Sunday, October 30, 2011

After Thanksgiving - what to do with all those turkey leftovers

You cooked all day on Thanksgiving, but you actually probably started a day or two before the big feast and now you have leftovers, mainly turkey.  Well I'm here to help you figure out what to do with all that wonderful leftover turkey.  The day after Thanksgiving I think all you women need to tell your husbands to take you out to a romantic beautiful restaurant with amazing food being served to you.  Also, a nice bottle of wine or champagne sounds good too.  After all, you deserve it!  Now, let's get back to those leftovers using that turkey in dishes such as; roasted corn and turkey chowder, curried turkey pasta salad, turkey shepherd's pie, turkey potpie, Asian turkey salad and cream of turkey and wild rice soup just to name a few.


I hope you enjoy the recipes listed below and I hope your family appreciates all the work you put into making Thanksgiving a delicious and joyful occasion.


Here is a cute poem about those leftovers.  I'm laughing it's so humorous.  Author Unknown


Twas the day after Thanksgiving, but I just couldn't sleep
I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep.
The leftovers beckoned - the dark meat and white
But I fought the temptation with all of my might

Tossing and turning with anticipation
The thought of a snack, became infatuation.
So, I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door
And gazed at the fridge, full of goodies galore.

I gobbled up turkey and buttery mashed potatoes,
pickles and carrots, beans and vinaigrette tomatoes.
I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,
'Til all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.

I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky
With a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.
But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees...
Happy eating to all, pass the cranberries, please.

May your stuffing be tasty, may your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes 'n gravy have nary a lump,
May your sprouts be delicious, may your pies take the prize,
May your Thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs!

Roasted Corn and Turkey Chowder

3 cups leftover turkey, cut into pieces
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups frozen corn (use fresh if in season) (good quality frozen corn)
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 (14 oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 small can diced green chiles
4 cups chicken or turkey stock (good quality)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbl. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 limes, juiced

Heat some olive oil in a Dutch oven and stir in the cumin and chili powder cooking for about 1 minute.  Add the garlic and onion and cook until softened.  Add the corn, sweet potato, tomatoes, and green chiles, stirring for a couple of minutes.  Add the stock, cover and bring to a simmer.  Continue simmering until sweet potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes.  Add the coconut milk and turkey.  Season with salt and pepper.  Just before serving add whipping cream and cook an additional 10 minutes, but do not boil.  Add fresh lime juice and cilantro, stir and remove from heat.  To serve; place in large soup tureen or serve in individual bowls.  Add croutons if desired.

Curried Turkey Pasta Salad

12 oz. package penne pasta or large elbow macaroni
1 Tbl. curry paste
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/3 cup mango chutney
1 tsp. turmeric
pinch of cayenne
2 cups leftover turkey, cut into pieces
1/2 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries or mixture of both
3 - 4 scallions, thinly sliced on diagonal including green part
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced on diagonal
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 Tbl. Italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted

In a pot of boiling salted water, add pasta and cook al dente, drain and refresh in cold water.  Drain well and add pasta to a large bowl.  In a smaller bowl, add mayonnaise, yogurt, chutney, turmeric, cayenne, curry, salt and pepper stirring to incorporate.  Add chicken, raisins, scallions, parsley and celery to pasta.  Pour in dressing gently mix well.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  To serve; remove from frig and garnish with almonds. 

Turkey Shepherd's Pie - love this

Mashed potatoes - you can use leftovers or make fresh
2 leeks, white to light green part only, wash well and thinly slice
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 each; red and green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
4 Tbl. all purpose flour
2 tsp. fresh sage, chopped
2 cups turkey or chicken stock (good quality)
2 1/2 cups leftover turkey, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup corn
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Heat some oil in large saute pan, add leeks, carrots and bell peppers.  Saute for about 6 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another 3 minutes.  Add flour and sage whisking to incorporate, for about 1 minute, add wine and whisk, add cream and chicken stock, stirring constantly until sauce thickens about 7 minutes.  Add turkey, peas, corn, salt and pepper.  Place mixture into a 2-qt baking dish and set aside. 


If using leftover mashed potatoes, stir in a little cream to thin down, but not too much, whisk in 1 beaten egg, and place potato mixture over turkey mixture.  If making fresh mashed potatoes, cook until tender, drain well, add butter, cream, salt, pepper, the beaten egg mixing all to incorporate and place potatoes over turkey mixture.  Set the dish on a baking sheet and bake for abut 30 minutes.  At the end of 30 minutes I like to place under broiler for just a couple of minutes to get potatoes nicely browned, but be sure to watch and don't leave unattended or it will burn.


