The day of the leftovers
Since there have been fewer large get-togethers for Thanksgiving this year, I assume people have fewer leftovers because they haven’t cooked huge turkeys. Then again, there are probably more people who do have leftovers, because more people have done their own cooking in their own homes.
Which means that it’s turkey soup day at my place. A modest amount compared to many turkey soups of yesteryear, but nevertheless it will get made. There will also be a little turkey salad for a sandwich or two.
But I say a resounding “No!” to turkey tetrazzini. I know that some people love it and consider it obligatory post-Thanksgiving fare. But it’s a food I first encountered in the dorm dining hall and came to dread. I don’t tend to like creamy foods – except for ice cream, of course – and all the turkey tetrazzini that ever crossed my path has been creamy. Your mileage – and poundage – may differ.
I used to make a killer turkey barley soup with the huge turkeys we used to have when the kids lived at home. Haven’t made one in a long time. Several reasons I think: there’s something about the smell of turkey fat cooking that is pretty awful. Plus it was a two day production (Stock, then chill and skim, then add the final ingredients & simmer for hours) which produced a relatively small amount of soup for all the trouble.
Sure was good though, good luck with yours
My wife and I were the only people to share a turkey this year, and even though I found a smallish one, I anticipate we’ll have leftovers for several days.
That’s ok with me, as I enjoy re-heated sliced turkey and dressing with gravy. And fortunately our cranberry dressing turned out very good, so that’s a good addition to the leftovers. But this year the dressing was disappointing. I used a packaged mix, and it did not turn out well.
And when we have had as much as we can stand, the dog will help us out.
Turkey is a good food, and every Thanksgiving I wonder why we only have it twice a year!
Then I think back to the entire day cooking, and I get an insight into why twice is enough.
We ended up with the largest turkey we have ever had. When my wife went turkey shopping at Safeway the deal was $150 checkout got you a free turkey. She took the smallest she could find. Over 20 pounds. I guess that is how they are moving all the large turkeys this year.
When I was first married, my husband’s favorite cousin had to be taught to make turkey soup! I was shocked. I thought everyone made turkey soup. These days, we carve the meat off the turkey and put the carcass in a jumbo ziplock bag in the freezer. I make the soup a week or so later, when we’ve had all the leftovers and have regained an interest in eating turkey.
I cooked a standing rib roast for our Thanksgiving dinner. Just the two of us so we have enough left over for dinner tonight, plus we also made a plate for a friend who had to work.
Bought a turkey, but it wouldn’t have had time to thaw out before yesterday. Probably cook it next week. Also bought a ham that is going into a New England boiled dinner for Saturday night.
I echo your “no” on the tetrazzini for exactly the same reason. Dorm food. When I wound up in Vietnam even the C-rats were preferable (mostly). I hadn’t thought about chicken-T for about 60 years and right now I can taste it in my teeth. Thanks ever so much, Neo. LOL
Regarding creamed foods, my father was in the Navy for three years and left with a love of creamed chipped beef on toast (S.O.S) and insisted my mother make it at least once a month. It was my job to make the toast. My dad preferred his buttered, the rest of us, dry.
Spam also figured into many of our meals. It’s been many years, but a spam and velveeta sandwich was always a pleasure. Can’t imagine what my wife would think if I bought either Spam, or Velveeta.
We never make turkey soup or chili, or tetrazzini. Although I rarely eat sandwiches or bread these days, I ALWAYS make turkey, mayonnaise and white bread sandwiches (liberally salted) in the days following Thanksgiving until all the leftovers are gone. We do also have duplicates of Thanksgiving dinner with the leftovers.
We got a fairly small bird, under 14 lbs., but with only 2 to eat it the first day and one more to join us on day 2, I finally have enough leftovers to suit me. The very idea of turning your nose up at tetrazzini! You just haven’t had it made right, a la my husband, a fabulous cook. There’s no reason for it to be creamy or gloppy.
We do turkey soup, too, with dumplings made from the turkey skimmings.
Rufus, yeah, creamed beef on toast! I loved that when I was a boy. Did it have its origin in the Navy? But if so, how’d it get to us?
I was treated to two different versions of cranberry sauce this year. Both were nice. One was a bourbon-maple type.
“But it’s a food I first encountered in the dorm dining hall and came to dread.”
Food “service” Eggplant souffle.