Recipes & Reads Culinary Labs
Recipes & Reads Culinary Lab workshops serve up comprehensive, culinary literacy programs that include hands-on demonstrations of food and nutritional literacy; food acquisition methods; food handling, hygiene and safety; culture and history of food; and consumer cost-saving techniques and meal stretching. Each of the culinary lab workshops may include the use of fully stocked mobile, kitchen carts to aid in these food-related demonstrations. The labs are strategically located at library branches throughout the county and serve all ages. Registration may be required, at some locations, for Recipes and Reads Culinary Lab workshops.
November 2025 R&R - Meal Stretching - Leftover Magic
When considering what to cook for Thanksgiving, most people think of a feast on the day and piles of leftovers to be consumed in the days after the holiday. Unfortunately, most of the leftovers end up in the trash. The nonprofit group ReFED estimates that over 300 million pounds of food will be thrown away during Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States.
With a few simple steps, a Thanksgiving meal can be enjoyed without the waste.
1.) Plan for the Thanksgiving meal by making a shopping list and sticking to it. This prevents impulse buys and over purchasing.
2.) Coordinate dishes with attendees so that there are no duplicate dishes.
3.) Take the time to properly store leftovers by labeling containers.
4.) Consider sending leftovers home with your guests. Allow them to choose what they would like to take and it is more likely that they will consume their leftovers!
(Image by Dmytro from Pixabay)
Looking for ways to get creative with your Thanksgiving leftovers? Try this post-turkey dish:
Turkey Carnitas
1 pound leftover cooked dark meat turkey (thighs and drumsticks)
1 orange, quartered
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
2 bay leaves
2 TBS vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1.) Combine turkey meat, orange, onion, and bay leaves in a pot with a lid. Add enough water to cover contents of pot halfway. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until turkey is tender (approximately 45 to 60 minutes if using bone in leftover dark meat; 30 minutes if meat is deboned).
2.) Discard orange, onion and bay leaves and drain turkey. Shred meat (and discard any bones).
3.) Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add turkey and spread into an even layer. Cook without stirring until the meat is well browned and crisp (about 5 minutes). Stir to introduce non-crisped turkey to the heat. Continue this process until most of the meat is crisp. Season with kosher salt and serve on corn or flour tortilla shells.