With Yummy Wishes - Pamela Perreault

Have you ever wondered what to do with all those wonderful turkey leftovers - after the first serving? How to get your family to eat the bounteous quantities of turkey (that can sometimes dry out)?

Below are a few suggestions - and please e-mail me if you have a special receipe you would like to have me add!

SANDWICHES

Nothing is more tasty than a "moist" turkey sandwich.

• The bread must be fresh! My choice of bread would be sourdough rye, dill rye, sourdough, or whatever your personal preference is
• Lather with mayonnaise - (there is also a roasted garlic mayonnaise, but make sure your companions or spouse also use the same mayonnaise).
• Toppings can include" avocados, tomatoes, a thin slice of cheese (my preference is the delicate Alpine Lace Swiss), lettuce (or sprouts for some). And some like cranberry sauce on the turkey - try it - it's great!
• A large glass of milk - and volla!

A special treat for a special time of the year.

PHOTO-FINISH TURKEY LOAF

• 1 beaten egg
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• (1-1/2 slices)
• ½ cup alfalfa sprouts, snipped
• 1 small green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 LB ground turkey (or in small chunks)

In medium mixing bowl, stir together egg, bread crumbs, alfalfa sprouts, green pepper, onion, ginger, salt and pepper. Add turkey and mix well.

Use 9 inch microwave-safe pie plate, shape turkey mixture into a 6 inch ring with a two inch hole in the center. Cook loosely covered with waxed paper on HIGH power 3 to 5 minutes, or until heated through (if using raw turkey increase time to 7 to 9 minutes).

Drizzle with favorite sauce:
Suggested Sauces:

• Sweet and sour bar-b-que sauce
• Cheese sauce (great with potatoes on the side)
• Hollandaise sauce (Knorr’s and serve with broccoli or cauliflower)
• Catsup

(This recipe could easily be varied and adapted to a regular oven, changing ingredients and making a standard "meatloaf." Several additions that sound yummy would be sliced olives, grated cheese, even slivered almonds. Let the Chef be creative.)

TURKEY BUFFET CASSEROLE

• 1 cups medium-wide noodles (1/4 lb.)
• (Lasagna noodles broken into pieces is a great substitute) 1 pkg. frozen broccoli
• 1 tbs. butter or margarine
• 1 tbs. flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp prepared mustard
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cups milk
• 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese ( ¼ LB) 2 cups cut-up turkey (or chicken)
• 1/3rd cup slivered, toasted almonds

Preheat oven to 350º F. Cook noodles and broccoli in separate sauce pans. Over low heat, melt butter in sauce pan, blend in flour, slat, mustard, pepper and milk, stirring constantly until thickened - remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Drain noodles and broccoli. In shallow casserole or 8" square baking dish, arrange noodles and broccoli - pour cheese sauce over all* - sprinkle with almonds, bake 15 minutes until bubbling hot. (Makes 4 to 6 servings)

* if using fresh broccoli - place floweretes on top, pressing into sauce for a "fancy" look. (This recipe also would adapt to ham or chicken.)

TURKEY AND LEFTOVER STUFFING

Preheat oven to 375º F. In saucepan heat 1 can condensed cream-of-mushroom soup, undiluted with ¾ cup milk. Add 3 cups cubed cooked turkey. In 1 ½ quart casserole arrange 1 ½ cups leftover stuffing and turkey mixture in layers, with turkey on top - sprinkle with 1 tsp grated Parmesan - bake 30 minutes. (Makes 6 servings).

TURKETTI

• 1-1/4 cups spaghetti, broken into 2" pieces
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups cut-up, cooked turkey
• 1/4 cup diced pimentos
• 1/4 chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped small onion
• 1 can cream-of-mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1/2 cup turkey broth or water
• 1/32 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1-3/4 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese (about 1/2 LB)

Cook spaghetti and drain. In 1 ½ quart casserole place turkey, pimentos, green pepper and onion. Add mushroom soup and turkey broth, then salt, pepper, spaghetti and all but 1/4 cup of the grated cheese. Toss lightly with two forks until well mixed and coated with sauce - sprinkle remaining cheese on top of turkey mixture. Bake in pre-heated oven at 350º F. for 45 minutes (or until bubbly throughout). (This recipe is a great prepare ahead and refrigerate. Also adapts to a potluck by doubling recipe. Increase baking time to 1 hour if refrigerated.)

HAM AND TURKEY PIE

• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp double-acting baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes (yams)
• 1/3 cup melted shortening
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 can cream-of-chicken soup (undiluted)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup diced cooked turkey
• 1 cup diced cooked ham
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp dried or fresh parsley
• 1 cup vegetables (peas, beans, corn, etc.)

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add sweet potatoes, shortening and egg. Stir until well blended and refrigerate mixture for several hours.

Preheat oven to 425º F. Heat soup with milk, remove from heat and add turkey, ham, pepper, cloves and parsley. Place half of this mixture in 9 inch pie plate, scatter selected vegetables, then top with rest of turkey/ham mixture. On well-floured surface gently roll the potato/flour mixture into a 10" circle. Carefully lift onto pie plate, crimp edge and make slits in your top crust. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

WILD-RICE AND TURKEY CASSEROLE

• 1-1/2 cups wild rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 lb. Bulk pork sausage (a large cooked sausage link can be substituted)
• one 3 oz can whole mushrooms (or substitute fresh)
• 2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Topping - canned fried onion rings, bread crumbs, potato chips (or be creative)

Cook rice according to directions until tender and moist. In skillet brown sausage (bite-site pieces), drain excess fat whole browning. Add cream soup and Worcestershire. Lightly toss ths mixture into the rice. In greased baking dish (12" x 8" x 2") spoon half of rice mixture, arrange layer of turkey slices on top, and top with remaining rice mixture. Top with bread crumbs, canned onion rings, or crumbled potato chips. Bake in preheated oven at 350º F. for 45 minutes, or until hot and golden. Serves 8. (To half recipe, bake in 10" x 6" x 2" baking dish.)

