Going or staying home for the Thanksgiving weekend means something different for everyone. Turkey, ham, green bean casserole, stovetop stuffing, cranberry sauce from a can, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pies traditionally adorned at the family dinner table. The smell of freshly basted, rosemary garnished turkey lingers in the air as grandparents, aunts and uncles sit around the living room talking about price gouging at the gas station, whether America is ready for a female president or not, and the despicable losing streak of the Miami Dolphins.

Between the craziness of family and the plethora of leftovers, the only occasion that happens faster than gaining the “holiday 10” is the welcoming of a new year. In order to avoid this additional cushioning to your rear, I suggest keeping to the following steps: do not stray from your eating routine just because this is “national pig-out day,” watch your portions, and drink lots of water. Having a full plate of mashed potatoes and stuffing with 1 sliver of turkey is ill advised. The excuse of eating like a glutton should hold no water during the holiday season. Eat to nourish yourself, enjoy the flavor of your food, and know that you are going home with enough leftovers to feed a small army, or a college student for two weeks.

Now comes the decision of what to do with the leftovers mommy gave you in coordinating Glad Press n’ Seal containers. Go to a search engine, google.com, yahoo.com, etc. and type in the words “leftover ideas.” In your travels you will find recipes for soups, salads, sandwiches, and more low cal/ low fat concoctions than you can shake a turkey bone at. My personal favorite is making turkey and wild rice soup with the scraps, you can even add a dash of stuffing to thicken the soup and add extra savory flavor.

If you are going to a potluck dinner with friends for the holidays I suggest you bring the starch. The most decadent mashed potatoes I have made come from the Martha Stewart Web site. I have made these time and time again for friends and they have never failed. This recipe is so versatile you can add anything to it to make it your own such as sliced almonds, chopped hazelnut, roasted garlic, chive, or even shaved truffle (I say that as if we can afford it):

Ingredients:4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch-thick slices Coarse salt 1-cup whole milk, or heavy cream, or a combination 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened Freshly ground pepper

Put potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover with cold water. Add two tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, or nuke it for 30 seconds. Mash the hot potatoes until practically lump-less with a masher (Wal-Mart for $3 bucks) or a fork. Pour in warm milk in a slow, steady stream, stirring constantly with a spatula or whisk. Stir in butter, and season with salt and pepper.

So enjoy this time of the year my dear reader. Do not be afraid to venture away from Facebook or MySpace for five minutes to get creative ideas from foodtv.com, allrecipes.com, or epicurious.com. Get in your kitchen and make something for yourself. Experiment, it is the only way you learn! Waft in the aroma of the hearth, it lasts only but a moment and if not for a holiday-like Thanksgiving, we wouldn’t reflect as often on what we are really thankful for, leftovers.