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If you've prepared "big bird" at your home for your Thanksgiving dinner, are you wondering what to do with the leftovers besides making turkey soup, turkey sandwiches, turkey pot pie, and on and on. Well, it's none of those today. First of all, take all your leftovers and stow them, in individual containers, preferably in glass containers in one spot so they are together when you want to use them. Also, if you can, put them in glass containers as it's harder to see what's in a plastic container than sandwiches, etc. Well sure, you can make sandwiches but why not make something different. Be sure to label them with freezer or masking tape and a felt tip marking pen, noting what's inside and the date. If you can't use what's left within 3-4 days, put it in the freezer.

That's what I'm about to help you with today...turkey leftovers. And the first one happens to be a sandwich, but it's not your ordinary turkey, mayo and lettuce between slices of bread!

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TACO TURKEY

SANDWICHES

1/2 c. sliced ripe olives

1/2 t. chili powder

1/4 t. each, cumin and salt

1/4 c. green onions, sliced thin

2 T. sour cream

2 T. mayo or salad dressing

4 Kaiser or hoagie buns, split

1/2 lb. thinly sliced turkey breast if using deli sliced turkey, ask for 8 slices or 4 slices of home-baked turkey

1/2 lb. each, 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese and shredded Monterey Jack cheese with hot pepper pieces

4 thinly sliced tomato slices, halved (about 1/2 of a large tomato)

Sliced jalapeno pepper, optional

In a small bowl, combine first four ingredients. Remove 2 T. of the mixture, set aside. Stir next three ingredients into the remaining olive mixture. Spread over cut side of roll bottoms. Put a sheet of foil or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Put bottoms of rolls on cookie sheet, cut side up. Top with turkey. Combine cheeses with the 2 T. olive mixture and spread over turkey; top with tomato slices. Cover loosely with foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Combine sandwich halves. Serve with slices of jalapeno peppers if you wish along with a pickle spear and some fresh fruit for a filling meal.

Make 4 sandwiches. Oh, oh, I believe I've used this recipe 2 years ago, but you may have tossed it out or lost it. It sounds a bit putzy but it really is a good sandwich, try it.

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TANGY TURKEY SALAD

Dressing:

1/2 c. low-calorie salad dressing

1/4 c. sour cream

1 T. each, snipped chives, sugar

Scant 1/2 t. ginger

1/2 t. grated lemon rind

1 T. lemon juice

1/4 t. salt

Salad: 2-1/2 c. cubed cooked turkey

1 c. green or red grapes, halved if you wish

1 c. diced celery

1/2 c. drained pineapple chunks, halved if you wish (can use tidbits if you wish)

1/2 c. toasted pecans

In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; mix well; refrigerate. Combine all salad ingredients, except nuts. Fold in dressing. Turn into a pretty bowl and sprinkle with nuts. Or, you can serve on individual salad plates with curly leaf lettuce as a base, sprinkling nuts on top of each servings.

Makes 4 servings.

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STIR-FRY TURKEY WITH WALNUTS

5 T. teriyaki sauce

1/2 t. each, crushed red pepper and ground ginger

2 T. peanut or olive oil

2 medium green or red sweet peppers (or combination of both), cut in 3/4-inches

4 green onions, bias - sliced in 1-inch lengths

4 c. cooked turkey, cut in 1-inch cubes

3 c. cooked brown, wild or white race* (1 c. uncooked)

In a small bowl combine teriyaki sauce, crushed pepper and ginger; set aside. Pre-heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat; add oil. Stir-fry peppers and onions in hot oil 2 minutes; remove from wok. Add walnuts to wok and stir-dry 1-2 minutes. Add turkey; stir-fry until turkey is lightly browned. Stir in sauce, cooking and stirring until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Stir in veggies. Cover and cook 1-minute; stir in walnuts. Serve right away over brown or white rice.

Makes 6 servings.

* If using brown, wild or white rice, allow about 40 minutes cooking time for brown and wild and 15 minutes for white rice before serving time. Remember not to rinse rice after cooking. You might want to mix a little canola or olive oil into the rice to keep it from sticking together. You know that brown rice is much better for us and wild rice is even better.

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TURKEY/WILD RICE CASSEROLE

1 box long grain/wild rice mix, prepared according to package directions

2-10 oz. packages frozen broccoli spears, thawed and drained

6 c. leftover cubed turkey

Sauce: 1/2 c. creamy salad dressing or mayo

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1/2 c. sliced water chestnuts drained, cut in half

1/2 t. lemon juice

1 c. grated Cheddar cheese

Spread cooked rice mixture over bottom of greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Put broccoli on top of rice; add turkey. Combine sauce ingredients, except cheese; spread over top of casserole. Sprinkle cheese over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

TFD: Children are what someone knows how to bring up when they don't have any.

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