterday and assess the damage in the kitchen. What do we have left? A little bit of everything, and a whole lot of turkey. A Walker family favorite for post-Thanksgiving lazy days that I thought I'd share with my favorite readers is the Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich.

The day after Thanksgiving, we usually eat these as soon as we can find some extra space in our stomachs, and they're a perfect way to get rid of the extra helpings of food that you just can't bear to throw out. This sandwich varies from family member to family member here at our house, but the basics are simple: cranberry sauce and turkey.

I make a very simple version of the Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich: just a layer of turkey, a generous helping of cranberry sauce and a thin layer of fresh spinach between two slices of whole grain bread. Charlie, on the other hand, is a big fan of spooning lots of gravy over the bottom slice of bread, then layering turkey, cranberry sauce and swiss cheese to make up the rest of his sandwich. I've also heard of smoothing a layer of stuffing between the turkey and the cheese, but have been afraid of trying something so decadent and getting addicted.

However you make your Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich, the key is to use up that extra food while it's still fresh! A word to the wise, though. That tryptophan will come back and grab you just like it did yesterday, so be sure to budget some extra time for a nap this afternoon. I know I will!

Enjoy Planning.
Penelope