Gobbling up what’s left on the Thanksgiving table can be challenging—especially for those with small households and overflowing fridges. But making the most of your turkey surplus doesn’t necessarily mean repeat flavors.

With countless hours poured into preparing each holiday bird, it’s worthwhile to use up every scrap while giving thanks to the farmers who make it all possible. Virginia ranks sixth nationally for producing about 15.3 million turkeys in 2022, according to the most-recent Census of Agriculture.

Raising turkeys is around-the-clock work. More than 210 million turkeys are raised on about 2,500 farms across the U.S., with a majority being family farms, according to the National Turkey Federation.

If you’re looking to keep post-Thanksgiving meals exciting without wasting those juicy turkey leftovers, try preparing a simple broth for a scrumptious soup or sharable turkey tostadas for your next gathering.

Tempting Turkey Broth

turkey bones left from whole turkey, including skin
1 carrot, pared
1 sprig fresh parsley
2 stalks celery, chopped into large pieces
1 small onion, chopped into large pieces
1 bay leaf
6 peppercorns

Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot. Cover with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Skim foam from surface; cover and simmer for 1.5-2 hours.

Cool slightly and strain. Remove any fat from the surface of the broth, pour into freezer containers, and freeze for later use in preparing soup.

—Recipe courtesy of the National Turkey Federation.

Turkey Tostadas

2 cups cooked turkey
1 package taco seasoning mix
water as needed
4 6″ corn tortillas
¼ cup canned refried beans
½ cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
½ cup chopped tomatoes
½ cup shredded lettuce
2 tablespoons chopped onion
½ cup taco sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 cup guacamole

Heat oven to 375°.

In a large skillet over medium heat, combine turkey and taco seasoning with the seasoning package’s recommended measurement of water. Bring mixture to a gentle boil; immediately reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Arrange tortillas on a large cookie sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until they are crispy and lightly browned.

Spread one tablespoon of refried beans on each tortilla. Top with a fourth of the turkey mixture and cheese. Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Top the tostadas with tomatoes, lettuce, onions and taco sauce. Serve with sour cream and guacamole.

—Recipe adapted from the National Turkey Federation.