There's nothing like the smell of turkey roasting for hours. It is so much fun to see family that I don't get to see too often. Real mashed potatoes. Real gravy. Homemade bread. There's just so much variety.
But the next day...solid gold leftovers. And you can have as big a portion as you want. At Thanksgiving, you take a normal portion and make sure there is enough for all the nieces, brothers-in-law, etc. And you also take a bit of everyone's special dish, even if it is only "special" in their mind: green beens with little tiny onions (where do they get those?), Waldorf Plus Salad, Jello Surprise, you know what I mean. You take enough to taste and compliment. (Of course, all of MY family's side dishes are TERRIFIC.)
So this year plans didn't work out for our clan to get together at my dad's place for the Big Thanksgiving Dinner Gathering. Both my wife and I have been under the weather. So I thought...what about Thanksgiving Leftovers?
I did make some homemade bread and pop it in the freezer. Then I got some provolone cheese, a boneless rotisserie turkey breast, celery, frozen macaroni and cheese, a bottle of bubbly (OK, sparking cider), and a mini pecan pie. And wahla, Thanksgiving Leftovers. We started off with celery filled with peanut butter. (Now at most Thanksgivings everyone nibbles on plain celery while they wait for everyone to arrive, but what they are thinking is, "Boy, some peanut butter would be great on this.") We had the best turkey sandwiches. All the macaroni and cheese we could ever want. And then cold-from-the-fridge pie. (Pie always sits out at Thanksgiving, but that last piece from the fridge that is ice cold seems the best ever.)
Best of all, no cooking, no cleaning the house, no clearing off the table, no washing a zillion dishes, no overeating (well maybe just a bit), and no jello surprise. Just good plain food.
Leftovers are one of the best things about Thanksgiving.
From David
