Wattle you have?

Turkey Chow Mein. Scalloped Turkey Diable. Gobbler Pie. Perhaps these dishes do not conjure images of haute cuisine. Perhaps they do not even seem like typical Thanksgiving dishes.

And yet they received first billing from a certain group of women known for its exacting standards: the Los Angeles Times Home Economics Department of 1953.

On Nov. 15 that year, The Times’ Home Magazine featured almost two dozen Thanksgiving recipes that the department had tested, tasted, scrutinized and approved.

One section was headlined “Who Loves Leftovers? Half the enjoyment of a turkey dinner depends on how she serves it later.” And, ironically, it preceded all other directions: It appeared before a discussion of mincemeat, before a step-by-step guide to making “old-fashioned” cranberry sauce and before a lesson on turkey stuffing and roasting. Clearly, these leftovers were not back-burner items.

“The original turkey dinner is merely the prelude to feasting for many persons,” the article began. “Real enjoyment comes with the leftovers, too.” Among the department’s offerings were the three dishes mentioned above.

We tried the Gobbler Pie in The Times Test Kitchen, using several cups of leftover turkey meat. Like chicken pot pie, the dish makes a warm, hearty meal. We added fresh thyme and chicken broth for more flavor and a bit more flour to thicken the filling.

It’s the biscuit topping, though, that’s sure to impress a crowd. Use a turkey-shaped cookie cutter to cut the dough, add whole cloves as turkey eyes and lay the biscuits side by side to bake atop the pie.

Who knew a leftover from the ‘50s could be so cute?

Gobbler Pie

Active Work Time: 40 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon flour

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1/4 cup chicken broth

3 to 4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)

1 cup cooked lima beans

4 small potatoes, boiled and halved

2 to 3 cups cooked turkey, cubed

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

* Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and brown lightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in flour and combine well. Add thyme and broth. Add tomatoes and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Add lima beans, potatoes, turkey, salt and pepper and mix well. Cook 2 to 3 minutes for flavors to meld. Transfer mixture to 2-quart casserole or baking dish.

BISCUIT TOPPING

1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for rolling

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup milk

Cloves for decorating

* Sift 1 1/2 cups flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt into bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in milk until mixture is moist.

* Turn onto lightly floured board and knead gently a few seconds. Roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into turkey shapes with floured turkey cutter. Add clove for each turkey’s eye.

* Place turkey-shaped biscuits side by side on top of hot turkey mixture in casserole. Bake at 400 degrees until biscuits are lightly browned and puffed, 25 to 30 minutes. Bake extra biscuits on baking sheet alongside casserole until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

4 servings. Each serving: 679 calories; 1,988 mg sodium; 63 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.16 gram fiber.

Napkins from Crate & Barrel stores.