One of the best things about Thanksgiving is the leftovers.

Many families have a traditional post-holiday favorite dish. For some it’s a special soup and for others, it’s a sandwich.

Personally, I’ve always been biased toward a sandwich – white bread, salad dressing, crisp lettuce and white turkey meat. A crisis in my world is an empty Miracle Whip jar. In this case, mayonnaise won’t do. It’s got to be salad dressing. It can only be improved on with a side of Lay’s Original Potato Chips. Talk about heaven on a plate … I know some folks like to class up a turkey sandwich with dressing, mashed potatoes and cranberries. That’s good, too, but for me, I prefer the classic.

If you’re looking for ideas on how to use that leftover turkey, Leader readers volunteered the following recipes.

TURKEY DIVAN

Submitted by Dora Aanderud, Hutchinson

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked turkey

2 12-ounce packages of frozen broccoli, cooked

6 slices cheese

1 5-ounce can evaporated milk

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can french fried onion rings

Directions:

Arrange turkey in a casserole. Top with hot broccoli. Cover with cheese. Combine milk and soup. Pour over turkey and broccoli. Bake in 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with french fried onion rings and bake 5 minutes longer. Serve.

TURKEY SANDWICH

Eric Papke, Hutchinson, makes a turkey sandwich with whole grain bread, leftover turkey topped with a bit of stuffing, a thin layer of mashed potatoes and then tops it off with cranberry sauce. “Amazing!” he said.

TURKEY SANDWICH

Jean Witt, Hutchinson, offered another take on the turkey sandwich. Bread of your choice. Dorothy Lynch salad dressing, leftover turkey and creamy coleslaw. “It’s a tad messy, but so tasty,” she said.

TURKEY ALA KING

Submitted by Robin Klopp, Hutchinson.

Ingredients:

4.5-ounce can of mushrooms, drained, reserve liquid

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 can chicken broth

11/2 cups milk or half and half

4 cups cooked turkey, chopped

4 ounces chopped pimento

chopped onion

1 can peas

Directions:

Cook and stir drained mushrooms and onions in butter over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in broth, milk, mushroom liquid, heat until boiling, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Stir in turkey, pimento and peas, heat through. Serve over croissants, biscuits, noodles or rice.

TURKEY TETRAZZINI

Submitted by Robin Klopp, Hutchinson

“We make a turkey about four times a year, so we get to enjoy this more than just after Thanksgiving,” she said. “We also make it with chicken. A third option is to grind the turkey with a food chopper. it makes it pretty fine. Then we add whatever, onion, celery, and we prefer Miracle Whip and make a good turkey salad. My brother-in-law just did that with chicken but added cranberries and pecans! I’m doing that with our leftovers this time.”

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

1 2/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese

4 cups chopped, cooked turkey

16-ounce package spaghetti noodles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and put in large mixing bowl. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour then mix in chicken broth and milk. Cook and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Stir in about 1 1/3 cups of Parmesan cheese and remove from heat. Combine chicken broth mixture and turkey in the bowl with the prepared noodles. Mix thoroughly then transfer to the greased dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake 1 hour or until lightly browned.

TURKEY MEAL SUGGESTIONS

Submitted by Betty Pedersen Brandt, Hutchinson

After Thanksgiving, cook the turkey bones with onions and leftover celery to get a great broth and flavor. Remove the bones and pull turkey meat off the bones. This is a great base for making the greatest wild rice soup or wild rice hot dish.

Another choice is to line your 9×13 pan with turkey, add a layer of cooked stuffing, top with leftover gravy or add a small amount of turkey juice to keep turkey moist. This too can be made in small container sizes and just cook in oven or microwave when needing a quick meal.

Joshua Schroeder, Silver Lake, recommended heading to the Hutch Cafe. “Turkey Salad on Croissant – the best ever,” he said.

TURKEY TETRAZZINI SOUP

Submitted by Chris Schlueter, Hutchinson

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon, chopped

1/2 small onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons flour

5 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk, divided

1 (375 g) box whole wheat spaghetti, broken in thirds or you can use your favorite pasta

3 cups chopped, cooked turkey

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 1/2 cups frozen peas or other favorite vegetable

Directions:

1. In a large pot (5-6 quarts), fry bacon over medium-high heat until cooked but not totally crisp. Add diced onion and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add flour and stir until absorbed by the bacon fat.

2. To the pot add broth, 2 cups milk, spaghetti, turkey, salt and parsley. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until spaghetti is al dente.

3. Stir in peas and remove soup from heat. Serve.

TURKEY BRIE PANNINI

Submitted by Chris Schlueter, Hutchinson

Ingredients:

2 slices hearty white or wheat bread (see note)

Dijon mustard, optional (but delicious)

Brie cheese, thinly sliced (rind removed, if preferred)

2 slices deli turkey meat or leftover cooked turkey

2 to 3 tablespoons cranberry sauce, more or less to taste

6 to 8 baby spinach leaves

Butter, for grilling/panini-ing

Directions:

1. On one slice of bread spread Dijon according to taste.

2. Layer on brie, turkey, cranberry sauce, spinach and another layer of brie cheese.

3. Top with the other slice of bread. Butter the outsides of the bread or heat butter in a nonstick skillet, a griddle or panini press until sizzling.

4. Cook the sandwich in the hot skillet/griddle/panini press, pressing down with a spatula or a heavy saucepan (if you aren’t using an actual panini press), flipping halfway through, until the bread is golden on both sides, and the cheese is melted. Serve.

LEFTOVER TURKEY OR CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Submitted by Joyce Schrupp, Hutchinson, for the 2017 Leader Recipe Contest

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups prepared mashed potatoes (I sometimes use 4-ounce packet of instant mashed potatoes)

2 cups cooked, shredded turkey or chicken.

1 12-ounce jar Heinz Homestyle Roasted Turkey or Chicken gravy

1 cup prepared stuffing

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Place prepared mashed potatoes into a 2-quart casserole dish, sprayed with nonstick spray. Combine turkey or chicken with gravy in a large skillet and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the stuffing. Mix this until it is thoroughly combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Spoon turkey or chicken mixture on top of the potatoes and spread out evenly. Cover and bake about 25 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated through. Serve.

And if you’re tired of turkey, but have a squash available …

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE

Submitted by Margaret Lueck, Lester Prairie, for the 2017 Leader Recipe Contest

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup diced onion

4 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (1 pound)

3/4 cup diced carrots

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup heavy cream (optional), plus additional for drizzling

Instructions:

Heat oil and butter in large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, stirring until tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in squash, carrots, broth, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Working in small batches, puree mixture in a blender until smooth. Return to pot and stir in cream (if using). Warm through over low heat (do not boil). Divide among bowls, then garnish with cracked pepper and a drizzle of cream.

(Soup can be made three days ahead and chillded, covered, or can be frozen for up to three months.)