Got Leftovers? Try Turkey and Wild Rice Salad

By now, whether you're hosting or traveling for the holiday, you're probably in the throes of Thanksgiving preparations. It sometimes amazes me how we put days of thought and energy into a meal that is usually over in less than an hour. Then comes the dish scrubbing, mopping, traveling home, and of course, the leftovers!

Because I can't stand to see good food go to waste, I try to find ways to use up all the odds and ends in our refrigerator before going back to the grocery store to shop for another week of meals (You know I'm obsessed with weekly menu planning. After our Thanksgiving feast, I find that we're eager to finish up the sweet potato pie, cornbread stuffing, and other flavorful side dishes, but the roast turkey and cranberry sauce sometimes languish at the back of the refrigerator.

Last year, I invented this salad that can help you give new life to some of those leftovers. Once the feast is over and you're likely more relaxed, I suggest getting your kids in on the cooking action. Because celery is pretty evenly shaped and stable on the cutting board, it's a great vegetable for kids to practice their knife skills. Be sure to sharpen your knives first, as dull knives are harder to cut with. Also, teach your child to hold the knife steady and keep their other hand safely away from the blade.

Kids can also wash the celery and scallions, measure the rice and other ingredients, snip the scallions with kitchen shears, and of course, mix the ingredients together. And don't forget to have them taste the salad and let you know what, if anything, they think it needs. (Kids love to have their tastes and opinions valued by adults.)

For more on teaching knife skills to children, visit Simple Bites and What's Cooking with Kids.