Kat’s Money Corner: Post-Turkey Day dollar stretchers
Thanksgiving is next week. It’s a holiday where we reflect on all the people and things that we’re grateful for while making a meal big enough to feed them all twice. For some, Thanksgiving leftovers are as highly anticipated as round one of the meal. This week I want to share a few tried-and-true methods for your turkey day leftovers.
Forget the Sandwich
We always have a ton of food left over. We freeze some but you can’t freeze everything and honestly, how many days of turkey sandwiches can one family stand? Instead, try adding marinara sauce to the dark meat of the turkey for Spaghetti Bolognese or use the meat to make a spicy, satisfying chili. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/turkey-bolognese-recipe.html
Don’t let your side dishes go to waste, either. Add some cheese, diced onion and a little flour to your leftover mashed potatoes. Form these into patties you can easily fry on the stovetop. Potato pancakes are a delicious and filling breakfast option when served with bacon or sausage. Don’t hesitate to add leftover corn for some real flavor. Your family (and your stomach) will thank you.
http://www.justataste.com/2013/11/cheesy-leftover-mashed-potato-pancakes-recipe/#comment-214502
Sharing is Caring
We are a sports family and my husband just loves to have people over for games – what better time to watch football than around Thanksgiving? Many of our tailgating parties are potluck style so I figure; why not keep the tradition alive with a “don’t buy a thing” potluck style dinner? In the days following the big feast, we invite friends to our house but insist they can only bring leftovers from their family Thanksgiving meals. It’s a guarantee there’s plenty to eat and all that delicious food won’t go to waste.
At these parties, we eat well, cheer loudly and remain thankful to have friends and family members to share another meal with at our table. However, before the party, I recommend investing in some take-out boxes to ensure that you don’t get stuck with everyone else’s leftovers on top of your own. http://www.papermart.com/eco-pak-white-take-out-boxes/id=38641#3864
Kat's Money Corner is posted on Dollars & Sense every Tuesday. Kat Hnatyshyn, when not blogging or caring for her little one, is a manager with CommunityAmerica Credit Union. For more financial chatter, click http://twitter.com/savinmavens.
This story was originally published November 18, 2014 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Kat’s Money Corner: Post-Turkey Day dollar stretchers."