Delicious and Creative Ways to Use Up All That Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving is over and all the guests have left with full stomachs and smiles on their faces (hopefully!)- but now you have a fridge filled with leftovers- pie, stuffing, cranberry sauce, the works. And probably what you'll have the most to finish up? All of that turkey. And the catch? You have a limited time to eat it before it goes bad! It would be a shame to waste, but honestly there are only so many turkey sandwiches one can eat. So that raises the question many hosts face each year, what to do with all that extra food?

Luckily for us, a lot of chefs have also considered this dilemma. So I've put together a delicious list of ways you can use up those leftovers without throwing them away (or getting sick of turkey!). I've also included links to easy and reliable recipes below each suggestion to help you get started on your turkey-eating-marathon! 

1. Turkey Soup

This is number one on my list because I've actually done this before and if you haven't, trust me, you're missing out! Turkey soup is both delicious and a perfect opener to the winter/holiday season. And you can use more than just your leftover turkey for this recipe; throw in your leftover potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, and more to top off a perfect, hearty lunch or dinnertime treat!

Click here to see a recipe for homemade turkey soup:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/homemade-turkey-soup/4fdb9be4-b375-4d3e-960a-f83c46a160ce

2. Turkey Chili

Another yummy wintertime meal! When it's cold outside, there is nothing like a nice bowl of hot chili. There are tons of chili recipes out there featuring turkey, so I'm confident you'll be able to find one that appeals to you. Chili is both easy to make and popular, so you should have no problem finding people to share it with!

Click here to see a Turkey Chili Recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-specials/turkey-chili-recipe/index.html

3. Turkey Pot Pie

This recipe can combine multiple of our frequent Thanksgiving leftovers- almost all of them really! If cooked your dessert pies from scratch, then you can use your left over pie crust

to start- and if baking is not your style and you were one of many of us who chose a nice, store-bought pie- that's okay too! It's easy enough to find pre-made pie crust to use. Then the rest is easy! FIll it up with all your Thanksgiving favorites- turkey, peas, corn, gravy, carrots, celery, and more. Heat up some mashed potatoes for your side and you've got yourself an amazing meal that won't remind you that you're still working on those leftovers. 

Click here to see an easy-to-make Turkey Pot Pie recipe: http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/classic-turkey-pot-pie/222c3cef-31cc-4936-abfd-cc72611c16c4

4. The Thanksgiving Sandwich

There are all different names for this food item depending on where you go, but I just

refer to it as the Thanksgiving Sandwich. It is one of my personal favorites- and not just during the Thanksgiving season! This idea is definitely the easiest one to make, but trust me it is just as delicious as the rest. Just take a piece of bread, and after toasting it, put on your desired amount of turkey. Then here comes the good part, load it up with as many leftovers as you want! Starting with the basics; stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy, then top it off with whatever else you like (cranberry sauce, peas, corn, ect). But like many southern treats, this is not a meal for our low calorie lovers! But hey, it's the holidays- so whose really counting calories anyway? 


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More Tips On Controlling Back to School Madness

Back to school can be a very hectic time with a lot of mixed emotions. Back to school means the end of those lazy summer days and relaxed schedule. For some moms, back to school send offs make them feel sad- their kids are growing and entering new stages in life- for others it means time to pop the cork off the wine bottle and celebrate! But no matter which category you fall under, there are many strategies for making this time of year as stress-free as possible. 

1. Look at the school calendar ahead of time so you can start planning

-Usually schools send out calendars of all the holiday breaks and important dates for that year towards the end of the summer. So instead of tossing it in a desk drawer to gather dust, take a look through it so you have an idea of when your kids will be off from school and can plan accordingly. 

2. Forget the back to school clothes

Instead of stressing yourself out over budgeting and back to school shopping, just forget it all together and let them wear what they are comfortable in! Summer clothes are still functional in the warm September weather, so just wait it out until after labor day when clothes are deeply discounted. 

3. Wake kids up early for pictures- Not this year! 

Instead of enduring all the complaining and fake smiles, just say forget it to the morning photo session. Wait until the end of the day when they are getting off the bus all excited from their big day to snap a few photos. 

4. Check and double check your school supplies list to make sure your kids will have everything they need on their first day

-It's embarrassing to be the one out of the group who is not prepared, and if that ends up being your child, I'm positive you will be hearing ALL about it when they get home!

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5. Have an "End of the Summer Family Activity"

Once school starts, with all sports and afterschool activities, days will become hectic and everyone will be on a different schedule, so before this happens plan one last fun summer activity that the whole family will enjoy and can do together. 

6. Start pushing back the clock before school starts

Just like with reestablishing earlier bedtimes and more structured meal times, start to slowly push back wake up time too. Especially for you mothers of teenagers who can sleep till one or two in the afternoon, gradually start waking them up a little earlier in the weeks before the end of summer. This way, getting up at 6am on the first day of school won't be a complete shock to their systems!

7. Let them choose their "first day" breakfast 

Instead of stressing yourself out on the first morning over making them a healthy breakfast, just take this one morning to let them choose what they want to eat. Even its a slice of cake- just let them have a special treat to make them happy and in a good mood on their special day!

Tell us how you help your kids get organized for back to school!

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts.