Leftover Friday

There’s plenty to do the day after Thanksgiving, especially if you’re one of the fearless early morning shoppers. Here are a couple of quick tips for leftover holiday kitchen treasures should you prefer spending the long weekend dabbling with the Thanksgiving leftovers.

Residual Eggnog

This rich creamy drink may still find residence in your fridge after the Thanksgiving feast. Search for an easy rice pudding recipe and substitute the eggnog for milk or combine a small amount with the milk and egg mixture. There are tons of simple ways to use eggnog (i.e., French toast) but rice pudding is a cinch, smells yummy when cooking (takes an 1 ½ hrs.) and settles quite nicely in the tummy after the heavier holiday pies. Granted you’ll need some leftover rice, which may not be a traditional Thanksgiving fixing but rice is a cinch to cook up and the pudding is a great afternoon snack. I forgo the raisins in rice pudding. Raisins out of the box or covered with chocolate taste great but cooked? There’s something about that puffy, bloated cooked texture that I forgo with recipes calling for raisins.

Turkey Soup

My latest kitchen discovery: the best soup is made with a Dutch oven. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this handy kitchen tool, you don’t have to fly to the Netherlands to purchase one. This heavy cast-iron pot is perfect for soups. If you have that leftover turkey bone, don’t toss it in the trash. Use it to make a soup or even a stock for future recipes. The slow cooked simmering from a Dutch oven creates some of the clearest and best tasting broths. You can do it with a ham bone, leftover chicken bones; get creative. And don’t waste anything.

I’ll be back on Monday with blog posts but you may find a twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz or a photo on our fan page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bilowz-Associates-Inc-Our-Blog-Annies-Gardening-Corner/325316334444 in between. Post your leftover holiday recipes or tips. Next week we’ll get back to design, gardens and all that good dirt.

We wrap up today with a W. T. Purkiser quote. “Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” What better way to celebrate! To everyone, have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

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