Lots of leftovers floating around in the next few weeks.  Don’t miss an opportunity to create an easy meal out of them!  Below, a few of my family’s favorites.

Leftover Turkey Soup

Easy peasy!  Pick through your turkey carcass and get every drop of that meat off of it.  Add carrots, celery, onions, and whatever else your little heart desires (think bok choy/cabbage, kale, tomatoes, turnips, etc.).  Add enough water to cover all of the ingredients.  Add spices of your choice – we use rosemary, fennel, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper.  Simmer until all veggies are soft.  If desired, add some pasta.  I used whole wheat egg noodles for this post-Thanksgiving batch.  I find them to be less filling; they don’t swell as much after you eat them.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Another of my favorites is a quick roast of pumpkin seeds. My little secret is that after I spread them out on the baking sheet, I spray them lightly with a cooking spray (like Pam) before sprinkling liberally with seasoning salt. The spray boosts their nuttiness by giving them some added buttery flavor. Bake at 350 for about 20 mins or until golden, tossing about halfway through. Great and (relatively) healthy snack to sit out for any of those unexpected holiday guests!