Deliciously Different Turkey Leftovers

Americans just finished their biggest Turkey Holiday of the year and in the U.K and Canada, our big Turkey Day is looming.  Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we as three nations will consume a lot of roast turkey.  I am one of those people who just adored Roast Turkey, and I could eat a turkey dinner every day of the week.

I am also a person who loves consuming the leftovers.  My mother always called me the Queen of Leftovers. She said I could make the sole of a boot taste good. I take that as a compliment.

I am a person who loves working with leftovers and creating something deliciously different with them.  Oh sure, I love a pot pie and turkey sandwich as much as the next person, but I also like to shake things up and do something a bit different with the turkey I end up with after a holiday meal.

Today I am sharing ten of the ways that I like to do just that.  There is not a pot pie in the bunch.  Just some really simple and yet very different ways of presenting your leftovers to your family that are not boring in the least, nor predictable.

I guarantee that there is something here to fit every taste, budget, and appetite.  The only difficulty here is in choosing which one(s) you want to cook and eat!

 

TURKEY & BROCCOLI CASSEROLE -  A simple recipe which requires no leftover gravy, no tinned soup, nor the making of a cream sauce.  A few simple ingredients such as sour cream and stock and pour it over the cubed turkey and blanched broccoli which has been layered in a dish.  Top with cheesy breadcrumbs and bake until delicious bubbling perfection.

Easy peazy turkey deliciousness that everyone will love. All you need on the side is perhaps some potatoes or a salad.   This is really delicious spooned over a jacket potato.  (Just saying!)

 TURKEY CROQUE MONSIEUR - This tasty recipe takes the idea of a leftover turkey sandwich to a new and delicious level that everyone will enjoy!  You cannot beat the combination of turkey, cranberry, bacon, cheese, etc. 

A delicious cheese and mustard sauce is spread on a slice of toasted bread, which has already been spread with cranberry sauce.  This is then topped with gruyere cheese (Swiss), sliced turkey and crisp bacon. The top slice of toasted bread is added and then slathered with more of that cheese sauce before popping under the grill.  Delicious doesn't begin to cover this tasty sandwich.

BOMBAY TURKEY - I really fell in love with curries when I lived in the U.K. A good curry is right up there with fish and chips as their national dish. One thing they always like to make after a roast turkey dinner is a turkey curry.  This recipe is a delicious example of that option.

You can vary the strength of the heat for this curry. It is fruity and spicy and a really lovely way of using up some of the leftover bird.  Deliciously different!

TURKEY CHILI - Another unique and fabulous way to use up some of that leftover bird.  With a homemade chili powder, this hearty dish is full of lots of lovely textures and flavors. Beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and course leftover cooked turkey. 

This is an easy and delicious way to use up leftover cooked turkey (or chicken.) I like to serve it with cheese grated over top and a square of cornbread on the side! A dollop of sour cream would also be nice.  

RICH & CREAMY WHITE TURKEY CHILI - Nothing could be easier to make for a weeknight supper or a cozy dinner in at the weekend than this fabulous white chili. Rich and creamy it is loaded with white beans, turkey, onions, corn and green chilis. 

Leftovers never tasted so good. Thick, rich, creamy and delicious. If you don't have leftover cooked turkey, feel free to use cooked chicken.  I like to serve it with some rice and grated cheese scattered over top.

TURKEY CARCASS SOUP - One thing our mother always made with the leftover bones and meat scraps from a roast turkey was turkey soup.  Mom made the best soups on the planet.  We always looked forward to them. 

Having a bunch of leftover turkey bones made me want to make a big pot of homemade turkey soup. Although this recipe makes a lot, that is not a problem. It freezes very well and who can't use a container of homemade soup in the freezer to take out as a pick-me-up or a hug when you need one! Nothing is more comforting than a hot bowl of turkey soup on a cold day.

TURKEY & SCALLOPED POTATO BAKE - This delicious turkey casserole is almost like a turkey pot pie without the crust. What you have here are tasty, scalloped potatoes au gratin with a mix of cubed turkey, peas, carrots, corn and a nice gooey layer of cheese on top.

It is rich and creamy and deliciously easy to make!  One thing you don't want to be having to do the day after a big holiday meal is cooking another laborious and complicated dinner.  This simple recipe makes sure that you can still provide your family and guests with something hearty but with maximum ease! 

GREEN CHILI TURKEY ENCHILADAS - One thing which my family has always enjoyed after a big roast turkey dinner is enchiladas and these are some of the finest  and most delicious.

A rich green chili turkey filling is made and then used to fill soft flour tortillas, which I then lay on a bed of the same green chili sauce in a casserole dish. More of the green chili sauce is slathered over top, along with a quantity of Jack cheese and they are baked to delicious creamy perfection.

These are gorgeous served with a dollop of sour cream on top and perhaps some chopped spring onions. Nobody will mind at all that they are eating leftovers. I promise you!

TURKEY, SOUR CHERRY & ALMOND PASTA SALAD - This is one of my favorite pasta salads and it makes a wonderful use of leftover turkey when you have it. Savory chunks of roasted turkey, cooked farfalle pasta (bow ties), dried sour cherries for a bit of sweet tartness, sharp red onions, crunchy celery and salted almonds . . .  and creamy tangy Gorgonzola cheese.

The dressing is delicious.  A homemade poppy seed dressing that is lovely and tangy from fresh lemon juice, with a bit of punch from Dijon mustard and sweetness from creamy honey.  

Altogether this is one very delicious salad that everyone is sure to enjoy. I like to serve it on crisp slices of iceberg lettuce.

SKILLET TURKEY ALFREDO -  I really love skillet meals like this delicious one pan pasta dish which makes great use of leftovers and store cupboard ingredients. One, they help me to use up my leftovers in a really delicious way.  Secondly, I almost always have everything I need to make them in my cupboards, larder or refrigerator. This delicious skillet meal is no exception!

Quick and easy to throw together, with perfectly cooked pasta, plenty of turkey, a creamy sauce, basil and one of your five a day.  You can't beat it. This is a real favorite.

And there you have it. Ten deliciously different ways to use up your turkey dinner leftovers. All simple, all delicious and all very easy to make.

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