Turning one meal into more

Thanksgiving is nothing if not a time for gluttony and abandon. When else would we think of roasting 20 pounds of meat for a small gathering of friends and family? (The experts at Butterball recommend 1 pound per person, which is far less than most of us actually buy.) The truth is, by the time the turkey is on the table, everyone's full from nibbling all day and you end up with mountains of leftovers. That's OK with most people. Leftovers are the best part.

Of course, there's the traditional turkey sandwich at midnight -- slathered with stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy -- and the ubiquitous turkey soup (throw all the leftovers in a pot, add water, and let it bubble away for a couple of hours). But for something that will really fill you up before the rigorous post-Thanksgiving touch football game with the cousins, or even more rigorous post-Thanksgiving trip to the mall, look instead to comfort food classics.

First pick the turkey clean, tearing or cutting all the meat into bite-size pieces. If you're really motivated, make stock with the turkey carcass, which you'll need for a pot pie, though canned chicken stock will work, too.

Turkey hash is a breakfast favorite in many homes, but who has the energy to take on such a project so early in the morning? The solution: Do all the work the day before. For hash, that means boiling the potatoes and cutting up the turkey. In the morning, saute onions, crisp the potatoes and turkey, and fry the eggs.

For the best turkey pot pie, start with lots of turkey, then add carrots, pearl onions, potatoes, peas, fresh herbs, and garlic. Pot pies can be bland, which is a shame and a waste of the delectable buttery crust. They should be just as good as the bird was in the first place. -- KERI FISHER