There are people who say they enjoy Thanksgiving dinner even more the next day. I don’t. Family members and houseguests have been known to slip into the kitchen and quietly microwave small portions on their own, but I have never happily served warmed over turkey and gravy, sweet potato casserole, Brussels sprouts, and stuffing the next day.
Because just as Thanksgiving is all about stick-to-your-ribs Yankee pilgrim food (or some regional variation on the theme), Black Friday is the day we celebrate (and aid) struggling retailers, catch up on movies, and get our fill of football.
For me, eating tepid Thanksgiving leftovers on Black Friday is a little like bringing your own sandwich to a sporting event. You could, but it’s a lot more fun to order hotdogs and beer. Black Friday demands spice-rubbed Indian, salsa and guacamole food, anything that likes Italian red sauce.
By Sunday I might be motivated to make some beef stew for the leftover mashed potatoes or stir marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes into my morning oatmeal, but the only Thanksgiving salvage I’m really interested in is the turkey carcass that I’ll transform into a pot of tortilla soup and the leftover turkey that I finally introduce to a much sassier crowd.
Okay, I’m definitely a “microwave-the-leftovers” kind of girl, but when I saw your recipe for the turkey gyros I was like…hold the phone. This is infinitely more awesome than even the best turkey sandwich or cold green beans eaten out of Tupperware. Thanksgiving leftovers are the best there are, but clearly, if you put a little effort into it, the leftovers can be an incredible meal in their own right not simply a microwaved memory of the day before. But I think there are two schools of thought here and I’m a member of both. Hand me a bowl of leftover stuffing with gravy or one of these turkey gyros and I’m in heaven. I’d be interested to hear some other suggestions people have for Thanksgiving leftovers.
these are so FREAKIN’ good!!!!
Making Turkey Gyros tomorrow for lunch — will let you know if they’re “FREAKIN’ good”!!!
I love a good turkey sandwich on homemade bread on Thanksgiving night but after that I need to “remake” my leftovers before eating them. Turkey crouquettes, potato cakes, use the stuffing for pork chops, curried turkey salad, etc…..