No, the refrigerator is not a leftover.  It is, after a 22 pound turkey last Thursday, full of leftovers.  Or, it was is a better way to put it.  Yes, I roasted a 22 pound turkey.  No, I did not have an entire town over for Thanksgiving dinner.  I had myself, my six kids and one of their roommates. 

Anyway, while some of the kids took some food home with them, which was the ultimate reason for having such a large bird, no one took any turkey home with them.  Consequently, I have been making dinner with turkey since last week.  I really couldn’t fix anything else for dinner as there was very little room in the fridge should that dinner create any leftovers. 

Below you will find some wonderful ways to use your leftovers.

Turkey Tetrazzini (sort of)

If you have ever made a tetrazzini, you will know it is made with either spaghetti or fettuccini.  I didn’t have any of either in the house so I used penne.  This will make mine look a bit odd but it tasted wonderful.

 

• 1 (13.25 ounce) package uncooked  whole wheat blend penne
• 1 medium cooking onion, sliced thinly
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose, unbleached flour
• 3 cups turkey broth
• 1 cup fat free half and half
• 4 ounces grated cheddar cheese, separated (recipe calls for Parmesan but this is what I had on hand)
• 4 cups shredded turkey
• 6-8 crushed multi-grain saltines

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray grease a medium baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne, and cook for 8 to 9 minutes or until al dente. Drain, and place in the prepared baking dish.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan (I actually used the large pot that I had used to cook the pasta in) over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent.  Stir in flour. Mix in turkey broth and half and half. Cook and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Stir in about most of cheddar cheese, and remove from heat.

Mix chicken broth mixture and turkey with penne. Top with remaining cheese and saltines. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until surface is lightly browned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound cooked turkey meat, shredded
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 layer frozen corn from this past summer
• 6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
• 4 cups prepared mashed potatoes (I didn’t have any leftover so I made – gasp! – instant mashed potatoes.  To make them seem a bit less instant, I put two tablespoons of fat free sour cream in them after making them according to the package.)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place turkey in an even layer on the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with a layer of onion and corn so that the turkey is no longer visible. Layer the mashed potatoes over this carefully.  Then sprinkle with shredded cheese.
3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until heated through.

And one more recipe, although I do not have a picture as my family devours stuffing/dressing/whatever you want to call it so I never have leftovers to make this recipe.  This recipe comes courtesy of my former mother-in-law who passed away this June.

 

 

 

 

Turkey ‘N Stuffing Bake

• ½ cup margarine
• 1 ¼ cup boiling water
• 3 ½ cups seasoned stuffing crumbs*
• 1 can (2.8 ounces) French Fried Onions
• 1 can condensed cream of celery soup
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 ½ cups cubed or shredded cooked turkey
• 1 package frozen peas, thawed

DIRECTIONS

Combine margarine and water in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Stir until margarine melts.  Pour over seasoned stuffing crumbs; toss lightly.  Stir in ½ can onions.  Spoon stuffing mixture into 9” shallow baking dish.  Press stuffing across bottom and up sides of dish to form shell.  Combine soup, milk, turkey and peas; pour into stuffing shell.  Bake, covered, at 350F for 30 minutes.  Top with remaining onion and bake, uncovered, 5 minutes longer.

*3 cups leftover stuffing may be substituted for  butter, water and crumbs.  If using leftover stuffing, stir in water one tablespoon at a time until moist but not wet.

 

 

 

 

 

Turkey Potato Casserole

Even the first time I make a recipe, I will – if need be by necessity or want – alter it.  I don’t always make the original recipe.  This is my version of a recipe found on Allrecipes.com.