It seems that after a holiday turkey dinner we all have more than we expected leftover, especially in the turkey department. Our families are sick and tired of what they perceive to be the same dishes over and over again and often we will hear the exclamation, “Oh, no not turkey again! I hate the holidays!” This needn’t be the case with some innovative cooking. You can get rid of those turkey leftovers without all the fuss from your family.
Below are listed 10 different dinner menu ideas made with turkey leftovers. Each has its own unique flavour, so our families will not even realize we are serving them turkey yet again.
For the recipes of the suggested ‘turkey disguise’ menus, go to the ‘Tasty Leftover Turkey Recipes’ section of betweenclosefriends.com.
Incidentally, for any of us who also have leftover cranberry sauce, it is a wonderful condiment to use on your morning toast, spread as a jam or jelly. It seems very easy to become addicted to ‘cranberry jam’, and such a wonderful way to use any leftover sauce, instead of letting it mould away in the fridge.
1. Start out with a Mexican flavoured dinner, incorporating any or all three of the following: Turkey burritos, Spicy Turkey Enchiladas, and/or a Turkey Taco Salad in Taco Shell Bowls. With the taco salad, you can easily make your own taco shell bowls from small, medium or large tortillas depending on whether you want the taco salad to be the main dish or a side dish.
2. A quick and easy dinner making a Diced Turkey Salad with celery and peppers, laid over crisp iceberg lettuce leaves served with fresh sourdough bread, or used as a baked potato topping (use extra large potatoes to make this the main course of your meal), served with coleslaw and a bowl of Winter Squash Soup.
3. With an East Indian Flavour: Fabulous Leftover Coconut Turkey Curry or Turkey a la King, using lots of curry over a bed of rice, green vegetable such as steamed broccoli, and/or a side garden salad or coleslaw.
4. English-American Turkey Pot Pie served with baked cinnamon Hubbard squash as the side dish, and for an appetizing colour. (Or using your favourite Shepherd’s Pie recipe, substitute diced dark turkey meat for the ground beef in the recipe.)
5. Open face Turkey sandwiches using whole wheat bread and lots of the leftover gravy. Served with the cranberry sauce and dressing, it is reminiscent of the original meal, but with a slight twist.
6. For a southwestern flavour, a spicy bowl of Leftover Turkey Chili served with steaming garlic bread and a side salad. Or try Ginger Turkey and Black Beans for something a little more unusual.
7. Using a Chinese theme with the main course being a Sweet and Sour Turkey Stir Fry over rice and maybe either Turkey Spring Rolls or Turkey Egg Foo Young as the side. Or try Tempting Pineapple Turkey with Almonds. Still Asian, Indonesian-style Turkey Satays with Ham Fried Rice may become a popular leftover turkey dish in your family, too.
8. Now we jump to Spain for baked Turkey Empanadas, or Italy for turkey callazones. Vegetable sides of your choice, depending on family favourites.
- For a filling lite dinner, make a Chef’s Turkey Salad Bowl with all the fixin’s, but using shredded white turkey meat instead of just the traditional ham.
- And finally, when all the turkey has been used, or as much as you can remove from the carcass, break up the carcass and put it in a large soup pot, with any leftover dressing, and make the best and Heartiest Meal-in-a-bowl Turkey Soup ever! (Our family enjoys the initial turkey broth being divided in two: half making a full hearty soup, and the other half going to make a lighter turkey noodle soup.)
These suggested recipes could be utilized in any order using either white or dark meat, being your preference in that particular dish while remembering presentation and family favourites. All the above recipes are available in the ‘Tasty Leftover Turkey Recipes’ section of betweenclosefriends.com. Enjoy, and don’t throw out that leftover cooked holiday turkey! At least not before trying at least one or two of the above recipes for your family’s approval.
When properly wrapped and stored in the fridge, cooked turkey should keep for at least 10 days to 2 weeks before becoming questionable.