Planned Thanksgiving Leftover Meals

Planning Thanksgiving leftovers is a great way to save money on food after the holiday. With one turkey, my daughter and I can create several meals to enjoy before the winter holidays, saving us time as well. Here are the leftover meal recipes that we have created so far:

• Pasta Meals
• Leftover Turkey Sandwich Bar
• Leftover Thanksgiving Soup
• Leftover Thanksgiving Fry Pan Meal
• Slowcooker Leftover Turkey and Gravy
• Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole
• Leftover Thanksgiving Mini Casserole Cups
• Leftover Turkey Nachos
• Leftover Turkey and Corn
• Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup

Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Shannon

Thanksgiving Food Crafts

Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends. A time to be Thankful for what we have and who we have in our lives. I do not have Thanksgiving recipes per se, but I do have other helpful recipes for November.

First, why not create pumpkin bowls for soups to be served at Thanksgiving.  You could easily serve other foods in these bowls instead.

Another aspect of Thanksgiving is decorating. Here are some projects for your family to enjoy:

• Herb Garland or Swag
• Herb and Fruit Slice Garland
• Hanging Herb Bundles

Enjoy your holiday!

Shannon

Kitchen Craft: Herb Garland or Swag

The scent of fresh herbs will be evident for a while once these are put together, adding a homey feel to any room in the house. These are easy to make, and will not take too much time.

Items Needed:

Grapevine or pine imitation garland or swag.

Twine

Scissors

Hot glue gun, glue sticks

Fresh herbs

Nails and hammer or tacks

1. Tie the fresh herbs together with twine.
2. Glue the herb bundles to the garland or swag wherever you would like.
3. Allow to dry.
4. Hang the garland or swag and enjoy the aroma.

Here are some tips:

• Hang and allow to dry to give as gifts.
• When giving as gifts, find boxes that these will fit nicely into.
• The herbs on these should not be eaten due to the glue.

Shannon

Kitchen Craft: Herb and Fruit Slice Garland

Garlands are a great addition to autumn and winter decor. These garlands smell so good during the preparation stage, as well as for a while after they are created. Note that these are not edible garlands, due to the use of glue.

This craft takes about four days to complete.

Items Needed (amounts depend on size and number of garlands):

apples

oranges

lemons

limes

wax paper

cinnamon sticks

fresh herbs, or dried

garland

twine

scissors

glue gun and sticks

Hammer and nails, or tacks

1. Slice the fruit, do not peel first.
2. Place the fruit slices on wax paper to dry for a few days before continuing.
3. Turn each fruit slice twice a day.
4. On the fourth day, prepare to decorate the garland.
5. Lay the garland out.
6. Tie two or three cinnamon sticks with twine for each bundles.
7. Tie bundles of fresh herbs together. Feel free to mix and match types.
8. Glue the herb bundles where desired onto the garland.
9. Glue the cinnamon stick bundles where desired onto the garland.
10. Glue the fruit slices where desired onto the garland.
11. Hang the garland where desired.

Variations:

• Add small bells.
• Add bows.
• Make wreaths to match.
• Make swags instead.

You could also:

• Add herb/cinnamon bundles to your holiday tree.
• Add fruit slice garland to the holiday tree.

Shannon                                                                                                                                                

 

Hanging Herb Bundles

I love the scent of fresh herbs lingering in my home. The aroma seems very homey to me, making me feel warm and safe. It is interesting how different scents can make you feel.

These tied herb bundles should be hung on a wall in the kitchen:

• Out of direct sunlight.
• Away from heat sources such as the stove.

These herb bundles can be:

• Used fresh while cooking.
• For cooking once they have dried.
• Used solely for decorative purposes.

Items Needed:

Fresh herbs, washed and gently patted dry.

Scissors

Twine

Nail and hammer, or tacks.

• Tie the bundles together at the stems with twine.
• Snip the twine with the scissors, being sure to leave a loop for hanging.
• Hang from a nail or tack.

Shannon

Hanging Herbs to Dry and Dried Herb Gift Jars

When my daughters were young, I would bring them Trick-or-Treating each year. There was this one house that we would always go to where the woman of the house always had multiple herbs hanging in bunches from her porch ceiling. She would invite us through into her kitchen, and the aroma of the porch was marvelous. I will always remember this porch and the aromas associated with it.

