All that planning. All those lists. All that grocery shopping. All that prep. All that cooking.

And now Thanksgiving dinner is done and you're looking at all those leftovers.

Well, you are if you're lucky.

What's the point of Thanksgiving dinner if you don't have leftovers?

It makes me chuckle when I read those "how much will you need" suggestions for how big of a turkey will you need to feed your crowd and it says "1 pound per person, maybe 1-1/2 pounds if you want leftovers."

I'm not sure I ever cooked a turkey smaller than 12 to 14 pounds even when it was just the two of us.

In my house, it's all about the leftovers. Because if there were no leftovers there would be (to quote Ralphie from "A Christmas Story"): "No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey hash! Turkey a la king! Or gallons of turkey soup!"

Perish the thought.

But before we get to the good stuff, let's review the basics with some suggestions from Cami Wells with Nebraska Extension:

-- Plan ahead: Clear out as much food as possible in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. You'll need adequate space to store your leftovers. Don't overload the refrigerator. Refrigerators are most efficient when there is space for cold air to circulate throughout. Over packing can affect quality and safety of cold foods.

-- Leftovers must be refrigerated within two hours of cooking food or after it is removed from an appliance keeping it warm, Throw away all perishable foods that have been left at room temperature for more than two hours.

-- Cool food rapidly: To prevent bacterial growth, it's important to cool food rapidly so it reaches as fast as possible the safe refrigerator-storage temperature of 40 degrees F or below.

To do this, divide large amounts of food into shallow containers. Cut large items of food into smaller portions to cool. Cut turkey into smaller pieces and refrigerate. Hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator or be rapidly chilled in an ice or cold water bath before refrigerating.

Really Good Turkey Stock

1 turkey carcass, broken into pieces

2 carrots, washed but not peeled

1 yellow onion, quartered, not peeled

2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped

Ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place everything on a large cookie sheet. Break the carrots into a few pieces. Roast for approximately 1 hour or until everything is very brown.

Scrape it all into a large pot, run water over the pan to lift up any brown goodness on the bottom and add to the pot, then run in cold water to just cover the ingredients. Add pepper, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 2 hours. Strain.

Discard the vegetables (your dog will love the carrots). Now you have delicious roasted turkey stock to use for soup or any other recipe.

Italian Wedding Soup with Turkey

1 quart chicken or turkey stock

1 large carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice

2 cloves minced garlic

1 cup kale, stems removed, leaves cut into thin strips, packed

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

1 can (15 ounces) white cannellini beans, drained

2 cups diced cooked turkey

In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the broth, water, carrots, garlic and the kale. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the carrots are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

Add the white beans and turkey to the soup and bring to a simmer. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, add the cheese, and ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Pass more grated cheese at the table.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from: Williams Sonoma

Easy White Turkey Chili

1 tablespoon oil

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

4 cups cooked turkey, chopped

2 cans (15.5 ounces) Great Northern beans, drained

2 cans (11 ounces) corn, undrained

1 can (4 ounce) chopped green chilies

4 cups turkey or chicken broth

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery, cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes. Place all ingredients in a large saucepan (at least 4 quarts). Stir well.

Cover and cook about 15 minutes over medium heat stirring occasionally until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese on top, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Turkey and Bisquick Dumplings

1 quart good turkey stock

3 cups pulled turkey meat

2-1/4 cups Bisquick baking mix

2/3 cup milk

Bring the turkey stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Taste and add salt to your taste. Add the turkey meat and keep stock at a lively simmer. Lightly mix the Bisquick and milk until a soft dough forms. Don’t overmix. Drop by tablespoons onto the top of your simmering stock. Cook for 10 minutes uncovered, then cover and cook for 10 minutes more.

Makes 4 servings.

This recipe from Martha Stewart throws in everything but the pumpkin pie.

Thanksgiving-Leftovers Shepherd’s Pie

3 cups cooked stuffing

1 cup cranberry sauce, plus more for topping (optional)

1 pound sliced cooked roast turkey with sage

10 ounces glazed carrots (or another leftover vegetable)

4 to 6 tablespoons gravy

3 to 4 cups mashed potatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9- to 10-inch pie plate, mound stuffing on bottom, then layer with cranberry sauce, turkey and carrots. Drizzle with gravy and spread potatoes over surface to sides of dish. Top with more cranberry sauce, if desired.

Place pie on a baking sheet and bake until heated through and potatoes are golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Recipe from: marthastewart.com