Thanksgiving Left Over Right Under Your Nose

The thing about making Thanksgiving dinner for three people is that you have leftovers. A lot of leftovers. So many leftovers, in fact, that it's just a race against time before you find yourself throwing the last bits away. Each year for Thanksgiving I make it my goal to have 0% waste as I try to think of inventive (read: edible) ways to utilize our leftovers.

This kind of goes against all of the tradition of excess tied into this holiday but I've always been something of a rogue.



I started last night by serving these toasts I made with Jen's sweet rolls, Brie Rouzaire Nangis, and cranberry sauce under the broiler. Jen was suspicious then surprised like with most of my cooking.



For a salad Jen just had some greens but I dressed mine with mustard pickles, pickled herring, and a little of the mustard pickle juice.



Since Jen's father had left early in the morning it was time to whip out the Thanksgiving/Fall themed beer that I knew it would be best not to serve in his presence: the Grateful Harvest Cranberry Ale from Harpoon Brewery. The cranberry flavor was very subtle but still there in some noticeable amount. It was good but not something that I would want to have more than 1 or 2 bottles of in a season.

The proceeds from selling the beer goes to food banks so if you purchase this beer you at least will not be 100% filled with regret.



For dessert: more pumpkin pie and whipped cream. Jen had pondered making a second pie for dinner. I objected on the grounds that one pie for three people was probably enough. After Thursday, Friday, and Saturday there are about three servings left.

As we move into next week I'm going to be soliciting ideas to use up the rest of these leftovers before they hit the freezer and then get thrown away six months from now.

Happy holidays!