Thanksgiving Leftovers Reimagined

You don’t need to just keep eating turkey sandwiches until the bird is fully gone. Here are some cool ideas about how to shake things up a bit, but still avoid wasting good food.

Breakfast Bake

Ingredients:

• 3 cups dressing
• 12 eggs
• 1 cup turkey, shredded
• ½ cup diced carrot
• 1/3 cup diced green onion or scallion
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add turkey, carrot, onion, and cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Grease a square baking pan. Scoop dressing into an even layer at the bottom. You may want to press down to create an even base layer.
• Pour egg mixture evenly into the baking pan.
• Bake for 45 minutes.

Turkey Grilled Cheese with Cranberry Mustard

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of hearty bread, like sourdough
• 4 to 8 ounces of sliced turkey
• 4 slices of cheese (your choice as long as it is meltable)
• ½ cup cranberry sauce
• 3 – 4 tablespoons whole grain mustard, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Combine cranberry sauce and mustard as your condiment.
• Spread cranberry-mustard on all 4 slices of bread. Layer turkey and cheese and top with second slice of bread.
• Heat butter in a skillet and pan sear sandwiches. Place on a sheet tray and finish in the oven until the cheese is melted.

Pull-Apart Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded Gruyere or swiss cheese
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup chopped turkey
• ½ cup chopped, cooked breakfast sausage
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• ½ cup chopped nuts
• ¼ cup celery
• 3 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs, chopped
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2 (16 ounce) cans refrigerated, butter-flavor biscuit dough

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325. Spray bundt pan with cooking spray.
• Mix together cheeses, turkey, sausage, apple, nuts, cellery, mixed herbs, and parsley in a large bowl.
• Combine melted butter and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. Pour over mixture and stir gently to combine.
• Cut biscuits into quarters and gently toss into mixure.
• Place in the bundt pan.
• Bake until top is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean, or about 45 to 50 minutes.
• Cool on a rack for about 5 minuts. Turn out onto a serving platter.
• Provide tongs to pull apart bread and serve with a side of cranberry sauce.

Tex-Mex Turkey Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup minced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 4 cups water
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup salsa
• 4 cups shredded turkey
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 3 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups frozen corn
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add minced onions and saute until soft. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Add water, tomato soup, diced tomatoes, salsa, turkey, parsley, and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil and simmer until bouillon cubes are fully dissolved. Add black beans, corn, sour cream, and cilantro. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Serve with crushed tortilla chips, chopped green onion, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, and/or sour cream.

Cranberry Brie Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator
• all-purpose flour for rolling dough
• 4 ounces brie
• ½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce
• ½ cup chopped nuts
• 2 or 3 springs fresh rosemary, cut into one-inch pieces

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375. Grease or use nonstick spray on a 24 cup muffin pan
• On a lightly floured surface, unroll the thawed puff pastry and cut into 24 squares.
• Gently place each square into the muffin cups and lightly prick bottom with a fork.
• Cut the brie into 24 equal pieces and place one piece in each pastry cup. Top with 1 teaspoon cranberry sauce and evenly divided chopped nuts. Top with a piece of rosemary.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown on the edges.