Talking with my Second Self

Thanksgiving Leftovers:

Let the Remix Begin!

What do chefs eat after their shift?

When Thanksgiving is over, what about all the leftovers? I sat down with my “second self” Stef to brainstorm how to take those post-feast bits and pieces and make something that even a chef and past restaurant owner would love. Or would we? Keep reading… We started with sandwiches, and then kept brain storming. Because that’s what we do.  Here’s a peek into our quirky, zero-recipe mind-meld. If you’re craving an actual recipe with measurements, Betty Crocker’s Turkey Tetrazzini might be your best bet. I’ll even link it here: Betty Crocker’s Tetrazzini—complete with cream of mushroom soup, though no peas, which makes it even more undesirable. Proceed with caution on that one.

Let the remix begin. 

Hey Stef, let’s talk turkey leftovers.

Stef: “I don’t even eat leftovers anymore, honestly. After Thanksgiving, I’m over it! But if I do cave, it’s the whole thing heated up: turkey, gravy, green bean casserole, stuffing, potatoes.”
Me: “lets see ALL soft foods. JZ is like that, too. He’ll eat leftovers all week. He will bounce between a hot dinner to a cold turkey sandwiches with mayo and lettuce, a side of cranberries, maybe some olives. Or he’ll go all-in with a diner-style hot turkey plate. Which is what? Just more bread, more mush on mush. ”
Stef: “LOL. I’m the same as Jer, Bear. We are classics ”
Me: “Sometimes, Second Self, we do part culinary ways. Anyway, I can do a sandwich… maybe twice. But let’s get out of diner mode, let’s get chef-y here. Got ideas?”
Stef: “Sure. How about a twist on our favorite chicken salad? Just make it turkey!”

• Tribeca baguette

• Turkey salad: leftover turkey, curry aioli, dried cranberries, red onion, celery, tarragon

• Apple vinaigrette-dressed greens

Me: “Yes! I’ll take mine as a turkey salad, salad, though—swap the cranberries for dried cherries, or maybe fresh red grapes.”
Stef: “You carry the Tribeca baguette, right? So glad you have it back at the shop!”
Me: “Yep to the bread, though it’s not exactly flying out of the freezer. Remember back in the day, when we’d store cases of it on the patio just to get through the holidays? Those were the days, my friend. But if we’re talking next-level, how about onion balsamic jam?”
Stef: “YES!!! I miss seeing Nancy from Gracious Gourmet! Grilled turkey and cheese with the jam and a thick slice of tomato.”
Me: “Me too! And if it’s grilled cheese, we have to use Emmenthaler (Swiss) or Gruyère and a sprinkle of finishing salt on the tomato, always.”
Stef: “Or a mix of cheeses—maybe a bit of blue for bold flavor and mozzarella for that cheese pull!”
Me: “I’m not big on blue, probably because of that gorgonzola pasta dish I had in NYC 30-some years ago. It was way overboard on the blue, and not in a good way. The whole experience was kind of a mess, from the mediocre food to the semi-poor service. And as we were leaving, the waitress chased us to our cab, yelling that maybe we didn’t understand tipping in NYC! A little shocking but also pretty hilarious.”

Stef: OMG! lol!!!

The Plate Sandwich

Stef: “Ooh, what if we went all-in with a sandwich that’s like the whole Thanksgiving dinner on bread?”
Me: “You mean like JZ? ”
Stef: “ No, updated. Toasted sourdough, cheddar like a great cheddar, you pick, turkey, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and mayo.”
Me: “Wait, green bean casserole? on bread? And where’s the mayo going?”
Stef: “Yup, on the bread! Mayo goes on everything.”
Me: “Oh boy… Well, I could be on board with the mayo.”

1998 Called and Wants Its Spread Back

Stef: “Okay, how about a cranberry-cream cheese spread on a toasted English muffin?”
Me: “Been there, done that, yawn. But ok, Let’s throw on turkey, bacon, and maybe some crispy stuffing ‘crumbs’ for crunch.”
Stef: “And dressed arugula!”
Me: “By ‘dressed’ you mean salt and pepper, right?”
Stef: “Yup, with a little evoo and vinegar. Let’s call it The Princess.”

We could create sandwiches all day.

Potato Magic

Me: “Alright, now that we’ve covered turkey, what about potatoes?”
Stef: “Fried mashed potato balls! Turkey, jalapeño, cream cheese, and bacon, with a cranberry dipping sauce like a bronco berry sauce from Arby's”
Me: “OMG, your first chef job. Oooh, I have goat cheese cream cheese at the shop. Let’s update it with that! And maybe Sam’s hot sauce?”
Stef: “Yes, the pineapple one! Okay, I’m craving this big time now.” Me: “I need to get that hot sauce back in! Piña Dañada!”

Soup’s On

Me: “Soup’s always my go-to with leftovers: toss in whatever veggies didn’t get cooked, add rice, lentils, barley, easy.”
Stef: “Soup for sure. I throw in curry powder and noodles.”
Me: “And frittatas—can’t go wrong with a fridge frittata!”
Stef: “Totally. Potatoes, caramelized onions, any cheese on hand.”
Me: “Would I throw in turkey? Maybe.”
Stef: “Ham, then? Do you ever do ham for Thanksgiving?”
Me: “Not usually. That’s a whole other rabbit hole.”
Stef: “Green bean casserole frittata?”
Me: “Hard pass.”

I always make soup. 

Stuffing Waffle Genius

Stef: “Okay, hear me out: stuffing waffles.”
Me: “As in, stuffing stuffing in a waffle iron?”
Stef: “Exactly. Add a runny egg and gravy on top.”
Me: “Needs acid.”
Stef: “Fine, throw your arugula on the side. Turkey pot pie?”
Me: “Oh, for sure! And Natural Grocers has that Dufour puff pastry I used to carry. Perfect.”
Stef: “Chocolate chip sweet potato muffins?”
Me: “Or pumpkin pie milkshake?”
Stef: “With bourbon!”

Last, But Not Least: Fried Rice

Stef: “Turkey fried rice is a must. Soy sauce, sriracha mayo…”
Me: “Yes! Trader Joe’s frozen fried rice base with extra veggies and the turkey and always a scrambled egg.”
Stef: “And arugula?”
Me: “Naturally.”

The best thing Trader Joe’s has. 

So, there you have it—a mishmash of Thanksgiving leftovers that may or may not actually make it out of the fridge. Whether it’s stuffing waffles or that rogue green bean frittata, remember: the best part of Thanksgiving is turning the feast into a flavor free-for-all! Share your leftovers magic with us—we’re dying to know what you whipped up (or abandoned entirely).

If you make that green bean frittata I need to know! Happy remixing!