Thank goodness for leftovers ideas

We arrive at this same point every year. Thanksgiving dinner has been served, the guests have all gone home and the table has been cleared. The problem is that the refrigerator is now stuffed with leftovers. Nobody can face another loaded plate of turkey and dressing, so what's a poor cook to do?

If we faced the culinary fact that turkey is delicious any time of the year, we might be better prepared to deal with this annual dilemma. Who said roasting a turkey should be reserved for the winter holidays alone? At least some folks have started deep frying this big bird, and that seems to be on the menu more often, but for most of us, we are stuck in a food tradition rut.

Turkey is quite adaptable and can be presented in many guises, not just sliced on a plate and covered in sauce (we will look at three examples below), but the problem extends beyond the holiday bird. What about those leftover vegetables? The peas and beans that we have stored by the quart, not to mention the roasted sweet potatoes that just might fill a shopping bag? Who knows what else is hiding in the refrigerator. It just might be a frightening prospect to even look!

With a little ingenuity and lots of reference cookbooks, these problems can be easily solved with little pain and just a few spare coins. No one wants to waste food these days. Even if the times are plentiful for you and your family, there is just something sacrosanct about the food that keeps us alive.

Those leftover roasted sweet potatoes do have a second life, if you are so inclined. These make a good snack, side for supper or even an after-school treat.

SWEET POTATO CAKES

2 pounds of left over sweet potatoes (mashed or roasted)

1 cup panko

3 to 4 chopped green onions

1 chopped jalapeno

1 egg

Salt and pepper to taste

Oil as needed

If the potatoes were roasted, remove them from their skins and mash. Combine the potatoes, the panko, green onions, jalapeno and the egg. Season aggressively and make sure they are well mixed. Divide the mixture into 1/2- to 3/4-cup servings and form into patties. Heat a sauté pan, add the oil you need for frying and cook until golden brown. It should not take more than 2 to 3 minutes. If it takes longer, increase the heat, but be careful not to burn.

A good curry is always a wel

comed sight -- hearty, piquant and delicious. Add turkey and you've got something special. This works especially well if the turkey is a bit dry and you can't think of another use. Serve it with rice or over an open faced sandwich. Good quality curry paste can be found in any Asian market.

TURKEY CURRY

1 pound leftover turkey (dark meat is always better)

2 to 3 tablespoons red or green curry paste

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1 chopped onion

1 chopped red bell pepper

2/3 cup potatoes, cut into cubes

1 can coconut milk or cream

Fresh Thai basil

Simmer the coconut milk until the oil separates, remove and set aside. In a large saucepan, heat the curry paste until fragrant, then add the carrots, onion and bell pepper along with a little oil. Cook for 5 minutes or so. Add the potatoes, turkey and coconut milk and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Garnish with the basil and serve piping hot.

ROAST TURKEY PO-BOY WITH CRANBERRY MAYO

2 to 3 cups leftover turkey

1 po-boy loaf per person

1/2 cup best quality mayo

1 tablespoon cranberry sauce

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Lettuce, tomato and sliced red onion for garnish

Slice and toast the bread; add a little butter if you are feeling extravagant. Combine the mayo, cranberry and lemon juice. If you want to make this a hot sandwich, warm the turkey in some good butter. Build the sandwich as you wish, but don't forget to be lavish with the mayo; it is delicious.

This recipe may seem a bit strange, but leftover vegetables of all sorts work well as a taco, one of the most diverse delivery systems in the world.

HAM/TURKEY AND BEANS TACO

2 soft tortillas per person

1 to 2 cups leftover beans/peas

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1/2 cup leftover ham or turkey, cubed

1/4 cup cubed sweet potato

1 cup chicken stock

Red pepper flakes

Greek style yogurt or hot sauce (optional)

Cook the ham in a little oil until it is well browned, remove and set aside. Sauté the onion and potato in the same pan, adding a little oil if necessary, season aggressively with red pepper flakes. Add the peas or beans and the chicken stock. Simmer until it all comes together and is delicious. Remember to taste and season again as necessary. Cup the tortilla in your hand and fill with the bean mixture.

Now you have to decide if you want to use the yogurt or hot sauce as garnish, if you are in doubt, try both. Now there is nothing left to do but eat.

Remember when using a non-stick pan, to clean you need only a dry rag; never scrub it.

TURKEY OMELET

2 eggs per omelet

1/2 cup leftover turkey

1/4 cup good melting cheese (Gruyere is always best)

Salt and pepper

Butter

Melt the butter in a non-stick sauté pan. Lightly whisk the eggs and season with just a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the eggs to the pan and tilt to make sure the pan is evenly covered with eggs. Add the turkey and the cheese. Remember to use a wooden spoon to move the eggs from the outside edge toward the middle of the pan.

As soon as the eggs start to set, tilt the pan and fold the omelet over. Continue cooking until the cheese has melted. Serve at once.

This story was originally published November 26, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Thank goodness for leftovers ideas."