The Last of the Turkey

Today, I am using the last of the Thanksgiving turkey.  I froze it all in single recipe packs so that we didn't have to overdose on it like many people do, right after the original dinner.

Turkey Hash Casserole

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded turkey
4 cups shredded white potatoes
2 cups shredded carrots
1 shallot, diced
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 can evaporated skim milk
2 teaspoons ground thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper



Combine all ingredients well and pour into a slow cooker.  Cook on low for 4 hours or until hot and bubbly.   When done, lay slices of cheddar cheese over the top and cover until the cheese melts.

White Turkey Chili in Rice Cooker

White Turkey Chili


1 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 heaping teaspoon ground coriander
1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
1 heaping teaspoon dried cilantro or 1-2 tablespoons fresh or to taste
1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 13 ounce can of rotel tomatoes (tomatoes with chilis)
1 small can of corn or 2 cups frozen
1 cup pearl barley
1 12 ounce box low sodium chicken broth

Heat a skillet to medium high.  Add the canola oil and cumin seeds.  When the seeds start to brown add the turkey.  Using a potato masher, squish up the turkey and brown it in the skillet.  When the pink color has disappeared add the rest of the spices and stir to combine.  Pour the mixture into a rice cooker.  Note:  If your rice cooker has a really good browning cycle, this can all be done in the rice cooker.

Add the remainder of the ingredients.  Stir to combine.  Turn rice cooker to the white rice cycle and close it.  It should be done in about 45 minutes. 

Thanksgiving Leftover Biscuits

We spent Thanksgiving in a cabin in the woods; just my hubby and me. I packed up the food to take with us and we drove most of the day on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. So, I made our turkey dinner on Friday.

Saturday morning arrived and we had turkey leftover, like most folks do. However, no bread or rolls for sandwiches and no mayo or mustard either. So, I baked some biscuits and made a compound butter with thyme, sage and garlic. I threw in some dried cranberries and put in the microwave on low to melt the butter enough to help soften the cranberries. Opening the biscuits, I used a teaspoon to drizzle the butter mixture onto one side and then places turkey slices cut to fit the biscuit.

I think it may have been the best turkey sandwich I have ever had!

Thanksgiving Hints

Warm your Thanksgiving serving platters to make your meal extra-special. No room in your already over-crowded oven? Put the platters in an empty dishwasher (and it should already be empty for easy clean-up following the feast) and run on the dry-cycle. It will heat them up perfectly.

The giblets that come enclosed in your turkey usually include the heart, liver, neck and sometimes the gizzard. All are great for flavoring the gravy stock, except the liver, which will make it bitter. Add a pound or two of turkey wings (either smoked or not) to your stock as well to really punch up the flavor.

Menu 11/17 - 11/24/2011

Menu 11/17 - 11/24/2011

Thu 11/17 - BBQ Cowboy Burgers, Fries, Slaw
Fri 11/18 - Buffalo Wings, Carrots and Celery Sticks
Sat 11/19 - Popcorn Shrimp, Roasted Ranch Potatoes, Red Cabbage Slaw
Sun 11/20 - Autumn Beef Stew with Cranberries in slow cooker
Mon 11/21 - Pizza
Tue 11/22 - Chicken Alfredo over Brown Rice in Rice Cooker
Wed 11/23 - Asparagus Risotto in Rice Cooker
Thu 11/24 - Turkey, Sweet Potatoes, Corn Bread Casserole

Thanksgiving Dinner in a Rice Cooker

OK, to some people this might seem extreme. But, it is a great way to use up the leftovers from your Thanksgiving feast without having to work as hard as you did when you originally made it. And, it is a great way to have Thanksgiving dinner any time you want.

3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups wild rice
1 cups diced celery
1 onion, diced

2 cups leftover cooked turkey or 2 cups ground turkey, browned and crumbled
2 cups crumbled corn bread or 2 cups corn bread stuffing mix
1 cup frozen or fresh chopped broccoli

1 1/2 cups turkey gravy, homemade or from a jar/can
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh
1 teaspoon dried sage or 1 tablespoon fresh
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
1 can cream of celery soup
2 cups chicken broth or water

In rice cooker on rice setting or a browning setting if you have one, melt the butter and add wild rice, celery and onion. Stir to coat the wild rice and let the celery and onion soften a bit.

Add turkey, corn bread and broccoli to rice cooker. Stir to mix.

In a bowl mix up the rest of the ingredients and pour over the mixture in rice cooker. Cook on white rice or mixture setting until rice cooker turns off.

Serve with fresh cranberry sauce if desired.

Note: I add no salt to most of the things I cook. In this recipe even people who love salt will probably not have to add any especially if you use canned chicken broth, cream of celery soup, gravy and cornbread stuffing mix. But, if you find the need, salt to your preference.