Secrets of our excess

Got Thanksgiving leftovers? Then you're in luck — you've got the ready-made components for more meals to come.

This time it pays off to follow the mantra that it's better to have too much food when entertaining than too little. So what if you think you're going to start gobbling if you have one more bite of turkey? Slice it, dice it and freeze it for your post-holiday diet.

Or use it in a weeknight casserole when your time and energy are limited.

Since breast meat tends to go dry and stringy (and can grow bacteria), don't let it sit out on the table after your Thanksgiving Day feast is over. Yes, it's the favorite pastime of some relatives to keep picking at the leftovers throughout the afternoon, but enough is enough. Besides, that's what pie is for.

Store the turkey and stuffing separately, in airtight containers. Spoon some of the broth from the roasting pan over the top of the meat before sealing. If stored in the refrigerator, you should use it within three days, according to the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line. If you're freezing it, use the stuffing within one month and the turkey within two months for optimum flavor.

Here are ideas to maximize your leftovers:

Soup it up: Chop up chunks of turkey and the remains of your relish tray, such as carrots, celery and bell peppers. Toss in some of the leftover side dishes, like peas or corn, and add a bay leaf and a shake of thyme. A lot of cooks like to make broth from the turkey carcass, but often some chicken bouillon is needed to punch up the flavor. You should strain the broth well before adding the veggies.

Stack it up: Turkey sandwiches, with a smear of cranberry relish, are always welcome for brown-bag lunches or watching football on TV.

Top it off: Spread dollops of leftover mashed potatoes on casseroles, shepherd's pie-style, and brown in the oven for a few minutes.

Layer it in: Jenny Bezzant of Spanish Fork won Stouffer's "Real Home Cooking" contest a few years ago by layering leftover dressing, turkey and potatoes into a casserole in a recipe called Thanksgiving Tonight. (You can do the same with your own leftovers and call it "Thanksgiving Yesterday.")

Wrap it up: Due to the low-carb craze, lettuce wraps are trendy right now. But you can also use soft tortillas to wrap up turkey slices.

Toss it: Diced turkey is a natural for salads — try pasta or crispy greens.

Spice it: Turkey lends itself to a variety of seasonings — Italian herbs, Mexican spices or curry powder, for instance. Use them to punch up the flavor. Substitute chopped turkey for ground beef in your favorite chili recipe.

Stir-fry it: Use diced turkey as well as any relish tray leftovers, such as carrots, celery, mushrooms, broccoli florets and peppers.