Easy Cassoulet - an authentic cassoulet is loaded with pork, duck, sausages, pancetta and is very rich and delicious.  I'm giving you an easier version that does not take all day


1 cup fresh breadcrumbs - trim crusts from bread, place pieces in food processor and process to coarse crumbs
olive oil
1/2 cup pancetta, chopped or thick cut bacon
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. turkey kielbasa, sliced thinly
1 (14 1/2 oz) can whole tomatoes (good quality) crushed up with hands, save juice
1 cup chicken or turkey stock (good quality)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 (15 1/2 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 1/2 cups leftover turkey, chopped
2 tsp. fresh thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread breadcrumbs in baking sheet and bake for about 6 minutes until lightly golden brown, remove an set aside.


In large Dutch oven add pancetta or bacon and render until nicely browned, remove to paper towels and set aside.  Remove all fat except 2 Tbl. and add onion, carrot and garlic, cooking until softened about 8 minutes.  Add kielbasa and cook about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, stock, wine, beans, turkey, thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper; bring to a simmer.  Add in bacon and half of the parsley.  Sprinkle on the toasted breadcrumbs and place pot in oven.  Bake for about 40 minutes.  Remove and sprinkle on additional parsley. 

Asian Turkey Salad - as I'm typing this recipe I'm eating cold leftover Pad Thai that I made last night and it's so good.  You could use leftover turkey in your Pad Thai too.


Dressing
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 Tbl. honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbl. fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbl. soy sauce
1 Tbl. Hoisin sauce
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
5 scallions, thinly sliced on diagonal including green part (use 2 for dressing mince these)


Add all dressing ingredients to bowl and whisk together, taste and adjust seasonings. 


Salad
3 cups turkey, chopped
1/2 head small cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, shredded
the rest of the scallions not used for dressing
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 Tbl. sesame seeds, lightly toasted
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 cup mandarin oranges, drained


In a bowl, add salad ingredients and whisk dressing again, pouring over amount you enjoy, mix well and serve.


Chopped Greek Salad


1 large head of Romaine lettuce, chopped
3 cups turkey, chopped
2 large ruby red tomatoes, chopped
1 English cucumber, sliced in half lengthwise, then slice thinly
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, sliced in half and julienned
1 cup Kalamata olives (pitted)
Feta cheese, crumbled (I like a lot)
Dressing
3/4 cup extra virgin Greek olive oil (I like Spanish olive oil too)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. fresh garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. dill
salt and freshly ground black pepper


Place all dressing ingredients into a shaker jar with lid and shake well to combine.  Place in frig for 1 hour for flavors to blend.  On a platter, add chopped lettuce and layer on rest of ingredients.  Remove dressing from frig, shake well again and drizzle dressing over salad. 


Turkey Tostadas


8 corn tortillas
1 or 2 large avocado, peeled, pitted and diced (spritz with fresh lime juice)
Salsa
Sour cream
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Romaine lettuce, shredded
Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 small white onion, diced
2 large ruby red tomatoes, diced
3 cups turkey, chopped
Chicken or turkey stock (good quality)
refried beans

Place beans into a saute pan, and heat up.  In a saute pan, add some vegetable oil, place a tortilla into pan and let get lightly browned on one side, then flip over and cook just for a second, remove to paper towel lined plate, continue cooking all tortillas.  Warm up turkey by adding some chicken or turkey stock to a saucepan and bring to a simmer, add turkey and let warm through, do not boil.  Drain well.  To make tostadas; add some beans to tortilla, layer on all other ingredients and enjoy.

Cream of Turkey and Wild Rice Soup


3 cups turkey, shredded
2 cups button mushrooms, sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 small onion, diced
4 Tbl. all purpose flour
4 cups chicken or turkey stock (good quality)
1/4 cup dry white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground sage
1 cup wild rice, cooked which takes about 50 minutes (1 cup wild rice to 4 cups stock or water)
3 Tbl. fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream


First off; cook your wild rice until done.  Next, in a large Dutch oven, add some oil and add mushrooms, cooking for about 5 minutes, add celery, carrots and onions and cook until softened, adding more oil if needed.  Add 4 Tbl. all purpose flour and cook for 1 minute.  Add stock, sage and wine whisking together with flour mixture until it starts to thicken.  Add rice, cream, turkey and cook until heated through about 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.