It is easy to hang herbs to dry. I hung wire from my livingroom ceiling with hooks for this purpose. I have only dried parsley there so far, but it will work well for other herbs as well.

Here are the steps:

1. Cut the parsley with scissors from the garden.
2. Rinse and gently pat dry.
3. Wrap yarn or another string around the stems of the parsley bunches.
4. Hang from the ceiling.
5. Allow to dry until the parsley crumbles easily.
6. Store in a canning jar in a dark cupboard or in the refrigerator.

These jars of herbs make great gifts for the holidays. Here are some ideas for decorating the jars:

• Create a tag and tie it on the jar with raffia.
• Create sticker tags to add the front of each jar.
• Cut a circle from fabric a little bigger than the jar cover and tie the fabric around the cover with yarn or raffia.

You can give one jar to each person, or many jars of different types of herbs to each person.

Other Tips:

• Keep drying herbs out of direct sunlight.
• Keep drying herbs away from heat sources such as a stove.
• Collect jars with covers from recycling centers, yard sales, friends and family to save money.
• You other food jars, other than canning jars.
• Small jars work best for this project.

Shannon

Ginger

Note: Consult a doctor if you are being treated for any illnesses before using any type of food for its’ health benefits.

This herb is a perennial. It is from the sub/tropics, and is used in making different things. For instance, some perfumes are made using ginger, as are medications and different types of condiments. It is often used in Asian cuisine.

Ginger helps with an assortment of ailments such as:

• Motion sickness
• Dizziness
• Morning sickness
• Arthritis

Ginger also has many nutrients that help a person to maintain optimal health, such as:

• Potassium
• Vitamin B6
• Magnesium

There are many recipes that use ginger as an ingredient. They include:

• Chinese Roast Pork
• Coffee Cake
• Pumpkin Pie

Shannon

Nutmeg

Note: Consult a doctor if you are being treated for any illnesses before using any type of food for its’ health benefits.

WARNING: Too much nutmeg is NOT a good thing, as it contains a poison that is dangerous if consumed in large amounts. It is considered a psychoactive food.

Nutmeg is a wonderful spice that is used throughout the year, especially during the autumn and winter months. Nutmeg is great for use in pies, cakes, puddings, ciders and more, giving a sweet taste and aroma.

Nutmeg aids in (use in small amounts, AFTER consulting a doctor):

• Flatulence
• Digestion
• Vomiting
• Lowering blood pressure
• Detoxifying the body
• Brain stimulation

Nutmeg is nutritious, containing such nutrients as:

• Zinc
• Iron
• Vitamins A, C
• Fiber
• Potassium

Here are some great recipes that utilize the use of nutmeg:

• Mulled Cider
• Hot Buttered Rum Mix
• Banana Nutmeg Mini Muffins

Shannon

 

How to Use Half-Eaten Fruit

Half-eaten fruit is a common occurrence in households with small children. be sure to place all half-eaten fruits in the refrigerator for later. When the child wants to eat again, take it out and do something with it. For instance:

• Cut of a small slice of an apple or pear to get rid of the brown so the child will eat it.
• Slice the fruit and top with oats, nutmeg and brown sugar. Bake until warm.
• Chop the fruit and add to a muffin mix or pancakes.

What do you do with half-eaten fruit? Let us know in the comments.

Using these items will save money in the long run, and adds more nutrition to your child’s diet throughout the day.

Shannon

How to Use Half Eaten Veggies

It is a shame to throw out half-eaten food, and I rarely do this myself.

To begin with, childrens’ serving sizes are much smaller than adults, and so are their stomachs. They should not be eating as much as an adult does. I tend to give 1 or 2 tablespoons of vegetables rather than more. If the child wants more, they will ask. Don’t worry about them not getting enough.

Now, when the meal is over there will likely be leftover veggies. Immediately put these items into the freezer. It is wise to keep a container/bag in the freezer for these items. Collect leftover vegetables until you have enough for a stew/soup, a rice or pasta dish, or a casserole.

This saves money in the long run, and will make a healthy meal when times are lean.

How do you use extra veggies?

Shannon