The best part about turkey is the leftovers! I anticipate having a cold turkey and yellow mustard sandwich on homemade rye bread more than the meal itself, friends! We didn't eat turkey on Thanksgiving this year. We opted for an elaborate Italian feast featuring my braciole. I have four big birds in the freezer though and of course, now we're all hankering some turkey. As one of the 14 pounders thaws on the counter, I thought I'd share a few of my leftover turkey recipes. One of my friends recently remarked that she bets I get my money's worth from my turkey and, boy howdy, is she right! All of these recipes feed my family of five unless otherwise noted. Here's how leftover turkey works in my house, friends. I keep some leftover turkey out for sammies, make the soup with the carcass to eat the next day, bake a couple of pot pies, and freeze the rest of the turkey in one pound baggies already diced and ready to go for the other recipes. Easy peasy. Peace, B.
Turkey Salad with Red Grapes and Pecans
Second only to the cold turkey and yellow mustard on rye, this salad is such a yummy treat for me. None of the other Hallmans like it, so I get it all to myself!
Mix together 1 cup sliced red seedless grapes, 2 stalks of celery (diced), 3 green onions (minced), 3/4 cup chopped pecans, 3 to 4 cups cooked diced turkey, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate one hour to help those flavors get to know one another. This makes 4 to 6 good size sammies. I really like this on croissants.
Turkey Tetrazzini
My tetrazzini and pot pie recipes are variations my Grandmom Amison made when I was a kid. I guessed on so many of the amounts, but they remind me of jazzed up versions of her awesome cooking! (I don't use mushrooms in the tetrazzini because we don't like them, but you could easily add a pound of sliced mushrooms to the sauted veggies.)
Saute 1 and 1/2 cups chopped onions and 1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers in 6 tablespoons butter for a few minutes in a large pot. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and saute a couple of more minutes. Add 1 and 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (or Emeril's Essence). Sprinkle with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and stir to dissolve. Add 1/4 cup white wine and 2 cups chicken stock or broth and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add 1 and 3/4 cups heavy cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer. Stir occasionally and cook for 15 minutes or until sauce is thick.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. While oven is preheating, cook 12 ounces of wide egg noodles according to package directions. Drain amd set aside. Spray a 9 X 13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Add the cooked noodles to the sauce. Add 1 pound cubed or shredded leftover turkey, 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley leaves, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Pour into the casserole dish. Top with one small bag of crushed plain chips. Bake uncovered until golden brown about 30 minutes. You can serve this straight from the oven.
Turkey Pot Pie
This is instant comfort food for my family. I make pot pies maybe four times a year. I usually double up and freeze one so we'll have it when I'm not in the mood for cooking. (I also do this if I find a rotisserie chicken marked down at the deli- I make a pot pie or chicken salad!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute 2 cups diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery, 1 cup diced red onion, and 2 cups diced red potatoes in 4 tablespoons butter for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour. Stir to dissolve. Add 1 cup heavy cream and 4 cups chicken stock or broth. Simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thinkens. Add 1 pound of diced lefover turkey. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook another 10 minutes on low heat.
For the crust, combine 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon ground sage, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and
1/3 cup milk. Form into a ball. Divide into two sections and roll out both.
Place your pie crust in one 10 inch pie pan. (I use the thick deep dish tin pans for the pot pies I freeze and my glass pie plate for the one going in the oven right away.) Pour the whole thing into the pie pan. Make sure your second section of dough is rolled out well enough to hang over the sides of the pie pan when placed on top. Before you put the second section of rolled out dough on top, cut out two or three small shapes to act as vents while the pie is cooking. I usually let my Littles do this with our tiny cookie cutters. You'll tuck the overhanging dough into the sides.
Bake for about 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown or wrap well with foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Turkey Curry
This is such a good, hearty meal. I crave it in the summer when there is no way I'm going to bake a turkey and store bought stuff just won't do.
Finely mince 1 large onion and 1 red bell pepper. (I use my Pampered Chef chopper for this and not my food processor.) Saute in 2 teaspoons olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add 3 finely minced cloves or garlic, 1 inch piece fresh, finely minced gingerroot, and 1 finely minced jalapeno pepper. (Use that PC chopper, y'all.) Add 1 tablespoon curry powder (I use Madras brand, but it packs a punch.)and 1 teaspoon ground coriander. Saute for another 2 minutes. (This is when your house starts smelling like awesome-yumminess.)
Add 1 cup chicken stock or broth, 1/4 cup coconut milk, and 1 sliced banana. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Mash the bananas and incorporate them into the sauce. Add 2 cups diced leftover turkey, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, and 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice. Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over basmati rice. Sprinkle with raisins and cashews. I like a little yogurt and chutney on the side.
Turkey Soup
Alrighty, friends, I make turkey soup every single time I bake a turkey because I can use every single bit of the turkey left on the carcass and we always have it the day after we have turkey.
After you've picked the turkey carcass pretty clean for other recipes (but there's still meat on the bones!), place it in a dutch oven. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for one hour. Reserve 3 quarts of the strained stock and pull all of the meat from the carcass. Cut everything into bite size pieces and give those turkey bones to the doggies!
