Dinner ideas for the Friday after Thanksgiving?

[jpcher]

What about something that you can make in advance and freeze? Like a lasagna with a large salad and garlic bread.

I like doodlemor's idea of several different soups.

[VorFemme]

Turkey curry (any chicken or even shrimp recipe with turkey meat used instead - trust me - nobody will think it tastes like leftover turkey - DD just requested that I make it this year and it's been thirty years since the first time she ate it - at eight months old). 

Turkey tacos or enchiladas (if you can find the Turkey Machacha recipe in the folder here - it was in an after Thanksgiving section of the newspaper in Phoenix, Arizona and I've been making it LONGER than thirty years now - VorGuy requests it!).  Chili peppers, green onion, sea salt, canned chopped tomatoes, and I forget what else - slow cooker or low heat in a large pot on the stove top at low heat for hours - on a bun it's Sloppy Jose (lettuce & cheese optional), in a taco shell, on a tortilla (flour or corn), or, according to VorGuy, just on a SPOON!

[Dazi]

Two words:

Turkey tetrazzini

Add a nice green salad and maybe some garlic bread

[Outdoor Girl]

If you want non-turkey leftovers, I'd go with a lasagna with a green salad and fresh bread of some sort - rolls or crusty loaf or something.

If you want leftovers but done a different way, a turkey pot pie made with cut up turkey, gravy, any other veggies that would go well in there and either top with mashed potatoes a la shepherd's pie or with pastry.  You could buy premade pastry to save making that.  If you take mashed potatoes, add some more milk or cream, maybe a little cheese, some extra seasoning and then spoon out on a baking tray, heating until the middle is warm then broil to brown the tops.  They are really good!

[sweetonsno]

How about an Asian-style noodle bar? Pick a couple types of noodles, a couple types of broth, and some toppings. After the noodles are cooked, you can probably "hold" them in a warm water bath. Keep the broth hot in a crockpot or on the stove.

Noodles:
Shirataki
Udon
Rice noodle
Buckwheat soba

Broth:
Chicken
Beef
Veggie
(Whatever broth you pick, infuse it with Asian-y seasonings like ginger, star anise, onion, mushroom, etc… you can make pho broth if you want to)

Toppings:
Shredded omelet
Scallions
Peanuts
Soy sauce
Sriracha
Pickled ginger
Thai basil
Bean sprouts
Chilis
Cilantro
Mint

You could also have some very simply cooked veggies (carrots, celery, onion, mushroom, broccoli) and/or protein (chicken, beef, tofu) for people to stir in.

A big bowl of that would be nice, I think. It's filling enough to satisfy but lighter than the Thanksgiving fare.

[hannahmollysmom]

French Canadian leftovers here, known as Turkey Ragu:

Shred left over turkey, add gravy, or if not enough, make or buy some more, add left over veggies, heat, then serve over leftover mashed potatoes, with cranberry sauce side, and of course, any left over pork pie!

Italian Turkey Soup:

Boil up skeleton ( ) strain, then add cut up turkey, can of white beans, frozen peas, chopped onions, risotto, and then just before serving, some grated parm cheese.

[lowspark]

What about something that you can make in advance and freeze? Like a lasagna with a large salad and garlic bread.

I like doodlemor's idea of several different soups.

This is what I was going to propose. Some kind of large casserole that can be made a few days before. Lasagne or enchilada casserole or chili.

OR... something very simple that you can make on the spot. Tacos (build your own) -- ground beef or fish or shrimp tacos are different enough from turkey to give you the needed break. Or build your own salads with lots of different greens and hard boiled eggs, avacado, shredded cheese, chopped ham or roast beef, etc.

[workerbee]

These are great ideas, thank you!! I love the brainstorming....

Right now I'm leaning toward doing something completely different, just because I know I'm going to be sick of turkey and all related flavors, But I'm filing the leftover recipes away for later....I wish that was something our family did, use the leftovers differently instead of just pulling the same old thing out of the fridge. Am I alone in that? Do people like just re-heating the same plate of food over and over again? I have no objection to turkey soup, sandwiches, potato pancakes, etc., but my mom seems to think everyone should be perfectly happy eating the same meal for the entire weekend. Different strokes, I guess.

