Thanksgiving 2013 in Review - Leftovers Redux

When it comes to holiday feasts, I'm mostly a traditionalist. This year, as in years past, I cooked up an entirely homemade feast of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, candied sweet potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts and squash, rolls, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. While I relished each bite freshly prepared, the leftovers might be better than the main event. I ate my fill at dinner time and picked at leftovers throughout the day on Thursday, but Friday when was the experimenting began.

Leftovers found a new fate as soon as I woke up Friday morning, starting with oatmeal with candied sweet potatoes (made with butter, maple syrup, and walnuts) and cranberry sauce.

Sweet potatoes, turkey, and cranberry sauce found their way into my lunch in the form of turkey fried rice with sweet potatoes, peas, and a cranberry teriyaki sauce. If hadn't eaten all the squash and Brussels sprouts the day before, I would have used them here in lieu of the peas I had to retrieve from the freezer.

Cocktail hour is a fine way to start Friday night, with cranberry sauce finding a purpose there as well. In a take on a smash cocktail, I combined gin, cranberry sauce, lemon juice, and simple syrup, topped with an optional splash of soda water.

With my appetite properly whetted, I moved on to the main course - a turkey and Gruyere melt with cranberry sauce, a side of gravy for dipping, and candied sweet potato hash.

Saturday's lunch was a slapdash shepherd's pie, a fine place to use up turkey and any lingering veggies, or a way to sneak some fresh ones in.

The last of the mashed potatoes were devoured in a hearty Sunday morning breakfast of potato pancakes, dunked in the last of the gravy, and scrambled eggs with veggies.

Lunch was a bit lighter fare, the penultimate bits of turkey added to a spinach salad of red onion, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, and blue cheese, topped with a cranberry sauce vinaigrette, and accompanied by the last of the rolls.

Breakfast for dinner is in the works for tonight, the very last of turkey likely finding its way into a hearty clean-out-the-fridge hash or quinoa stir-fry, officially closing out Thanksgiving and helping me get ready for my next winter CSA delivery on Wednesday.

So tell me, how did you use your leftovers?

Leek, Potato and Spinach Stew

Remember when I said it was game on with heartier pasta? That philosophy also applies to soups and stews now that the cooler temperatures have arrived. Chili was my first foray into that territory this fall, but there's so much more to explore.

Leek and potato soup is one of my absolute favorite soups, and while it takes a lot to draw me from away from the classic recipe, this soup had too much extra going for it not to give it a shot.  While classic leek and potato soup is a wonderful side to a sandwich and salad, this stew turns that irresistible flavor into the main event. The low-fat turkey sausage adds a palate of delicious spices and richness, the beans and spinach ample heartiness, with a lovely fresh note from the generous helping of herbs. This is certainly a complete meal in a bowl, but it wouldn't be out of the question to serve it with a hunk of crusty bread to soak up all the delicious broth.

If you like to riff on recipes, as I am wont to do, I encourage you to experiment with other types of beans and hearty greens. Chickpeas and kale, perhaps? Although it's not quite as good as fresh off the stove or after a day or two in the fridge, extra portions of this soup will freeze pretty well for future meals. With my winter CSA starting next month, I can this recipe making a reappearance in my house in very short order.

Leek, Potato and Spinach Stew
adapted from Eating Well
serves 4 to 6

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 links hot or sweet Italian turkey or chicken sausage (6-7 ounces), casings removed (optional)
2 cups chopped leeks (about 2 leeks), white and light green parts only, rinsed well
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dry white wine
1 pound new or red potatoes, halved and thinly sliced
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
8 ounces spinach, stemmed and chopped (about 8 cups)
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1 15-ounce can cannellini, navy, or other white beans, preferably no-salt-added, rinsed
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as dill, chervil, chives and/or parsley

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage, if using, and leeks and cook, stirring occasionally and crumbling the sausage with a wooden spoon, until the leeks are tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and salt and stir until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add wine, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover and cook until the wine is almost evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add potatoes and broth; cover and bring to a boil. Stir in spinach and scallions and cook, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in beans. Cover and let stand for 1 minute. Divide among 6 soup bowls and sprinkle each portion with herbs.

