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The holiday season and all its celebrating often means full days of visiting family and friends, opening gifts and enjoying mom­ents with loved ones, even if much of that interaction may take place virtually this year. With all the laughter and happ­iness, you’re bound to get hungry, and feeding the family throughout the day means you’ll need recipe ideas ready for the occasion.

Starting the big day with a bountiful breakfast helps begin the festivities on a high note, while appetizers help hold everyone over for the main course, sides and, of course, dessert. Consider these tasty dishes to take your holiday gatherings to new heights from morning to night.

Visit Culinary.net to find more holiday meal ideas.

Turkey Salad made from Thanksgiving leftovers

 

By DONNA ERICKSON

Hosting the Thanksgiving feast usually means a variety of leftovers tucked away in the refrigerator for building piled-high sandwiches. If you’re ambitious, you might even make soup or a casserole with the good and seasoned food.

Here’s another tasty option that will please your family: Make a big, savory, crunchy, nutrient-packed turkey main-dish salad, and serve it at a weekend brunch with croissants and fresh fruit on the side.

If you are like me and contribute dishes to the Thursday feast but don’t host the gathering, no worries about not having turkey leftovers. Just put a fresh turkey breast in the oven on Friday and roast it for this seasonal recipe.

When I stir the salad together, I remember that my kids aren’t mayo lovers, so I compromise with half mayo, half Greek yogurt for the dressing. I use dried cranberries without added sugar. If the spirit moves, this recipe is also delicious with a crisp, chopped local apple added just before serving.

 

Enjoy it topped over mixed greens or spoon it between a halved croissant for a delectable sandwich.

TURKEY SALAD

4 cups cubed, baked turkey

1 tablespoon chopped red onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1 cup chopped celery

1 1/2 cups seedless red or green grapes, halved

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup roasted pecans, loosely chopped

1/2 crisp apple, chopped (optional)

1/2 fresh lemon

In a large bowl, combine turkey, onion, salt and pepper, mayonnaise and yogurt. Add and stir together celery, grapes, cranberries and pecans. Add apple, if you wish, and a few squeezes of lemon juice just before serving. Serves 8.

©2020 Donna Erickson King Features Synd.