Tiffaney O'Dell / The Outlook
Running out of ideas to use up that leftover turkey? Check out these recipes.
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It happens Thanksgiving. The turkey is carved, family feasts and for a few days, folks are content to gobble turkey sandwiches before the inevitable questions arises:
What can I cook with all that leftover turkey?
The Outlook asked two local chefs this very question and is passing their favorite turkey-leftover-recipes on to you. We’ve also included one staffer’s favorite turkey soup recipe, which she gleaned from Gresham resident Shannon Lusby.
Bon appétit!
Selected turkey recipes
Phillip Bryant, owner of Bryant Station in Gresham, isn’t a big fan of turkey. That, coupled with the fact that his restaurant is closed on Thanksgiving, means he rarely faces the dilemma of what to cook with all that leftover turkey.
Even so, he came across this recipe on epicurious.com and thought it looked like something he’d throw together to feed his employees – if he had leftover turkey, that is.
“I always say, ‘It’s just like mom use to make, but she never made anything like this,’” Bryant said.
Turkey parmigiano penne
12 ounces penne pasta, cooked
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion diced
1-2 tablespoons garlic, finely diced
1/2 cup turkey or chicken stock
1/2 cup Parmigiano reggiano (Parmesan) grated
1/2 cup heavy cream
2-3 cups cooked turkey meat, diced
Good pinch of sea salt and coarse black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
In a large non-stick skillet on a medium-high heat, melt butter and sauté onions and garlic until lightly brown.
Turn heat down to medium, then add pasta and stock. Let pasta heat up a little, then add cheese, heavy cream, turkey, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes and Worcestershire sauce. Let all the ingredients heat up and the sauce thicken a bit. Move to large serving dish. Garnish with a little more cheese and some fresh chopped parsley.
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Outlook reporter Mara Stine received this recipe from Shannon Lusby while interviewing her about receiving a second heart transplant in 2005. Lusby made history by becoming the first woman to receive a heart transplant at Oregon Health Sciences University in 1986 and is one of the longest surviving heart transplant recipients in the nation.
During the interview, Lusby was chopping vegetables for a soup she was making. Stine, a huge soup fan, was thrilled when Lusby shared her recipe for this hearty, cheesy chowder that’s a welcome departure from the usual broth-based turkey soup.
Turkey Cheese Chowder
1 cup finely chopped green onions
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups turkey or chicken broth
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups diced cooked turkey
Sauté onions, carrots and celery in butter until soft but not brown. Blend in flour. Stir in broth, then milk. Cook while stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Stir in salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, cheese and turkey. Heat until cheese melts, but don’t boil.
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Gresham cooking teacher and longtime caterer Cherie Wallace created this recipe – now a personal and customer favorite – when faced with turkey leftovers for a fourth day.
“I come from a very frugal family background and cannot bear to waste or throw away anything,” Wallace said. “We tend to cook turkey several times a year. It’s a good buy and goes a long way, making several meals from a single roasting.”
As for the recipe, “I just used what I had in the pantry and what sounded good,” she said. “I’ve varied it over the years to incorporate what is readily available, like adding partially cooked broccoli florets, chopped asparagus spears, cubed zucchini or yellow squash, cubed cooked yams or butternut squash, plain (not marinated) artichoke hearts or whatever is on hand.
“You can also use any kind of cheese you happen to have. Swiss is not a ‘must have’ ingredient. My customers like it because it’s kid friendly. It’s comfort food. It freezes well, comes together quickly and only needs a side salad or warm loaf of bread to complete your meal. It’s also thrifty and you can make a boat load of it to feed a crowd.”
Turkey and wild rice casserole
2 cups cooked turkey, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 soup cans of half and half
4 ounces softened cream cheese
Brown and wild rice mix, prepared according to package directions (white rice also works)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese plus 1/2 cup for topping
Finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme, about 1 tablespoon
1/4 cup cooking sherry or dry white wine
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, finely diced
Mushrooms, quartered (optional)
Sauté onion, celery, carrot and mushrooms in 1 Tbs butter and 1 Tbs olive oil until softened. In large saucepot, whisk the soup, cream cheese and half and half to make sauce of desired consistency. Stir in sherry, herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Put the cooked rice into a large bowl and add turkey, vegetables, sauce and 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Stir well. Put into a lightly oiled baking dish and top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbling. This will also freeze well, wrapped in foil. Allow extra baking time if cooking straight from the freezer.
– Cherie Wallace
