PAINT THE TOWN

Picking is icky but transformed leftovers are divine

My parents roasted a giant bird specifically to have plenty of leftover meat for other recipes.

I'm not a big fan of doing dishes after a big holiday meal, but the task I really detest is picking the turkey carcass.

I totally appreciate the frugal value of it. But tearing off the skin, ripping apart the bones, and pulling off the meat reminds me of dissection horrors in anatomy class.

Saying no to this task after your mother has cooked an entire Thanksgiving meal for you is not wise, so I dutifully did it at the farm yesterday. It's the least I could do since I know there are soups and tetrazzini and hash in my adult-child-leech future.

Transforming Thanksgiving meal leftovers is part of the fun. The meal never really tastes as good just reheated as is, and one can eat only so many turkey or ham sandwiches.

Here's a recipe for Shepherd's Pie from John Kerstetter, chef at Stella's in Perrysburg. Feel free to share your favorites in a comment.

PAINT THE TOWN: Click here to read blog post, recipe