Every single year I wonder what we are going to do with all of those Thanksgiving leftovers. Without fail it’s the turkey that gives me the biggest headache and gets me searching for Thanksgiving leftover ideas.
Let’s face it, turkey is probably the food most people could do without on Thanksgiving. However, it’s the one we all want to make because of the tradition. Consequently, this leads to large amounts of turkey in my refrigerator and I need to know what to do with it.
Most people would agree that leftover turkey is just not that good. It’s dry and a person can only eat so much of it. On the other hand, I absolutely hate wasting food and I needed to find a way to use up all of this unwanted meat.
Thanksgiving leftover ideas – More than just a turkey and mayo sandwich.
Recently, I noticed we had a bunch of rice in the pantry. It got me thinking that it would be great to use this with some of the leftover Thanksgiving turkey in some kind of casserole.
So here is what I came up with! It’s simple, delicious and really helps with cleaning out the refrigerator.
Here is what you will need
- Leftover turkey (as much or as little as you want)
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 4 leaves of fresh chopped sage
- 1 cup of fresh chopped parsley
- 2 cans cream of celery
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 cup of chicken stock
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 2 cups of chopped celery
- 1/4 can of peas
- 1 cup of cooked white rice
- 1/2 pound of bacon
- Freshly grated parmesan (as much as you want)
- Shredded cheddar cheese (as much as you want)
Procedure:
First, you will want to add cooked rice to the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ casserole pan. I like to use a rice cooker but any method will suffice. Add the sage and 1/2 of the parsley to the rice while it is cooking. Place shredded turkey on top of the rice and pour lemon juice over the turkey. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Add cubes of butter over the turkey so it gives an even coating when melting.
Next, mix cream of celery soup, white wine and chicken stock in a bowl and pour evenly into the pan. Then add the onion, celery, peas, and cooked bacon. Take a fork and lightly mix things around to distribute evenly. If the dish looks like it needs more liquid, add a little more chicken stock (or wine) and stir. Place in oven at 350 F for 20 minutes or until the sides are bubbly and your dish is heated through.
If you need to get your hands on some fine wine look no further. Go here to see where we get ours!
During the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the cheese directly on top. As soon as it is melted pull it from the oven. Remember, you should have half of your parsley leftover from earlier. Use that to sprinkle on top of your dish for some added color and fresh flavor! Serve and enjoy!
The flavors in this dish are unbelievable. Everything comes together so nicely! You have the stickiness of the rice, with the crunch of the celery. The woody flavor of the sage and the parsley brightening everything up. Not to mention the turkey and bacon, need I say more?
Remember when you’re trying to cook a nice meal the details matter. For example, spend the extra time washing and chopping fresh parsley, instead of using it from a shaker. Use freshly grated parmesan instead of the can from the refrigerator. Also, use a fine wine instead of a cheap cooking wine from the store. They always say you should cook with wine that you would enjoy drinking.
I love trying new recipes and this is now one of my favorites. Even my kids loved it. That’s important to me because who wants to make a nice meal for your family only to bust out the peanut butter and jelly.
More than just Thanksgiving Leftovers
The great think about this meal is that you could make it anytime throughout the year. Chances are you will have leftover turkey or even chicken at Christmas, New Years, Easter or 4th of July.
Substitutions
It’s probably obvious that you can substitute a lot with this recipe. For instance, instead of white rice, you can use brown rice or even a pasta such as egg noodles. Likewise, you could use quinoa as well if you are looking to add more protein and fiber to your diet.
In addition, you could use different soups like cream of mushroom or cream of chicken. It would also be excellent with chicken or any other poultry for that matter. Be creative and add your personal touch to this dish.
In conclusion, I hope this content was valuable to you and you were able to come away with some fresh Thanksgiving leftover ideas!
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