Support Saturday Shop Small and Turkey Pot Recipe

With a late Thanksgiving Day in the calendar the controversy over holiday shopping on Thanksgiving day has been drawing a lot of media attention. Retailers are opening their doors earlier and earlier each year on Thanksgiving to jump start Black Friday and cyber Monday.

Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses across the country. Founded by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This year, Small Business Saturday is on November 30th.
This movement is an refreshing alternative for small business retailers to compete against the big-box chains. Many small independent stores are offering early promotions on Saturday as a savvy way to counter big-box retailers.  

In 2012 shoppers spent $45.5 billion on that designated Saturday after Thanksgiving. This year more than two-thirds of small business surveyed plan to offer special discounts of free offers. In the Twin Cities many shops and restaurants are are featuring specials, discounts and complimentary food and drinks. 

Small-business retailers across the country feel the need to get more aggressive to compete with big box chains. Each year chain stores continue to chip away at  the small business market share. Consider Saturday to shop locally and support small businesses in your area.  

Go to Small Business Saturday website to find out more about which local stores in your area will be participating in this event. 
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/content/small-business/shop-small/about/?linknav=us-open-shopsmall-homepage-about

Some information was taken from an article titled: Small Retailers Find Ways to Compete with the Big Boxes by John Ewoldt  Star Tribune November 26, 2013 http://www.startribune.com/business/233398761.html

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Just in case your guests have not eaten all the turkey here is an idea for leftovers 

Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked turkey chopped 
• 1 small sweet onion chopped 
• (8 oz.) package of white mushrooms 
• 1/4 cup white wine 
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth 
• 1 cup frozen baby peas thawed 
• 1 cup matchstick carrots 
• ½ cup flour 
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper 
• ¾ tsp salt 
• ¼ tsp. pepper 
• ½ tsp. dried tarragon 
• 1 TB. parsley 
• 1 TB. chives 
• ¼ tsp. dry mustard 
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated 
• 1-1/2 cups light cream 
• 2 TB. butter 
• 1 egg 
• 1 (17.2 oz.) package frozen puff pastry sheets thawed 

Directions:

• In a large skillet melt butter and sauté mushrooms, onions, pepper, and carrots till tender 
• Stir flour into chicken broth, whisk to blend, then add to mushroom mixture with cream, peas, spices, Parmesan cheese and cook on low heat till thick and bubbly 
• Stir in wine, turkey and peas-keep mixture warm while preparing pastry 
• Pastry 
• Unfold and roll each puff pastry sheet into 12 x 10 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface 
• Fit one sheet into a 9 inch pie pan or a casserole pan with low sides 
• Spoon turkey mixture in dish and top with remaining pastry sheet-fold edges under and press with tines of a fork, sealing to bottom crust 
• Whisk I egg with 1 TB. water brush over top of pie 
• Option: skip bottom crust and lightly grease pan adding turkey mixture and top with one rectangle of puff pastry 
• Bake uncovered @400 on lower rack of oven till crust is puffed check at 30 minutes