Saute 1 cup diced yellow onion, 1 cup diced carrots, and 1 cup diced celery in 1 cup butter (I know it's a lot, but trust me!) for about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and sprinkle in 3/4 cup all-purpose flour. Stir until dissolved. Slowly pour in 4 cups of the reserved broth. Bring to a boil and stir until thickened. About 2 minutes. Add 1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream, the remaining broth, and 1 cup uncooked white or brown rice. Sometimes, I add a teaspoon or two of chicken bouillon granules if the broth isn't flavorful enough. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring back to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is cooked. Serve with some crusty bread.
Turkey Salad with Red Grapes and Pecans
Second only to the cold turkey and yellow mustard on rye, this salad is such a yummy treat for me. None of the other Hallmans like it, so I get it all to myself!
Mix together 1 cup sliced red seedless grapes, 2 stalks of celery (diced), 3 green onions (minced), 3/4 cup chopped pecans, 3 to 4 cups cooked diced turkey, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate one hour to help those flavors get to know one another. This makes 4 to 6 good size sammies. I really like this on croissants.
Turkey Tetrazzini
My tetrazzini and pot pie recipes are variations my Grandmom Amison made when I was a kid. I guessed on so many of the amounts, but they remind me of jazzed up versions of her awesome cooking! (I don't use mushrooms in the tetrazzini because we don't like them, but you could easily add a pound of sliced mushrooms to the sauted veggies.)
Saute 1 and 1/2 cups chopped onions and 1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers in 6 tablespoons butter for a few minutes in a large pot. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and saute a couple of more minutes. Add 1 and 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (or Emeril's Essence). Sprinkle with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and stir to dissolve. Add 1/4 cup white wine and 2 cups chicken stock or broth and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add 1 and 3/4 cups heavy cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer. Stir occasionally and cook for 15 minutes or until sauce is thick.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. While oven is preheating, cook 12 ounces of wide egg noodles according to package directions. Drain amd set aside. Spray a 9 X 13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Add the cooked noodles to the sauce. Add 1 pound cubed or shredded leftover turkey, 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley leaves, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Pour into the casserole dish. Top with one small bag of crushed plain chips. Bake uncovered until golden brown about 30 minutes. You can serve this straight from the oven.
Turkey Pot Pie
This is instant comfort food for my family. I make pot pies maybe four times a year. I usually double up and freeze one so we'll have it when I'm not in the mood for cooking. (I also do this if I find a rotisserie chicken marked down at the deli- I make a pot pie or chicken salad!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute 2 cups diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery, 1 cup diced red onion, and 2 cups diced red potatoes in 4 tablespoons butter for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour. Stir to dissolve. Add 1 cup heavy cream and 4 cups chicken stock or broth. Simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thinkens. Add 1 pound of diced lefover turkey. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook another 10 minutes on low heat.
For the crust, combine 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon ground sage, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and
1/3 cup milk. Form into a ball. Divide into two sections and roll out both.
Place your pie crust in one 10 inch pie pan. (I use the thick deep dish tin pans for the pot pies I freeze and my glass pie plate for the one going in the oven right away.) Pour the whole thing into the pie pan. Make sure your second section of dough is rolled out well enough to hang over the sides of the pie pan when placed on top. Before you put the second section of rolled out dough on top, cut out two or three small shapes to act as vents while the pie is cooking. I usually let my Littles do this with our tiny cookie cutters. You'll tuck the overhanging dough into the sides.
Bake for about 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown or wrap well with foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Turkey Curry
This is such a good, hearty meal. I crave it in the summer when there is no way I'm going to bake a turkey and store bought stuff just won't do.
Finely mince 1 large onion and 1 red bell pepper. (I use my Pampered Chef chopper for this and not my food processor.) Saute in 2 teaspoons olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add 3 finely minced cloves or garlic, 1 inch piece fresh, finely minced gingerroot, and 1 finely minced jalapeno pepper. (Use that PC chopper, y'all.) Add 1 tablespoon curry powder (I use Madras brand, but it packs a punch.)and 1 teaspoon ground coriander. Saute for another 2 minutes. (This is when your house starts smelling like awesome-yumminess.)
Add 1 cup chicken stock or broth, 1/4 cup coconut milk, and 1 sliced banana. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Mash the bananas and incorporate them into the sauce. Add 2 cups diced leftover turkey, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, and 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice. Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over basmati rice. Sprinkle with raisins and cashews. I like a little yogurt and chutney on the side.
Turkey Soup
Alrighty, friends, I make turkey soup every single time I bake a turkey because I can use every single bit of the turkey left on the carcass and we always have it the day after we have turkey.
After you've picked the turkey carcass pretty clean for other recipes (but there's still meat on the bones!), place it in a dutch oven. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for one hour. Reserve 3 quarts of the strained stock and pull all of the meat from the carcass. Cut everything into bite size pieces and give those turkey bones to the doggies!
Saute 1 cup diced yellow onion, 1 cup diced carrots, and 1 cup diced celery in 1 cup butter (I know it's a lot, but trust me!) for about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and sprinkle in 3/4 cup all-purpose flour. Stir until dissolved. Slowly pour in 4 cups of the reserved broth. Bring to a boil and stir until thickened. About 2 minutes. Add 1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream, the remaining broth, and 1 cup uncooked white or brown rice. Sometimes, I add a teaspoon or two of chicken bouillon granules if the broth isn't flavorful enough. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring back to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is cooked. Serve with some crusty bread.
