Well, Thanksgiving is over and it is time to concentrate on Christmas shopping and preparing for the holidays. I have made it my mission to shop locally and locally only for my shopping this year. I’m not a Black Friday or Cyber Monday person. Everything I have purchased and still need to pick up will be done close to home. I love to see those familiar, smiling faces and eagerness to please. Wrap it up for me and I’ll take it home and put it right under my Christmas tree.
I had heard a rumor that turkeys were going to be scarce this year, so I purchased mine quite a few weeks before Thanksgiving. You can’t imagine the sad, unhappy faces that would have been at the very carnivorous Flemming family meal minus a turkey. I always use my mother-in-law’s roaster and her turkey platter for the holiday. I don’t think my turkey, dressing and gravy will ever be up to her standards. I do now remember to take the giblet bag out of the cavity before I cook it!
We love those leftover turkey sandwiches after Thanksgiving, but they do get a little old after a couple of days. Still have lots of leftover turkey on hand? Here are some ideas to help you out. Hope you will give them a try. Thanks for reading.
SMOKED TURKEY DIP
1 cup finely chopped leftover turkey, white and dark meat
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup mayonnaise
1 ½ teaspoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoons garlic powder
½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoons paprika
Beat together the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and beat well until combined. Serve with tortilla chips or pita chips. This can be served room temperature or warmed in a microwave about 2 minutes before serving.
TURKEY CLUB TOSSED SALAD
1 (16 ounces) bag of your favorite lettuce
2 cups chopped leftover turkey, cut in ½ in. cubes
2 medium avocados, peeled, seeded, and chopped into ½ inches cubes
2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
1 cup shredded cheese
4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
Place all ingredients in a salad bowl and gently toss to mix. Drizzle about ½ cup of home mustard vinaigrette and toss gently again. Serve immediately with extra vinaigrette on the side.
Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons apple cider
¾ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil
Place all ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously. Leftovers may be refrigerated.
TURKEY TETRAZZINI
4 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound fresh white mushrooms, quartered
1 cup white wine
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons pepper
¼ cup flour
4 cups chicken broth
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
3 cups leftover turkey, shredded or chopped
1 ½ cups frozen green peas
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup sliced black olives
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 ounces thin spaghetti, broken in half and cooked
1 cup Panko crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and add garlic; add mushrooms, wine, salt, pepper, and cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour and stir to combine; add broth and continue to stir for 5 minutes until thick. Add cream cheese and stir until smooth. Add turkey, peas, Monterey Jack, olives, and Parmesan cheese. Add spaghetti and stir to combine – add more broth if too thick.
Pour into a large casserole dish and sprinkle Panko on top and bake for about 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly.
*Also great with chicken.
