Just about everybody enjoys a delicious roast turkey dinner for Thanksgiving with all the traditional trimmings. However, cooks usually overestimate the size of the turkey that will be needed and begin trying to figure out ways to use the leftovers.

One new way to use leftover turkey is to make turkey tacos, which can be used as snacks or meals, with little effort. These make great grab-and-eat foods for avid football fans who want to eat without missing the big game. You can use pre-formed corn tacos if you wish or you can buy the flat flour tortillas found in every grocery or food market. If you use the flour tortillas you’ll need to soften them up to make them pliable.

Do this by putting a smidgen of oil in the bottom of a skillet and heating the tortilla until it bubbles a little. Turn it over to heat the other side and you’ll be ready to go. If you do use the heated flour tortillas, you can make enough for your hungry fans by heating them, then stacking them and wrapping the pile in towels. If you only want a few, use the Mexican trick of putting 3-4 warm tacos on a warm plate, then place an inverted plate over the taco plate.

Thanksgiving Turkey Tacos

12 corn taco shells or flour tortillas

2 cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese

Cooked turkey, shredded or sliced into small pieces

Thinly sliced lettuce

Cranberry relish or cranberry salsa

Prepare the tacos or tortillas as mentioned above. Set out a bowl of the shredded Mexican blend cheese so people can serve themselves as much as they want. Heat the turkey and keep it warm by setting the pan on a hot plate or use a chafing dish. Again, your folks can help themselves to the right amount of turkey.

The thinly-sliced lettuce you get when buying tacos at restaurants is usually sliced with a food processor. That’s the best way to prepare the lettuce, but you can spend some time to make thin slices using almost any sharp knife you have around the kitchen.

The topping of cranberry relish or cranberry salsa can be served warm or cold, with room temperature being my favorite way. You can buy cranberry relish or salsa in many markets, but if yours doesn’t have these you can go online and find a big selection available from companies who can ship you a supply in a day or two. Get some good paper or throw-away plastic plates so you won’t have to do anything special to clean up when the eating is finished. These handheld edibles will be enjoyed by folks of all ages – and you won’t have to spend hours getting them ready.

Readers with questions or comments for Dave Kessler may write to him in care of this publication.