Cranberry Turkey Nachos

While I always have a piece of turkey at Thanksgiving dinner, I'm actually a way bigger fan turkey as leftovers. I always have cold turkey sandwiches and maybe make some soup or casserole, but decided to get a little more creative this year with part of the leftovers. Continuing the tradition my dad and I started when I was a very little girl, I have a Packer snack with each Packer game, the first bite of which must be taken when the kicker's foot hits the ball on the initial kickoff. (Yes, I do enforce this rule, sometimes much to the dismay of those watching the game with me). With Thanksgiving leftovers I couldn't justify buying something for a Packer snack, so I needed to make something special with the leftover turkey. My first thought was nachos since I had tortilla chips, onions, salsa, and (plentiful) cheese, but then the creative juices started flowing and I came up with these cranberry turkey nachos. Cranberries and turkey go perfectly together and I'm a huge fan of Muenster and red onion grilled cheese sandwiches, so throwing those ingredients together with some sour cream and a tiny punch of horseradish was easy. If you're in the mood for conventional nachos this isn't likely to satisfy your craving, but are immensely satisfying if you're looking for something a bit different, and all of your taste buds with savory, sweet, tart, and tangy flavors. Not in the mood for nachos? This would also make a fantastic panini.

Cranberry Turkey Nachos
serves 1-2

1/2 c. coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
1 t. sugar (or to taste)
1/2 cup chopped cooked turkey
1/4 c. finely diced red onion
1/4 c. low fat sour cream
1/2 t. prepared horseradish
1/4 c. shredded Muenster cheese (or another good melting cheese)
1.5 oz. thick tortilla chips (I really like Frontera)

1. Toss chopped cranberries and sugar in a small bowl. Taste one the cranberries and add more sugar if needed. Set aside and allow to macerate while you prepare the other ingredients.

2. Combine turkey, onion, sour cream, and horseradish in a medium bowl and stir well to combine. Add the cranberries and stir until everything is evenly distributed.

3. Place tortilla chips on a plate or serving dish and top with the turkey mixture. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top and melt either under the broiler (make sure you are using an oven safe dish) or in the microwave. Serve warm.

Cranberry-Turkey Melts

Whenever I make a turkey sandwich with Thanksgiving leftovers, I put a piece of jellied cranberry sauce on top of the turkey instead of mayo, mustard, or butter. I've gotten some weird looks from people before, but now many people are realizing the genius of the turkey-cranberry sauce combination. I just made a batch of Ginger Cranberry Sauce and had some excellent bread and cheese from the farmers' market, so putting these melts together to enjoy with the Packer game Sunday night was only natural. The sweet and tart cranberry sauce is the perfect contrast to the savory and salty cheese and turkey and a great preview for those who can't wait until the Thanksgiving feasts begin.

Cranberry-Turkey Melts
serves 2

4 slices whole-grain, sourdough, or french bread (I used Nut Brown Beer Bread from Silly Yak Bakery)
2 slices Swiss cheese (I used Swiss from Forgotten Valley Cheese)
4 oz. sliced turkey (I used Thumann's smoked turkey breast)
1/4 c. Ginger Cranberry Sauce (see previous post for recipe)
Canola oil cooking spray

1. Preheat a pan or grill pan over medium heat or preheat Cuisinart Griddler or similar appliance (this is what I used).

2. Place one slice cheese and half the turkey on each of two slices of bread. Spread the other two slices with half of the Ginger Cranberry Sauce and put the two halves together.

3. Spray Cuisinart Griddler (or pan) with cooking spray. (Note: if you are using a pan on the stove, you may want to spread each slice of bread with butter instead). Grill sandwiches until cheese is melted and turkey and cranberry sauce are heated through, flipping halfway through cooking if using a pan. Serve warm.

