To me, the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers. I love the day after the holiday when a great lunch is cold turkey on a roll with mayonnaise and lettuce.

Here are some fun recipes you can use to create great dishes with the Thanksgiving “planovers.”

Turkey Salad: A Fresh and Versatile Dish

Serve this versatile salad in pita bread halves or in a hollowed-out loaf of crusty French bread.
 
    Ingredients:
    4 cups diced cooked turkey
    1 cup thinly sliced celery
    1 cup minced green pepper
    1/2 cup finely chopped onion
    1/2 to 3/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/8 teaspoon pepper
    Pita or French bread
 
    Garnishes:
    Almonds, toasted or slivered
    Apples, sliced
    Grapes
    Pineapple chunks
    Avocado slices
    Hard-cooked eggs
    Mandarin oranges or sectioned fresh oranges
    Lettuce
    Water chestnuts, sliced
 
Combine turkey, celery, green pepper, onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice, bouillon granules, salt, and pepper.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Serve with the garnishes on a bed of crisp lettuce or in bread.

Serves 6 to 8.

Turkey Divan: A Classy Casserole Makeover

This divine dish is so classy no one will think of it as leftovers!
 
    Ingredients:
    1 (10 ounce) package frozen broccoli
    6 to 8 slices leftover turkey
    1 (10 — ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
    2 tablespoons milk
    1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
    1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
    1/4 teaspoon curry powder
    1 cup slivered almonds
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly spray a 2-quart casserole dish with vegetable spray.

Arrange the broccoli over the bottom of the dish.

Add a layer of sliced turkey.

In a medium bowl, combine soup, milk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and curry powder.

Pour over the top of the turkey and sprinkle with slivered almonds. Bake the casserole 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve with cooked rice.

Serves 4.

Turkey Salad Sandwich: A Quick and Tasty Bite

    Ingredients:
    1/2 cup finely diced celery
    2 cups diced cooked turkey
    1/4 cup minced green onion
    2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    3/4 cup mayonnaise
    Dash red (cayenne) pepper
 
    Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours to let flavors blend. Makes 3 cups sandwich filling.