Myriad of leftovers from holiday feast, ideas for dealing with them

FOOD FOR THOUGHT (Nov. 27, 2009) Days of preparing the Thanksgiving feast are over and I believe the champagne punch was a smashing success. Of course, I never heard the end of how much money I spent.

"Do you think it was necessary to buy a bottle of light and dark rum to fortify a champagne punch when you only used two cups? All I do is work and all you do is spend money."

My mind became an arrow of pure disdain aimed at the hapless target. I frantically recalled the years of psychoanalysis in an attempt to handle the situation like a sane human being.

Nevertheless, I found myself screaming at the top of my lungs.

"I am sure when I rise at 5 a.m. to perform my daily duties that the product of my labors will have been devoured to the very last bit, with pleasure."

In reflecting on the fruits of my labor, cranberries became the next topic of consideration. A perfect host has no option but to serve canned and fresh cranberries. The problem, as always, is that the laborious, fresh cranberry dish is left in abundance and the dilemma of leftovers rages on.

Speaking of dilemmas, I really need to make an appointment to get the dryer serviced. The temperature gauge is not working properly and it overheats. I know this is why my clothes are shrinking. Maybe this is a figment of my imagination and my middle age spread is surrendering to a dish of reality. But all is not lost. Non-fat yogurt and ice blended with the cranberry mixture will make a delicious, healthy smoothie.

I was baptized Presbyterian but attended parochial schools. The nuns of St. Francis prayed that the sovereign protector would purify my body and sanctify my soul. They also prayed that God would give me the strength to overcome temptation and subdue my passions all in the name of redemption. Confessions come in sinful flavors. Mashed potatoes and gravy consume my very existence. Universal supplication is my only means of salvation.

Miracles do happen for the truly devoted. Freeze the gravy for future occasions. Potato cakes with the added garlic, shallots, thyme and herbs de province create heaven on earth.

When what has taken many hours to prepare is gone in an hour, the next day seems to be a let-down. My alter-ego tries to convince me that the family gathered at the kitchen table is the tradition of our forefathers. Eating in a restaurant does not have the essence or privacy of home. Labor is a bargain these days.

Me, myself and I cooked through the trenches of holiday hell and miraculously, no one slugged it out in the arena of family feud.

My caffeine habit is throwing my body into convulsions. It's amazing how the simplest pleasures can take our senses to a heightened, culinary bliss. Cream, not milk, adorns my coveted cup of coffee.

I deserve it considering my multi-personality consists of mother, wife, personal chef, housekeeper, lawn attendant, animal caretaker, physician, psychiatrist, baby-sitter, chauffeur and personal shopper. I pray for divine intervention in the hopes that someday there will be a few seconds for ME!

As I search for the accompaniment of my morning fix, 21 pounds of leftover turkey stares at me and the planning process begins: turkey hash, turkey risotto, turkey Bolognese, turkey pot pie with a mashed potato crust and turkey meatloaf.

Waste is not an option in this kitchen. I am appalled at the amount of food that is thrown away in private and professional establishments that could be donated to the hungry.

The massive carcass itself is a pot of goodies. Place the last remnants of the turkey in a Dutch oven. Cover with water and add vegetable and chicken bouillon cubes, garlic, onions, carrots and celery. Cover and simmer for two hours. Strain broth, add cream, roasted red peppers, Chinese straw mushrooms and noodles. All this adds a velvety elegance to the traditional turkey and noodle soup.

Stuffing graces the table at every Thanksgiving. Plain, sausage or oyster, it's a favorite. Has anyone considered dumplings made with stuffing? For a family on the go, these babies are perfect. They are quick and have a lot more character than dumplings traditionally made with flour.

The "lifespan" of leftover rolls is short due to oxidation. After a few days, the gates of deceased dough are open for judgment and punishment. The commandments of baking are posted for those who have violated the cardinal rules of this ancient art. Bread pudding raises the morsels from the depths of purgatory and gives the remorseful a second chance.

As the moon and stars quietly converse, all are tucked in bed and sweet silence befriends my exhausted body. Contemplation simmers and I question whether my efforts were truly appreciated. Reminiscences of Thanksgiving as a child tiptoe into memory lane and put any uncertainties to rest. Yes, precious memories nestle within.

Secret Ingredient: Silence. "Nature has given to men one tongue, but two ears that we my hear from others twice as much as we speak" … Epictetus.