Leftoversgiving

With so bloody much food left over from Thanksgiving, there is no doubt that you and your cohabitants will quickly get sick of it. Turn that boring dinner into something fun and new. Here's two old standards that make great use of leftovers. Leftovers are super casual so who really cares about grammar and syntax?

Turkey Chili

• mince onion, garlic, and jalapeno and sweat* in a big heavy soup pot
• add typical chili seasonings including cumin, oregano, and assorted ground peppers**
• cook the spices until they're nicely fragrant
• add crushed tomatoes and/or diced tomatoes; canned works just fine
• add liquid such as stock, wine, or beer; especially beer; simmer
• add canned beans of your choosing (because why cook from dry for leftovers)
  
• add chopped turkey leftovers
• season to taste with salt and hot sauce (if desired)
• serve with typical fixins

Vegetable Soup

• sweat chopped onions, shallots, or leeks in olive oil
• add diced fennel and continue to sweat
• add leftover roasted root vegetables
• add turkey stock made from the leftover turkey carcass or some other stock or broth (or water)
• simmer for a few minutes
• puree in a blender until very smooth; strain if desired
• season with salt to taste and serve (can also be flavored with typical indian yellow curry powder for enhanced deliciousness)
• very nice when accented with chives and yogurt/sour cream

* to "sweat" is to gently cook in a pan on the stove on medium heat making the vegetable translucent but not allowing it to brown
** I like an assortment of pepper types; a variety of paprikas, hot and sweet, smoked or not, is very nice; pulverized anchos, pasillas, chipotles, arboles, or other peppers are great and more = better; if pulverizing fails, take the whole dried peppers, steep in hot water, and blend into a paste