Anyway, I love the soup idea, and if I can find the time this weekend I'm going to throw together a big pot of vegetable soup and/or chili. That will be perfect for lunches throughout the weekend, I think! (rounded out with a turkey sandwich, grilled cheese, or slice of pie)

For Friday dinner, I'm leaning toward spaghetti or lasagna, just for something totally different. And definitely a big green salad to go with. I wonder if I'll have time to make a lasagna this weekend......I love the butternut/spinach recipe, but with the crowd we're expecting, I think the traditional flavors may be preferable....

[lowspark]

....I wish that was something our family did, use the leftovers differently instead of just pulling the same old thing out of the fridge. Am I alone in that? Do people like just re-heating the same plate of food over and over again?

You are certainly not alone but I kinda love both. I love the leftovers exactly as is but I also love making something completely different out of them. I usually will eat the "as is" leftovers a couple of times after the actual meal, then make something with some of the leftovers and then freeze the rest. A couple of weeks later, it all seems new again and I love having a replica of the meal again.

I can understand people who don't want to have the exact same thing over and over again though. I usually lean toward that. But I think it's the once-a-year aspect of turkey & trimmings that makes me want to eat it a bunch of times since I know I won't see it again for a year.

[Winterlight]

I like my leftovers as is, but different strokes and all that.

You could always do something like poached salmon and a green vegetable or a salad if you want a really different option.

[Sophia]

Boxing Day, my parents invite people over for a casual brunch of homemade Belgium waffles.  He uses the Best recipe.  I've seen it other places.  If you see several recipes gathered together it is the one loaded with "all the stuff you shouldn't eat much of".   People sit around the dining table, and eat the waffles as they come off the oven.  When I am done eating, I make the rest and Dad sits down. 

[hannahmollysmom]

Honestly, my favorite part of Thanksgiving is the Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce sandwich that I have late at night on Thanksgiving, after everyone is gone and the clean up is completed. After that, I could really care less about the turkey.

I do try to buy a turkey size that will not have much leftovers. So, I don't blame you at all for wanting to make something different for the day after.

[Deetee]

....I wish that was something our family did, use the leftovers differently instead of just pulling the same old thing out of the fridge. Am I alone in that? Do people like just re-heating the same plate of food over and over again?

[snip]

I can understand people who don't want to have the exact same thing over and over again though. I usually lean toward that. But I think it's the once-a-year aspect of turkey & trimmings that makes me want to eat it a bunch of times since I know I won't see it again for a year.

For me, the eating of the same meal a couple days in a row is a nice part of Christmas or T-giving. It's two fold. I really like the food and I enjoy it lunch and dinner for a couple days (and then maybe lunch or dinner for a couple more). Second, I really like the complete lack of thought or planning or mess that happens in the next couple days. It's a complete break from cooking/planning/dishes etc...

[cheyne]

I am cooking extra for TDay this year looking forward to using the leftovers for sandwiches etc...on the weekend.  Friday night is steak night at our house.  We are inviting a couple of friends that have to do the rounds of 3 houses on TDay!  They said that they would love the break from holiday foods for a good, juicy steak.

By having something different on Friday, I enjoy eating the holiday foods again on Saturday and Sunday.

[blarg314]

For a change from leftovers I think I'd go with something light adn fresh that contrasts completely with the turkeyetc.

Say - Broiled shrimp kabobs with garlic lime sauce, cherry tomato salad with lemon miso dressing, a garden salad,  an orange and celery salad with toasted walnuts, a fresh baguette and some oil and vinegar to dip the bread in.

I like the leftovers, but I can appreciate the need for a change if you're eating the same thing day after day. I do like Boxing Day turkey sandwiches (white bread, lettuce, S&P and mayo) with a pile of potato chips (salt and vinegar), some pickles on the side, and a heap of leftover stuffing with gravy.

If we have excessive turkey left over, I drizzle it with a bit of broth to keep it from drying out, and toss it in the freezer, for use in soups later.