A “turkey dinner sandwich” (photo © J. Java | Fotolia).

If you’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner, the odds are that you’re going to have lots of leftovers.

Some of them are easy to deal with: Just store cranberry sauce, potatoes and gravy in airtight containers and use them up within the week.

But what about the bird?

The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline (1.800.535.4555) wants you to have these tips for storing turkey leftovers.

 
 
HOW TO USE LEFTOVER TURKEY

Our two favorite uses are a “turkey dinner sandwich”—with stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce—and a turkey BLT with cranberry mayonnaise (mix cranberry sauce into mayo). For a bit more work, we enjoy a turkey pot pie.

Frozen cooked turkey can be added to casseroles, soups, pastas and other cooked dishes.

Here’s a recipe from De Cecco pasta, which uses its angel hair nests to create a special dish with either refrigerated or frozen-and-thawed cooked turkey. If you can’t find angel hair nests, you can use regular angel hair, linguine or spaghetti and use tongs to create nest-like shapes.

Prep time is 25 minutes; total time is 45 minutes.

Ingredients For 8 Servings

1. CUT cooked, skinless turkey into bite-size pieces or shreds; set aside.

2. ADD 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Reduce heat to medium, and add leeks. Cook 7 minutes or until tender-crisp, stirring frequently. Add water, 1/2 cup green onions and wine; cook, covered, 10 minutes or until leeks are soft. Transfer mixture to a blender. Cover and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Cover and keep warm.

3. BRING a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in 3 batches, gently lower pasta into boiling water. Cook 6 minutes or until al dente. Carefully remove pasta with a large slotted spoon, gently shaking to remove excess liquid. Repeat procedure with remaining pasta.

4. ARRANGE cooked pasta nests on a large rimmed platter. Spoon sauce evenly over each nest. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese, and top with turkey. Garnish with remaining 1/4 cup green onions.
 
 
ABOUT DE CECCO PASTA

Founded in 1886 by the De Cecco brothers in the Abruzzo region of central Italy, De Cecco makes 160 pasta varieties using only the heart of durum wheat to produce premium semolina. The water mixed with the flour is from a mountain spring. The semolina dough is extruded through bronze dies and the pasta is dried very slowly at low temperature.

The company, which is the world’s third largest manufacturer of pasta, was recently inducted to the Italian Trade Commission’s Hall of Fame. Find more recipes at DeCeccoUSA.com.

Here’s a fun project that adults and kids alike will enjoy: replacing the holiday gingerbread house with with a mini house of cookies, gummy bears and other candies.

We’ve developed an adult fascination with gummy candies—especially since we discovered the sugar free*, guilt-free line.

The first gummy candies, Gummi Bears, were produced in 1922 by Haribo, a Bonn, Germany, confectioner. Founder Hans Riegel invented the Dancing Bear, a fruit gum made in the shape of a bear. In 1967 the Dancing Bears became Gummi Bears, and spawned an entire zoo of gummi animals.

Worms are not zoo creatures, however, and Haribo did not invent the Gummi Worm. Gummi Worms were introduced by another German gummi candy manufacturer, Trolli (named for forest trolls), in 1981. America choose the more familiar spelling, Gummy Worms. National Gummy Worm Day is July 15th; there’s no National Gummy Bear Day—yet. (Earth to Haribo: What’s up?)

Instead of constructing an elaborate ginger bread house, how about a gingerbread crèche?

All you need are

Here’s the complete recipe.

Beyond snacking, bring out the gummies for parties:

 
MORE HOLIDAY GUMMY USES

 
WHAT’S IN GUMMY CANDY?

Haribo Gummies are made from corn syrup, sugar, gelatin, dextrose, citric acid, corn starch, artificial and natural flavors, fractionated coconut oil, carnauba wax, beeswax coating, artificial colors Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1. Trolli ingredients are similar.

If you’re a vegetarian, vegan or all-natural food consumer, there’s Goody Good Stuff, launched in 2010. This all-natural gummy candy line is made with a plant derived bio-gum technology: no gelatin, no carnauba or beeswax. There are no artificial colors or flavors. You can buy it on Amazon.com.

