My Wednesday Pantry-One Meal and a Lot of Leftovers

      

      With such a small crew, and one not eating any turkey, I will have leftovers even with adjusting quantities for our Thursday Thanksgiving meal. We still are deciding, do we carve at the table, there certainly is room for it, or in the kitchen? Do I serve family style or buffet? Even with a tiny crew I want it to be a special meal and am setting it with China and crystal, neither gets used enough, but I do have these cute napkins and plates for desert. I bought the platter as well because I thought it was so cute and I have limited fall cute. I don't know what I'll use it for though as it is just a plastic thing so certainly not  sturdy enough to serve a carved turkey. Maybe it will just be on the center of the table, holding the salt and pepper shakers and  crudites. I know this seems excessive, and it is, but these are the foods we are used to, and besides just straight up Thanksgiving round 2, I have meals in mind for future days. I bought some extra freezer safe containers  to share leftovers for which the recipient can pop in the freezer for later.

      My daughter is bringing a vegan main dish that sort of looks like a  roulade, around stuffing that she found at the whole foods co-op. The rest of the menu is as follows, v is for vegan items.

• Roast Turkey-I don't brine or anything fancy, just some real butter and seasoning, and basting while it cooks. We like a simple turkey.
• Skin on red mashed potatoes DD1 is making so they will be whipped with Almond milk)
• Stuffing
• gravy (I bought a can as a back up or extended if mine does not turn out)
• Green bean casserole (vegan version as well)
• roasted sweet potatoes-v
• ginger glazed carrots-v toss in a touch of olive oil, a wisp of ginger, and roast with just a bit of ginger ale-so simple and delicious
• Acorn squash-v
• Corn-v
• Wheat dinner rolls-v
• Strawberry jello salad (ha ha-salad) for a little color variety
• cranberry-sauce and sliced can version-v
• pickles, olives, celery sticks and carrots-v
• pumpkin pie-v
• apple pie-v

     For wine, I have both pinot grigio and cabernet-sauvignon. I have things I can use any leftovers of either should a bottle not be finished with the day. With the exception of the turkey, my version of stuffing and the original green bean casserole, its a vegan friendly meal. 

     I have ideas to make some obvious leftovers-turkey noodle soup, turkey tetrazzini, turkey and dumplings (basically a turkey stew with drop biscuits baked on top.) My old memories from high school home ec class was off when I was trying to remember the ratio of people to size of turkey. I thought it was buy 1/2 pound per person, 1 pound if you want leftovers. I just read on this article on Turkey Day math for a bird smaller than 16 pounds, you should plan 1 pound per person and 1.5 for leftovers. Our bird is a small one-just over 10 pounds, so we should still have twice the meat and more. I'll try an take a few food pics, not foodie worthy, but to share my success or whoops with you all. Now, off to work, and then a massive clean tonight!  And yeah, it's my 55th birthday today. There just might be a cocktail to go along with my mop bucket.