Thanksgiving Leftovers - Make New Meals

We hope you enjoyed a real Thanksgiving Feast. Tired of cooking and want something a bit easier? Use all those leftover dishes. You can reheat them or turn them into new dishes with very little time and effort. Think about Turkey Soup, Turkey Chili, or Turkey Stew loaded with fresh or left over veggies. Or open-faced Turkey sandwiches with stuffing and gravy. You can also just add stuffing to a plain turkey sandwich. Yumm! Left-over green salad can become gazpacho and Mashed potatoes can make amazing pancakes! 

Leftover Turkey Soup: Quick and Easy.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 medium onion diced

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • 3 large carrots peeled and sliced

  • 2 celery stalks

  • 2-3 cups leftover cooked turkey diced

  • 8 cups turkey broth or chicken broth, homemade or store bought

  • ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning

  • 1 bay leaf

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • 4 ounces shell noodles about 1 ½ cups, or medium pasta

To Make

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

  2. Add flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in carrots, celery, turkey, broth, poultry seasoning, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.  

  3. Cook the pasta or noodles on the side and add them to each bowl when serving. Or add noodles to soup and cook for 10 minutes until pasta is done. If the noodles are stored in the soup, they will soak up the broth and become mushy. Store leftover soup without noodles in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 4 months.

Turn Salad into Gazpacho: Place left-over salad with dressing in a blender. Add enough Tomato Juice to make a liquid soup. Add more seasoning if you want!

For a heartier meal, try Turkey Stew or Turkey Chili (see below). Add some sweet potato fries. In minutes, another Feast!

Recreating Dishes

RECIPE: Leftover Turkey Stew

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion

  • 4 cups unsalted chicken broth

  • 2 cups leftover gravy (see NOTE below)

  • 4 cups leftover roasted vegetables, cut into bite-size pieces

  • 3 cups shredded cooked turkey

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  • ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

TO MAKE:

  • Heat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat.

  • Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 6 minutes.

  • Add broth and gravy; let the mixture come to a boil, stirring occasionally.

  • Stir in leftover vegetables and turkey; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper.

NOTE:  If you don't have any leftover gravy: Cook ¼ cup all-purpose flour and ¼ cup unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in 2 cups unsalted chicken broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoons each of sage and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Serving Suggestions: A simple green salad and some toasted bread makes a meal. Or serve with noodles.

TIPS AND TRICKS; MORE IDEAS

Leftover Turkey Chili: A dish with a bit more spice

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups of leftover turkey or 1 pound ground turkey or ground chicken   

  • 1 onion diced

  • 2 cloves garlic minced

  • 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder

  • 15.5 ounces kidney beans 1 can, drained and rinsed.

  • 10.5 ounces diced tomatoes with chiles such as Rotel

  • 1 cup chicken broth or beef broth

  • 1 cup tomato sauce

  • 1 bell pepper red or green, chopped

  • ½ teaspoon oregano

  • ½ teaspoon cumin

TO MAKE:

  • Brown turkey, onion, garlic, and chili powder in a large pot

  • Add beans, diced tomatoes, broth, tomato sauce, bell pepper, oregano, cumin, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.

  • Bring the chili to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer uncovered for 35 to 45 minutes or until thickened. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Topping Ideas: Serve with bowls of Salsa, sliced avocado, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese or tortilla chips. 

Cooking tip: If you want  thicker soup or stew, mix 1 or 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch with the same amount of water and gradually add to the simmering stew or soup. Let cook for a minute or two.