Forecast for Thanksgiving football on FOX: Creative ways to tackle leftovers

(FOX Weather)

DETROIT – There is no greater tradition to sports fans alike than Thanksgiving NFL football. Week 12 opens on FOX Thursday afternoon as the Chicago Bears take on the winless Detroit Lions.

Detroit (0-9-1) is currently fourth in the NFC North. Chicago (3-7) comes in one spot higher at third. The Bears are 5-1 (83.3%) against the Lions over the last three seasons, FOX Sports reported.

FOX Sports NFL Analyst Geoff Schwartz said he is rolling with Detroit (+3.5).

"This wager isn't so much a vote of confidence for the Lions but more of a fade against the Bears. Chicago has lost five games in a row with a point differential of minus 67. The Bears are also minus seven in turnovers," Schwartz said. "There's nothing about this Bears team to like. Give me the Lions in a teaser getting nearly double-digits!"

Forecasters are expecting temperatures outside Ford Field to be in the mid-40s, with a 40% chance of rain showers by kickoff, which is set for 12:30 p.m. Eastern on FOX. Temperatures should remain consistent throughout the game. 

For Bears fans firing up the grill at home, Chicago has a 40% chance of rain showers before 7 a.m. But the Windy City can expect mostly cloudy skies, with a high near 42 degrees. Northwest winds around 15 mph will bring gusts as high as 30 mph.

Taste of Thanksgiving: Creative leftovers

You might be wondering what to do with all of those leftovers from the holiday. Instead of serving up turkey sandwiches, Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe shows us how to make your post-Thanksgiving meal into a festival of food.

If you can't find turkey broth for the pot pie, use vegetable broth instead, Dr. BBQ said. The chicken broth will make it taste like chicken, and you definitely want to highlight the turkey.

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Make your post-Thanksgiving meal into a festival of food

You might be wondering what to do with all of those leftovers from the holiday. Instead of serving up turkey sandwiches, Dr. BBQ shows us how to make your post-Thanksgiving meal into a festival of food.

Turkey Pot Pie
Makes about 6 servings

Ingredients 

1 stick butter

2/3 cup flour

½ medium onion, finely chopped

½ teaspoon Poultry seasoning

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

3 cups turkey or vegetable broth

1 cup milk or half and half

4 cups cubed leftover turkey

2 cups frozen vegetable mix, defrosted

1 sheet Pastry crust or phyllo dough

Directions

Prepare the grill or oven to cook indirect at 350°. In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat melt the butter. Add the flour and mix in. Continue cooking and mixing until all the lumps are gone. Add the onion and mix. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Slowly add the broth mixing it in. Whisk until all the lumps are gone. Add the milk and mix. Cook and mix until the gravy is thickened and bubbly. Add the turkey and mix it in. Add the vegetables and mix them in. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes stirring often. Pour into a large grill safe pan. Roll out the dough and cover the turkey mixture with it. Cut a few slits in the dough to let the steam out. Place in the grill or oven and cook for about an hour until the dough is golden brown and the turkey mixture is bubbling hot.

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Turkey Dressing Bacon Bombs
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients 

16 slices bacon

2 cups leftover dressing

1 cup leftover chopped smoked turkey

Directions

Prepare the oven or grill/smoker to cook indirect at 325º. In a medium bowl combine the turkey and stuffing and mix well. Divide into four equal portions and form each into a tightly packed ball. Lay four slices of bacon on the cutting board weaving them together in the middle in a lattice fashion. Lay a stuffing ball in the center and bring the strips of bacon up onto the top. Flip the whole ball so the loose ends are on the bottom and the weave is on top. For grilling place on a sprayed perforated pan. For the oven place on a sprayed baking sheet. Place in the grill or oven and cook until the bacon is cooked to your liking and the internal temp of the stuffing is at least 165º, about an hour. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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Leftover Pumpkin and Pecan Pie Parfait
Makes about 6 servings

Ingredients 

½ cooked leftover pumpkin pie

½ cooked leftover pecan pie

1 container whipped topping

Maraschino cherries (Optional)

Directions

Place the pumpkin pie in a bowl and crush it up mixing the crust and filling together. In a separate bowl repeat with the pecan pie. Using clear parfait or cocktail type glasses, layer in the crushed pumpkin pie, some cool whip and then some crushed pecan pie. Repeat these layers until the glass is full. Top with a final layer of whipped topping and a maraschino cherry or a dollop of leftover cranberry sauce.