Turkey Chili with Cornbread Topping


4 cups turkey, shredded
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 large can whole tomatoes, crushed do not discard juice
1/2 cup chunky salsa, drained
3 cans kidney beans or black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups chicken or turkey stock (good quality)
olive oil
2 Tbl. tomato paste
3 Tbl. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
Sour cream - garnish
Black olives - garnish
Fresh cilantro, chopped - garnish
Cornbread
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 Tbl. sugar
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 Tbl. vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
1 scallion, minced including green part
1/2 cup buttermilk
Tabasco


For cornbread; In large bowl, add cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper. Mix to combine and stir in buttermilk, egg, oil, Tabasco and scallion.  Set aside


For chili;  In a Dutch oven (medium size) heat some oil and add onions, garlic and pepper sauteing until softened.  Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and pepper flakes.  Add stock, tomatoes (juice from tomatoes), salsa, turkey and simmer for about 30 minutes,  Add beans and stir cooking for about 10 minutes.  Top with spoonfuls of cornbread batter and cheese.  Place in 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until cornbread is cooked through.  To serve; spoon out into bowls and top with sour cream, cilantro and black olives.  Delicious!


Turkey Pomegranate Salad


3 cups turkey, chopped
2 crisp Fuji apples, diced
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted
3 celery stalks, sliced on diagonal
2 scallions, thinly sliced on diagonal including green part
1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup pineapple juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 head of red leaf lettuce, washed and patted dry


In a large bowl, add turkey, apples, pomegranate seeds, pecans, celery, scallions and pineapple.  In another bowl, add mayonnaise, sour cream and pineapple juice, whisking to incorporate. Taste and season with salt and pepper.  Incorporate dressing into turkey mixture, adding to your desired amount.  Place lettuce round edges of platter and pile on turkey salad. 


Turkey Enchiladas


3 cups turkey, shredded
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (4 oz) cans green chiles, chopped
2 Tbl. chipolte in adobo sauce, chopped
2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 (10-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 cup oil
1 (28 oz) can enchilada sauce (red or green) or make your own
Fresh cilantro, chopped - garnish
Black olives, sliced - garnish
3 scallions, thinly sliced on diagonal including green part - garnish


In a saute pan, add some oil, garlic and onions cooking until softened.  Add turkey, sour cream, green chiles, chipolte, salt and pepper, stirring to incorporate.  Heat 1/4 cup oil in another saute pan and add corn tortillas one-at-a-time just to soften about 15 seconds on each side, remove to paper towel lined plate. Continue cooking all tortillas. 


In a 13x9 baking pan, add a little enchilada sauce, spreading to cover bottom of pan.  On work surface place tortillas and stuff with some of the turkey mixture, a little cheese and lay in baking pan seam side down, continue until all tortillas are in pan. Pour over more enchilada sauce, top with remaining cheese.  Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Turn on broiler and place enchiladas until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.  Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.  To serve; add enchiladas to plates and garnish with cilantro, olives and scallions.  Serve with a nice tossed green salad.

Turkey and Noodles - my mom Dorothy's recipe


12 oz. wide egg noodles
3 cups turkey shredded
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced (do not use marinated)
1 small basket of button mushrooms, sliced
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 Tbl. butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbl. all purpose flour
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
dash of freshly grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbl.  fresh parsley, chopped


In large pot of boiling salted water, add egg noodles and cook until al dente.  Drain well, mix in a little butter and set aside.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a saute pan, add some oil and saute onions and mushrooms in butter until onions are softened.  Add wine and saute about 1 minute. Whisk in flour and cook for about 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in evaporated milk and stir until smooth, cooking until thickened.  Add nutmeg, salt and pepper and remove from heat.  Stir in turkey, artichokes, 1 cup cheese and mix in cooked pasta.  Pour into 13x9 baking dish and top with remaining cheese.  Bake for about 45 minutes until hot and bubbly.  Remove from oven, let rest for about 10 minutes and top with fresh parsley.


Turkey Waldorf Salad


2 large crisp Fuji apple, peeled and cut into chunks (spritzed with lime juice)
2 cups turkey, diced
3 celery stalks, sliced
1 cup seedless red grapes, sliced in half
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled (I like Maytag)
2 Tbl. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. honey
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
salt and freshly ground black pepper


In large bowl, add apples, turkey, celery, grapes, pecans, and blue cheese.  In separate bowl, add honey, lime juice, sour cream, mayonnaise, salt and pepper, mixing well to combine.  Mix dressing with turkey mixture, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  You can serve this as a side salad or add to a pita pocket with lettuce for a lovely sandwich.  If making a sandwich add some thinly sliced avocados.


Turkey Broccoli Quiche


1 (9-inch) pie shell, unbaked
1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
1/4 cup shallots, chopped
1 cup turkey, chopped
2 Tbl. butter
5 eggs
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. curry powder


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a saute pan, add butter and shallots, cooking until softened.  Steam broccoli in microwave or on stove until just tender, drain well.  Place pie shell on baking sheet and add broccoli, onion, turkey and cheese.  In a bowl, beat eggs; add cream, curry powder salt and pepper.  Pour egg mixture over turkey mixture.  Place quiche in oven and cook for 15 minutes at 425, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center of quiche comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.  Serve with tossed green salad and a nice chilled glass of white wine.