Stuffed Turkey Burgers

 I'm currently working on cleaning out my freezer and had one pound of ground turkey left to use up. My thoughts immediately went to turkey burgers since it's too hot for meatballs, meatloaf, or spaghetti. I searched around a bit and found this recipe from Ellie Krieger, which I adapted to the ingredients I already had on hand. This recipe was perfect as I already had roasted red peppers left over from Chorizo Pizza earlier in the week.

Stuffed Turkey Burgers
adapted from Ellie Krieger

1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 c. chopped roasted red peppers
3 T. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Freshly ground salt and pepper
Whole wheat hamburger buns
Lettuce, tomatoes and onions (optional)
Ketchup, mustard, relish, etc. (optional)

1. Divide turkey into 6 equal pieces and shape into patties. Sprinkle 3 of the patties with 1/3 of the chopped red peppers and 1 T. cheese. Top with the remaining patties and seal the edges together. Season each side with salt and pepper.

2. Grill or broil until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Place on toasted buns and top with desired condiments and vegetables.

Spicy Turkey Burgers

While I'll happily enjoy a plain beef burger, plain turkey burgers don't appeal to me at all. Ground turkey doesn't have enough flavor on it's own and turkey burgers easily dry out. I've made Blue Cheese Turkey Burgers before, which I enjoy, but wanted something a little different so I created this recipe. These burgers can be very spicy if you use a hot salsa and lots of hot sauce, or extremely mild if you use a mild salsa and cut back or eliminate the hot sauce, so pick your level of spiciness depending on who you'll be serving these to. I like spicy food, so I'll be adding minced jalapeno peppers to my burger next time.

Spicy Turkey Burgers

1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 c. mild salsa
1/2 c. minced onion
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. Tapatio or other hot sauce
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper

Butter, oil, or cooking spray
4 slices cheese (I used Colby)
Lettuce
Salsa
Onion, tomato, pickles, etc., if desired (optional)

1. Mix ground turkey, salsa, onion, cilantro, hot sauce, cumin, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Shape turkey mixture in 4 patties.

2. Heat large nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat an outdoor grill.  Add burgers; cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Add cheese slices and heat a few additional minutes until melted.

3. Place burgers on roll bottoms and top with lettuce and salsa and any other toppings you like. Enjoy!

Blue Cheese Turkey Burgers

I put this recipe together because I had thawed some ground turkey and was looking for something more imaginative than spaghetti with ground turkey in the sauce. It is inspired by Basil Pan Burgers, a recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, which I've made a lot in the past. I served them with Baked Sweet Potato Fries.

Blue Cheese Turkey Burgers

makes 4 burgers

1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese
2 T. fine dry bread crumbs
2 T. ketchup
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ground turkey

1. In a medium bowl combine egg, onion, blue cheese, bread crumbs, ketchup, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add turkey; mix well. Shape turkey mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.

 

2. Lightly coat a heavy skillet with cooking spray (or use a heavy nonstick skillet). Preheat skillet over medium-high until hot. Add burgers. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until temperature measures 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, flipping burgers once halfway through cooking. If burgers brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium low. Serve on buns with desired toppings

Turkey Meatballs

This recipe is another classic from The Joy of Cooking. It can also be made into chicken meatballs or turkey/chicken loaf, which is equally as delicious.

I used ketchup instead of tomato paste because I always have that around an am not willing to open a can of tomato paste for 1 tablespoon.

Turkey Meatballs
from The Joy of Cooking

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound ground turkey or chicken
1 large egg
1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Heat 1 T. olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add chopped onion and garlic and cook, stirring for 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Transfer onion and garlic to a medium bowl and add ground turkey, egg, Parmesan cheese, milk, bread crumbs, tomato paste, basil, salt and pepper and thoroughly combine*.

3. Make into 1-inch meatballs and roll in cornmeal.

4. Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the meatballs and cook until brown, about 10 minutes (internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees).


5. Serve with a vegetable or pasta and tomato sauce.

*To make turkey loaf, transfer the mixture to a lightly oiled 8x4-inch or 8 1/2x4 1/2-inch loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees until the center feels firm when pressed, about 35 minutes (internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees). Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.