Instructions: My old friends Peter and Sarah Simoneaux, New Orleans expatriates (whove since moved back home). They and I were invited to the home of some friends of theirs, and we agreed to provide some side dishes.

The meal was lovely, and afterwards one of us remarked about how wonderful all that leftover turkey would be, and how theyd enjoy it over the next few days. "Oh, were leaving for Mexico for a vacation tomorrow," our hostess said, "and were just going to throw it away."

Peter and I nearly shrieked. "Can we have it?" we pleaded. Sure, no problem!

Folks ... what ya do with ya leftover turkey carcass is to make a gumbo.

Its fabulous. Sure, make turkey sandwiches, turkey whatevers, but reserve a pound or so of turkey meat and the bones/carcass and make this. You wont regret it. And maybe, the two-days-after-Thanksgiving dinner of gumbo might just become a tradition in your household.

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