Leftover Hot Turkey Sandwich - love these


leftover turkey, sliced
leftover gravy
sherry (good quality)
slices of bread,  good quality
leftover cranberry sauce
leftover stuffing
fresh chives, chopped


In a saute pan on simmer, add some chicken or turkey stock then add slices of turkey, warming until heated through.  Heat up gravy and whisk in a little sherry.  Heat up stuffing. Place 2 slices of bread on each plate, add turkey slices.  Add some stuffing or some people like mashed potatoes.  Ladle over gravy, top with cranberry sauce and a sprinkle of chives.  Warm and comforting food.  How easy was that?


Turkey Cobbler


2 cups chicken or turkey stock (good quality)
4 Tbl. butter
3 cups turkey, chopped
1 cup turkey gravy (another use of leftovers)
2 celery stalks, sliced
8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 small onion, diced
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (such as peas, beans, carrots, etc)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbl. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. thyme
Biscuit topping
1 egg
1/2 cup whole milk
4 Tbl. melted butter
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
2 Tbl. parsley, chopped
1 scallions, finely minced
1 tsp. Tabasco

In large saute pan heat butter add celery, water chestnuts, mushrooms and onions and cook until softened.  Add 6 Tbl. flour and whisk for about 1 minute. Add stock and gravy cooking and stirring until thickened. Add seasonings, vegetables and turkey, heat through. Pour into a 2 quart baking dish.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk the egg with milk, Tabasco and melted butter.  In another bowl blend the flour with cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, parsley, scallions.  Stir dry ingredients into egg/milk mixture until well blended.  Drop spoonfuls of dough over filling (see note.) Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until topping is lightly browned and filling is bubbly and hot.

Serve with a crisp green salad and cranberry sauce.  For dessert, how about a nice slice of pumpkin pie (leftover of course) with a dollop of brandy whipped cream?  Note:  if desired and your time is short use good quality refrigerated biscuits as topping.  If using the refrigerated biscuits sprinkle the tops with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

South of the Border Turkey Soup - my daughter Brittany's recipe

2 cups turkey, shredded
3 1/2 cups chicken or turkey stock (good quality)
1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes with juice
2 cups kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (4 oz) can green chiles, chopped
1/2 cup salsa
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbl. fresh lime juice
2 tsp.Tabasco
1 tsp. cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and diced (spritz with fresh lime juice) - garnish
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped - garnish
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded - garnish
sour cream - garnish

In a large Dutch oven, add oil and cook onion and garlic until softened.  Add stock, tomatoes (crush with fingers) green chiles and lime juice.  Season with Tabasco, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer for about 15 minutes.  Add turkey, salsa and beans and cook for another 15 minutes.  To serve; ladle into bowls, top with diced avocados, cilantro, cheese and sour cream.  Serve with warm flour tortillas or cheese quesadillas with salsa and a crisp dinner salad with a zesty lime vinaigrette dressing.

Asian Turkey Noodle Salad - as you can guess, I love Asian salads and this one has a great peanut butter dressing

2 packages fresh Udon Japanese noodles (9 oz each)
12 oz. sugar snap peas, strings removed
6 scallions, thinly sliced on diagonal including green part
4 cups turkey, shredded
2 large carrots, grated
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 Tbl. sesame seeds, lightly toasted
Dressing - you might have extra, I toss some into salad, refrigerate then add more just before serving
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter - I like Jiff (do not use old fashioned or freshly ground)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 Tbl. chili garlic sauce
2 Tbl. brown sugar, packed
2 Tbl. fresh ginger, minced
4 Tbl. chicken stock
pinch red pepper flakes

For dressing; combine all ingredients into a bowl and whisk well to combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

For salad;  In a pot of boiling salted water, add snap peas and cook for about 2 minutes for crisp-tender.  Transfer to a ice water bath to cool, once cool drain well.  In same pot of boiling salted water, add noodles and cook for about 3 minutes, drain and rinse under cool water, drain again.  Place in large bowl.  Toss noodles with 1 Tbl. of the sesame oil.  Add all other salad ingredients to bowl with noodles, whisk dressing again and pour over salad.  Cover and refrigerate salad. When ready to serve, remove from frig and toss with more dressing.  Place salad on serving platter and sprinkle with extra chopped cilantro. 

Bon Appetit

"My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!"
Psalm 91:2












































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Julia Bushree and Delicious Decisions, 2009 and following years. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permisison from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Julia Bushree and Delicious Decisions with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.