Thanksgiving has come and gone, however, maybe not all that turkey. Now is the time to either freeze it for another day, or be creative in your recipes.

Handling Thanksgiving leftovers can require skill and creativity. First, ask yourself the question, has it been held under proper refrigeration? That is 40 degrees or less. If you delayed refrigerating leftovers on Thanksgiving day, that would be within two hours of serving, then any leftovers would need to be discarded.

Here is a short chart to clip out and save for future reference.

Storage of leftovers (refrigerator 40� or slightly below): Cooked turkey 3 to 4 days; stuffing and gravy, 1 to 2 days; other cooked dishes, 3 to 4 days.

Freezer (0�F or below): turkey slices or pieces, plain 4 months; turkey covered with broth or gravy 6 months; cooked poultry dishes 4 to 6 months; stuffing and gravy 1 month. (Foods frozen longer remain safe but may become drier and lose flavor.) So, are you ready to disguise that turkey? Here are recipes which use vegetables to complete the meal. In the first, I altered the recipe to utilize cooked turkey; however it can be made with boneless, skinless turkey breast.

Turkey Stir Fry

1 pound cooked turkey breast

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger

1 Tbsp. all-fruit apricot preserves

1 Tbsp. white vinegar

4 ounces snow peas

2 tsp. olive or canola oil

3/4 cup defatted chicken stock

Cut the turkey into thin strips. Place in a large bowl. Add the ginger, garlic, preserves, soy sauce and vinegar. Stir well to combine. Set aside.

In a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat, stir-fry the onions, snow peas and peppers in the oil until just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the turkey with the marinade, to the pan. Stir-fry until the turkey is heated about 2-3 minutes. Add the vegetables. In a cup dissolve the cornstarch in the stock. Add to the pan. Stir until thick. Makes 4 servings.

Source: 5 A Day recipe.

Turkey Pot Pie (Serves 5)

1 package (16 oz) frozen vegetables for stew, cooked according to package directions

1 cup frozen peas, cooked according to package directions

2 cups cooked turkey cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 jar (12 oz) non-fat turkey gravy

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 refrigerator pie crust, room temperature

Drain any cooking liquid from the stew vegetables and peas. Add turkey cubes, gravy, herbs, salt and pepper to vegetables in an oven-safe 2-quart cooking dish. Unfold the pie crust dough and place on top of the dish, trimming the edges to approximately one inch larger than the dish; dough edges to the dish. Make several 1-inch slits on the crust to allow steam to escape. Bake in pre-heated 400�F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is brown and mixture is hot and bubbly.

White Turkey Chili

(Makes 12 -1 Cup Servings)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

4 cups chopped, cooked turkey

3 cans (15.5 oz) Great Northern Beans, drained

2 cans (11 oz) White Corn, undrained

1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies

4 cups turkey or chicken broth (low sodium)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery, cook and stir 2-3 minutes. Place the rest of the ingredients in a large saucepan (at least 4-qt.) Stir well. Cover and cook about 15 minutes over medium heat stirring occasionally until thoroughly heated.

Alternate Cooking Method: Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for approximately 6-8 hours.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top if desired.

About the Author

Mary R. Ehret, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., is with Penn State Cooperative Extension, Luzerne County, 16 Luzerne Ave., West Pittston, Pa., 18643. (570) 825-1701/602-0600. Fax (570) 825-1709. mre2@psu.edu.

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