Ah, the perpetual challenge of leftover turkey. Each year as I watch the bird brown in the oven, I’m already thinking of ways to dress it up in different ways after the holiday. Don’t get me wrong, that childhood food memory of thinly sliced turkey on white bread with mayo still thrills me. It’s right up there with all the other Thanksgiving weekend traditions, like shopping, football, playing board games with cousins and talking about our favorite holiday shows or movies.

What follows is my turkey and TV gameplan for the first day between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Just like Ralphie’s “old man” in A Christmas Story, I am a “turkey junky, a bonafide golly turkacanis freak.” Leftovers for breakfast consist of pan fried cornbread, apple and sausage stuffing, moistened with turkey gravy with an egg a la mode. It’s enough food to fuel a shopping trip to the local mall.

Although shopping can sometimes leave me knowing just why and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, I manage to avoid the sensation of greed and avarice and return home to cheerfully prepare sandwiches with leftover turkey, whole wheat dinner rolls, Brie and baby lettuces. I add a little avocado too.

After a long day of post-Thanksgiving household cleaning, I look forward to a marathon of Christmas-themed television episodes, starting with Doctor Who: The Christmas Invasion, where David Tennant makes his first appearance as the 10th doctor. I march into the kitchen and whip up a dinner of doctored-up green bean casserole, to which I add chopped turkey, Alfredo sauce, top with (more) French fried onions and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Writing this is making me hungry so I’m off to make an old-school turkey sandwich that I can eat while I get caught up on work email and finish the book I’ve been reading. Not all students returning to campus will have leftover turkey or fixings, but I’m sure there are plenty of other excellent sandwiches available on campus!

(The links above take you to library media holdings. Ask a librarian to help you find more resources on the history of Thanksgiving, sandwiches, turkey, and more!)

Food blog by Luisa Cywinski, writer on the Communication & Service Promotion team and team leader of Access Services.