(My personal preference would also be to add 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese on top of the turkey layer!)

TURKEY ENCHILADAS

(Microwave recipe)

• 1/2 pound turkey
• 1 cup mild "thick" salsa
• 1/2 cup sliced olives
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• one 8 oz container soft cream cheese (with chives/onions recommended)
• six 6" flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese (approx. 4 ounces)

In one quarter casserole dish, heat turkey, salsa, olives and garlic powder.

Spread 2 tbs. of the cream cheese mixture on each tortilla, top with 1/3 cup turkey/salsa mixture in center of each tortilla. Roll up, place seamside down in greased 10" x 6" x 2" baking dish. Cook on high for 4 to 6 minutes or until heated through, rotating dish once during cooking. Top with cheese and cook 1 to 2 minutes until cheese is melted.

This recipe could be easily adapted to a conventional oven.

TURKEY PIE WITH CORN BREAD TOPPING

• 1 can cream-of-mushroom soup
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup cooked vegetables (peas, beans or corn)
• 1-1/2 cups cubed leftover turkey
• 3/4 cup sifted all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 3/4 cup milk

In sauce pan heat soup, milk, vegetables and turkey. Place in shallow 2 quart baking dish. Mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening. In small bowl mix egg and milk, then add to dry ingredients and mix well. Pour this mixture over turkey mixture and bake in preheated oven at 425º F. for about 25 minutes. Makes 4 servings. (A prepared cornbread mix for topping could be substituted.)

TURKEY PIE WITH BREADSTICK TOPPING

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup cold turkey or chicken broth
• 3 cups hot broth
• 1 package frozen peas (or other vegetable)
• 2 cups cooked carrot chunks
• 1 can baby pearl onions
• 2 cups cooked diced turkey
• salt and pepper

Blend flour and cold broth, stir into hot broth and cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Add frozen vegetables, simmer a few minutes, add onions, carrots and turkey and seasoning. Pour into 2 quart baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes at 425º F. while preparing topping.

Topping:

• 1 can ready-to-bake breadsticks
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbs. water

Prepare topping while casserole is cooking - Separate breadsticks, making an open weave on waxed paper to fit top of baking dish (trim edges). Mix egg yolk and water together and brush on breadsticks. Gently transfer breadstick topping to casserole, trim edges as needed and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until breadsticks are golden.

TURKEY SALAD

• 1 cups diced leftover turkey
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1/4 cup French dressing
• 2 cups halved seeded grapes
• salt
• pepper
• Salad greens (lettuce, spinach, etc)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (or salad dressing)
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

Marinate turkey and celery in French dressing for 1 hour. Add grapes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange on salad greens. Combine Mayo and sour cream and spoon to on salad. Garnish with slivered almonds.

Suggested extra toppings are avocado slices, cucumber slices and/or tomato wedges. Try sprinkling small bits of Tomato-Basil Feta Cheese (use sparingly, crumble in fingers). Cheese cubes could be added for the "Chef Salad" effect.

TURKEY SOUP

Turkey soup is a delight for cooks to use their imagination in creating. Here are the basics and a few suggestions of mine.

• Turkey carcass (or smaller parts)
• 2 quarts of water
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• celery stalks - diced (including leaves)
• onion - peeled, and sliced or diced
• parsley - fresh is best
• bay leaf

Simmer turkey carcass with the above ingredients for about two hours, use strainer to remove bones. This should yield 1-1/2 quarts. (I like to use the "gel" - not the fat - that is at the base of the cooked turkey - in my soup - it has all the flavors of the seasonings I have used in baking.) Your turkey broth can be frozen for future use - be sure to leave 1/2 to 1 inch headroom in your freezing container.

Wonderful additions to the above -

• Potatoes - thick and tasty
• Noodles - any variety
• Beans - white beans are great
• Carrots - bite size pieces
• Peas - frozen
• Leftovers - corn, green beans, macaroni and cheese - anything goes! (Even leftover stuffing can be added for extra flavor and thickening.)

• DRIED ONION SOUP - a portion, a pinch, or the entire package.
• Try topping your soup with fresh grated Parmesan or Romano!
• (Another of my favorites - anything can be improved with cheese!)

When your soup pot gets down in size and you want to vary a meal - try adding a can of cream of chicken soup and a can of canned vegetables - or add a can of canned broth and a diced cooked sausage link.

Another variation is to add dumplings to the top of the soup. (Canned biscuits can substitute for dumplings, cut in quarter pieces and sprinkle with parmesan cheese for a delightful taste treat, or try putting a piece of cheddar cheese in the middle of a piece of biscuit (or dumpling).

If your soup is too thick (as mine became while I was preparing this page), consider dividing it in half, diluting part with water or broth (be sure to check your seasonings when diluting), and using the remainder as a base for building a casserole (with potatoes and layers of cheese and maybe some ham or sausage added for variety), or just adding grated cheddar cheese and serving with fresh or garlic sourdough bread for "dunking."

CREDITS
Most recipes have been modernized and editorialized. I would, however, like to give credit to the following sources:

• Better Homes and Gardens - Easy Microwave Meals© 1988
• Good Housekeeping's Casserole Cookbook © 1958
  (try finding this on a bookshelf)
• Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery (Vol. 12) © 1966 -
  This is the best encyclopaedia of recipes that I have found and I am sure there are more recent versions. Hint: A wonderful gift for mothers to give to their daughters or daughters-in-law.

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