There are also Goody Good Stuff gummy fruits, sour fruits and cola bottles.
  

Big coffee sellers have expanded their offerings over the years.

 
Some people don’t like flavored coffee, so our strategy is:

HOW TO FLAVOR YOUR OWN COFFEE

You don’t have to buy flavored coffee: You can make your own from regular whole beans or ground coffee. While flavored coffee is typically made by soaking the beans in flavored extracts, the home approach takes the old-fashioned route with real spices.

Whole Bean Technique

Mix crushed cinnamon sticks and a few optional cloves with whole beans at a 1/2 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons ratio of spice to coffee). Store in a tightly capped jar for 2-3 days to allow the flavors to infuse. Grind together and brew.

Ground Coffee Technique

Mix 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice per 1 tablespoon ground coffee. Stir and brew. Add a splash of vanilla or rum extract and serve.

We love all the creative potato recipes from the folks at the U.S. Potato Board. You can find them at PotatoGoodness.com.

This recipe for Festive Papas Tapas is a twist on the classic baked potato bar (pick your own toppings).

Instead of a baked potato, thick slices of russet potatoes are grilled or roasted, and then serve as a blank canvas for toppings. The slices of potato have fewer carbs than an entire potato, so those who tend to shy away can dig in as well.

What kind of toppings? Anything. We have some recipes below, or you can use pesto or pico de gallo straight from the jar.

Prep time for the potatoes is 10 minutes, cook time is 20 minutes.

This recipe is gluten free and a hit with both kids and adults.

Festive potato tapas. Photo courtesy
PotatoGoodness.com.

Ingredients For 6 Servings

1. PREHEAT grill or oven to 400°F. Thinly slice potatoes length wise to 1/4 inch thick, discarding ends. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

2. PLACE on grill or prepared baking sheet in single layer and cook for 10 minutes on each side. Serve with room-temperature toppings.
 
POTATO TOPPINGS

Bruschetta: 2 medium tomatoes diced, 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, 2 cloves (1 teaspoon) of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss together in a bowl and spoon on top of potatoes. Optional: Add chopped chicken to Bruschetta topping.

Classic Baked Potato: 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, 2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped. Mix all ingredients except 1 tablespoon of chives in a bowl and spoon on top of potatoes. Garnish with remaining chives.

Lemon Herb Yogurt: 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, juice of 1/2 lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Mix together in a bowl and spoon on top of potatoes. Garnish with dill sprigs.

Mediterranean: 1 container (6 ounces) feta cheese, 1 can (2.25 ounces) sliced drained olives, 1 medium tomato diced (optional), salt and pepper to taste. Toss together in a bowl and spoon on top of potatoes.

Pico de Gallo: 1/2 cup pre-made pico de gallo or mix 1 medium tomato diced, 1 small onion finely chopped, 1 green onion chopped, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and spoon on top of potatoes. Garnish with extra cilantro.

 
HOW MANY TYPES OF POTATOES HAVE YOU HAD?

Check them out, along with the history of potatoes, in our delicious Potato Glossary.

And it’s affordable—made with compared to $2,500 per pound this year (a pound buys a lot of truffles).

The best truffle splurge for $15 is this black truffle and white truffle duo from d’Artagnan. You can also check at your local fine food retailer.

You can use either truffle butter (you may enjoy both equally or prefer one variety over the other) to create easy yet impressive recipes:

 
See the different ways to use truffle butter and more about this affordable luxury in our review.

One of our favorite foods to enjoy with wine: truffle butter on baguette slices. Photo by Melody Lan | THE NIBBLE.

It’s flavored with tiny pieces that break off from the truffle. They can’t be sold at top dollar like whole truffles, but are purchased for a fraction of the price by manufacturers, who add them to butter or infuse them in olive oil.

Note though that most of the truffle olive oil out there is not made with real truffles. Most manufacturers use artificial truffle flavor and aroma: truffle molecules re-created in a lab.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t good: many of the artificially-flavored products are delicious. But if you’re paying more than $20 for truffle oil, read the label to ensure that it’s infused with real truffles.