My Pixie made up the cutest Thanksgiving song the other day, which sounds a lot like her Halloween song and her Christmas song. Here’s how it goes:
“It’s turkey day it’s turkey day, it’s very very turkey day. It’s turkey day it’s turkey day it’s very very tuuuuurkeeeeeey daaaaaay! Gobble Gobble!”
This just goes to show that when we think about Thanksgiving, turkey is the first thing to come to mind. Turkey can be our favorite part of the actual meal, but for a lot of us the turkey leftovers are what we look forward to the most. So how do you plan to not only serve enough for dinner but have the appropriate amount of left overs for those delicious turkey sandwiches for the next day?
Thekitchn.com tells us how:
n some families, the tradition of a late night Thanksgiving snack is almost as important as the meal itself. So, how do you choose a turkey and make sure you’ll have enough left for all the yummy leftovers?
Whether you’re hosting a Thanksgiving for four guests or 24, cooking the right amount is always a challenge. Not only should there be the right amount for Thanksgiving dinner, but also for those delicious leftovers. How terrible was it the year we actually hit the magic spot in properly calculating the amount of turkey per person, leaving nearly zero leftovers? Let’s just say my stuffing-cranberry sandwiches were good, but not great.
The Turkey Rule of Thumb
If you want to have just enough turkey, the rule of thumb is simple:
→ Buying turkey: 1 pound per person (no leftovers)
Having fourteen people to Thanksgiving dinner? Buy a 14-pound turkey. Simple.
The Turkey Rule of Thumb + Leftovers
But now let’s consider the leftovers. If you’re like my family and you’d like plenty of leftovers, consider including an extra half pound for every person. That way everyone can get a turkey omelet in the morning.
→ Buying turkey: 1 1/2 pounds per person (WITH leftovers)
So, to stick with our math here, if you’re having fourteen people to dinner, you’d want to buy a 21-pound turkey (or maybe two smaller turkeys).
The Turkey Breast Option
One added obstacle in my family is that most people really only like the white meat. We might all pretend otherwise, but the truth is that everyone would prefer a slice of the breast meat on their plate, leaving the extra dark meat to be made into soups, chili, and casserole. There’s always talk of cooking just a turkey breast, but whenever I’m shopping at the grocery it looks so underwhelming. I love the presentation of a glistening, crispy bird at the table, and to prepare only the breast meat seems like a cop-out with our typically traditional dinner. Perhaps this year we’ll give it a go. Either way — I can guarantee there will be leftovers.
What is your favorite leftover turkey recipe? Share with us in the comments below!
The Tub Connection
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http://www.thetubconnection.com/copper.html
http://www.thetubconnection.com/showers.html
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