Turkey Hash is a perfect example of how leftover Thanksgiving food can work at any meal, even breakfast.

To the victor go the spoils; to the host go the leftovers.

But etiquette expert Lizzie Post says those who dine away from home for the holiday can boost their odds of scoring a doggie bag by bringing a side dish to share and helping their host clean up.

Then, as the host begins to put the food away, innocently inquire: “Oh! Do you want me to start packing this up for people to take home for leftovers?”

“Offer it as a suggestion rather than asking,” says Post, a great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post who works at the Emily Post Institute in Vermont. “It gives them a chance to say what they were hoping to do with the leftovers without you just asking and putting them on the spot.”

Once the delicate task of securing leftovers is achieved, the options are nearly limitless.

Julie Grimes, associate food editor at Cooking Light magazine, says she likes to use leftovers in unexpected ways to make post-holiday meals feel fresh and exciting. The easiest way to accomplish that is to rely on ethnic flavors, she says.

“Since Thanksgiving is truly an American holiday and the fare typically reflects this fact, I like to spice up the leftovers with flavors from Asia, France or Latin America for a change of pace,” she says.

Some of her favorite recipes in recent years include turkey-mushroom bread pudding, turkey fried rice and turkey pho, a take on Vietnamese noodle soup.

Kemp Minifie, executive food editor at Gourmet magazine, also recommends taking an international approach to leftovers. Turkey in particular lends itself to strong flavors and can stand in for chicken and even pork in many recipes.

“It’s a blank canvas,” she says. “It’s the white sheet of paper you can do all kinds of things to.”

Turkey Hash

1 1/2 pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cubanelle peppers (Italian green frying peppers), seeded and chopped

1 cup shredded cooked turkey, preferably dark meat

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 large eggs

Place the potatoes in a large stockpot, then cover with enough cold water to cover by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer, partially cover the pot and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until just tender. Drain the potatoes and let cool slightly. While the potatoes cool, in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and peppers and saute until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Once the potatoes have cooled, peel them and coarsely grate them with a box grater.

Add the potatoes, turkey, salt and pepper to the skillet, then cook, turning occasionally, until browned in spots, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the hash to serving plates.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Set over medium heat. When the butter has melted, fry the eggs. Serve 1 egg over each serving of hash. Serves 4.

— Recipe from the November 2008 issue of Gourmet magazine

Turkey Fried Rice

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons turkey stock or chicken broth

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

5 teaspoons canola oil

2 cups shredded green cabbage

1 cup sliced scallions

1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger

5 cups cooked long-grain white rice, chilled

4 cups chopped cooked turkey (light and dark meat)

2 cups leftover green peas or frozen peas, thawed

1 cup leftover carrots or frozen carrots, thawed

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, turkey stock, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic sauce, salt and pepper. Set aside. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the canola oil. Add the cabbage, scallions and ginger, then saute for 3 minutes, or until tender. Add the rice, turkey, peas, and carrots, then saute for another 3 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Stir in soy sauce mixture and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Serves 6.

— Recipe from Cooking Light magazine

Shredded Turkey-Arugula Caesar Salad

1/4 pound baby arugula (about 5 cups loosely packed)

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

4 oil-packed anchovy fillets

2 large cloves garlic

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Kosher salt

4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided

4 slices French baguette, cut 1 inch thick on an extreme diagonal

2 cups shredded cooked turkey

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

Heat a gas grill or the broiler. Place the arugula in a large bowl, then cover with a damp paper towel and refrigerate.

In a blender, combine the lemon juice and zest, anchovies, garlic, peppercorns, 6 tablespoons of the olive oil, the mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend thoroughly until most of the peppercorns are well broken up and the dressing is emulsified.

Add 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese and blend to incorporate. Leave the dressing in the blender.

Brush the bread with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, then season each slice with salt. Grill or broil the bread until dark around the edges and golden brown at the center, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

If desired, cut each bread slice into 10 cubes. The bread also can be served whole.

Pulse the dressing in the blender. Add a bit of the dressing to the arugula and toss to coat.

Divide the arugula among 4 serving plates and sprinkle with some of the remaining Parmesan.

In a medium bowl, toss the turkey with the remaining dressing, then divide it between the plates of arugula. Sprinkle with Parmesan and arrange the croutons and tomatoes around the salad. Serves 4.

— Recipe from “How to Cook a Turkey and All the Other Trimmings,” Taunton Press, 2007

Turkey Popovers

1 cup heavy cream

3 eggs

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped cooked turkey

1/2 cup stuffing

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 6-cup muffin tin with baking spray.

In a blender, whip the heavy cream until it begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs, thyme, salt and pepper, then blend again until smooth. With the blender running on low, sprinkle in the flour and blend until smooth.

Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Divide the chicken between each cup, dropping it into the egg mixture. Top each serving with a spoonful of the stuffing, then sprinkle it with cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned. Cool briefly. Serves 6.