Southern Thanksgiving Dishes Most Of Us Include On Our Table

When it comes to Thanksgiving, of course, we love family time.  However, if we get right down to it, the food is sometimes the highlight.  So, I got to thinking about Southern Thanksgiving dishes that we probably all include on our celebration table.  And, as is the case with most discussions of this nature, everyone has opinions.

But, after reading an article in Southern Living entitled "12 Dishes You'll Only Find On A Southern Thanksgiving Table," I found I agreed with quite a few.  Plus, I had some of my own ideas.  And, contrary to the title of their article, I find that some on the list probably cross over into other regions of the country as well.

Ok, the first item in the Southern Living article definitely applies to the South.  It's Deep Fried Turkey.  I have to admit growing up in Texas we never heard of frying a turkey.  However, when we moved to Georgia it was a delicacy the locals prepared for us.  And, we loved it.  I couldn't wrap my head around the idea.  I pictured fried chicken and a battered situation.  It's not, by the way.  They showed us how to slather the bird in mayo and seasonings or inject it with a marinade before dropping in oil.

The first time our friends made it for us, they almost burned down our backyard.  So, there is a level of precaution to take when embarking on the adventure.  But, it's juicy and delicious.  It's the only way we make it now. So, it's definitely one of those Southern Thanksgiving dishes.

And, one of the items on this list was a pan of "dressing."  I think everyone has some form of this.  Although, it might be called "stuffing" where.  Southerners typically use cornbread.  And, we rarely if ever include any fruits.  And, I think oyster stuffing or dressing is uniquely Southern.

I do think it's possible that deviled eggs might be a dish every Southerner includes on the Thanksgiving table.  We make it at Easter, Fourth of July, summer picnic, baby showers and Thanksgiving.

And, in the South, casseroles are a category all their own.  We insist on some form of Sweet Potato Casserole.  But, we skip the marshmallows in favor of a streusel topping.  And, I have to have my Green Bean Casserole.  This week we learned of a dish called Pear Salad that, apparently, Southerners all eat with mayo and cheese.

So, you see, there's a wide range of "Southern" dishes.  And, it's open to interpretation and taste.  To see all the dishes Southern Living deems as those you'll find on the Southern Thanksgiving table, read the full article.

I love Thanksgiving food more than any other holiday of the year. However, no matter what I do, we always have way too many leftover Thanksgiving dishes. Don't get me wrong. I love leftovers for one or two meals. But, after that, they have to go or be transformed. Sandwiches are easy and delicious. And, sending the bulk of leftovers home with guests is a great option. Of course, if like us, you didn't have guests, you get to keep them all. So, besides sandwiches, what inventive ways can you transform all those leftover Thanksgiving dishes? Thrillist had a bunch of ideas for taking the leftovers to new heights. But, I have a few of my own ideas. Some of what I'll share are recipes I created. Other ideas I found by doing a little research. It all adds up to some delicious and exciting new ways to use up the Thanksgiving feast without getting bored!

One of my favorite things I ever did with leftovers was turn them into egg rolls. If you've never used egg roll wrappers you can find in the store, I highly recommend them. They're usually found in the refrigerator area near the produce. They come in a package of perfect little squares of dough. They're so versatile. In fact, I use them for dumplings, potstickers and ravioli, too. For this recipe, I filled them with turkey, stuffing, green beans and corn. I stuffed, rolled and sealed them up before dropping them into some oil to fry. Then, I used some leftover cranberry sauce mixed with some soy sauce to make a yummy dipper. They were delicious.

Another of my successful leftover Thanksgiving dishes was my Sweet Potato Casserole Waffle with Cranberry Syrup.  I just took my favorite waffle mix and added some of the leftover sweet potato casserole to it.  I made it in the waffle iron according to the mix instructions.  They cooked up beautifully golden and crispy on the outside, and moist on the inside.  Then, I added some leftover cranberry sauce to some syrup.  I warmed it up and poured it over the waffles!  They made a fantastic breakfast/brunch item.  You can even add a dollop of that leftover whipped cream you made for the pie.

A great way to use some of that pumpkin pie is to incorporate it into a parfait.  I took some help from my pantry, too.  I had some granola.  So, I layered granola, broken up pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce and yogurt in a pretty glass.  I topped it with whipped cream I had for the pie on Thanksgiving.  And, it was so amazing.  Plus, it only took a couple of minutes to throw together.

Of course, if you do want a turkey sandwich, I found a super yummy one.  It's a fresh new take on the typical fare.  It comes from Food Network Chef Giada DeLaurentiis.  Her Cranberry BBQ Sauce Turkey Sliders make use of the cranberries in the sauce.  And, it adds a crunchy bright slaw that helps use up some of that leftover apple and celery.  And, I love that it's on a slider roll.  You can totally use some of the leftover dinner rolls if you happen to have any left!  But, we loved this.  So, give it a try.

A turkey pot pie makes perfect sense.  You have the turkey, plenty of veggies and maybe some unused pie dough.  Combine it all together, and you have a delicious turkey pot pie.  The great thing about doing this is that it's so flexible.  Depending on what you have left, the recipe can be adjusted accordingly.  There's plenty of recipes out there.  But, again, Food Network is very reliable, so try this one out from Pioneer Woman.  Or, another, from Pillsbury.

Another way to go similar to the pot pie, is to make a shepherd's pie.  Instead of using pie dough as a topper, you can use up your leftover mashed potatoes.  It would even be good with mashed sweet potatoes.  I love the idea of using a bunch of different leftovers all in one dish. I found one from Rachel Ray that sounds really yummy.

And, what could be better than turning that leftover feast into a delicious pizza?  Think about how easy that would be.  And, it would taste completely different than the Thanksgiving meal.  Grab a pre-made dough, some turkey and veggies.  If you had a charcuterie board at any point during the celebration, you probably have some leftover cheese and maybe even pepperoni or salami.  Presto!  You have pizza.