Party For A Week

 Parties and barbecues always have good things. There's music good food and s great drinks. However the stars of any gathering are the leftovers.whatever hasn't;t been eaten can be served for a few days afterwards/

It was this way in my kitchen this past weekend. A barbecue needed plates and large bowls of meats and salads. Much was left over however I won;t despair. I have enough for two or three lunches and dinners.The hamburgers cna be cooked in the air fryer

Yet they can be broken up for soups or burger tacos. They don;t have to be inside a bun however if they do, they can be picked with avocado slices and onions. 

Then there is the giant bowl of potato salad.

This is our family's traditional recipe, rich with hard boiled eggs. It;'s actually tastes better the day after .I could have it with a sandwich for lunch or with the burgers for dinner. I've also eaten it on it's own for lunch.

The cucumber salad pickled thanks to the abundance of white wine vinegar in the dressing. These became pickle chips which are perfect for snacking (it;shard not to pass the bowl without pitching two or three every time.)There is vegan sour cream to mix in if I want to turn them from snack to side salad. The grape tomatoes are lightly salted.These also make for a tasty snack but I can  use then in everything from salads to salsa cruda  with freshly cooked pasta.

The best part of any barbecue are the leftovers. You can serve them as is or get creative. They extend the fun and flavor for days to come.

Stretching Thanksgiving

American holidays are awfully short. They're usually one day and then they're over with. This definitely applies to Thanksgiving. We can't wait to zip through the holiday and concentrate on today - Black Friday. Well, you can stretch the holiday out thanks to leftovers and extending some dishes. It;s just a quick trip to the grocery store for some extras to recreate a smaller version of yesterday's feast.

The first things to usually go are the turkey, stuffing and gravy. These are parcelled out to less fortunate relatives who had to go home to empty fridges. Not to worry if you're hankering for more. Just head over to store's deli section for some fresh sliced turkey breast. Then bounce over a few aisles to pick up some tinned gravy and Stove top stuffing. OK, these are not as good as the fresh homemade kinds but at least they're still something. As for veggies, there's always microwavable squash and turnip dishes along with creamed spinach. These are easy to make sides that just require little effort and prep time.

Desserts are another hot ticket item. If you find yourself mooning over an empty pie plate then again head back to the grocery where you can still buy leftover pies. An even better choice are the half and quarter pies that some supermarkets sell. Also consider getting soem fresh fruits. You're probably in need of something fresh and wholesome after all that high calorie gorging. A nice dessert is cut orange s sprinkled with dried cranberries.

Even though Thanksgiving is officially over , you can still celebrate it. Justextend your leftovers with some additions for a second round of holiday eating. It's a nice way of hanging onto another day of good cooking.