Diane Can Cook

The feast is over. I hope you enjoyed really delicious eats. For those of you who know me, you know I hate leftovers. I hate taking boxes home or the idea of keeping food from the dinner I served. I box them up for you or toss it. Big waste, right? Well, I discovered why I don't like them. First, because I think taking home leftovers from nice restaurants is tacky; second, more importantly, because I want something new. Well here is a way I can stop being a hoarder/waster damned to Dante's Fourth Circle of Hell, by using my leftovers to make new things. Not reheating it, not eating it cold, but by using the "ingredients" to make something NEW! Thanksgiving is the best time to "rehab" those flavors for new delicious tastes far into December. 

So, Rusty, if you're reading this...don't worry, you can still have my chicken makhani. Here are some recipes to help you finish the leftovers:

Turkey Sandwiches...2 ways


Smoked Turkey, Blue Cheese, and Red Onion Sandwiches

Photography by Tom Schierlitz
Recipe by the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen
taken from bonappetit.com




ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 2 8- to 10-ounce red onions, cut into 1/3-inch-thick rounds
  
• 3 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  
• 6 cups trimmed large arugula leaves (about 4 ounces), divided
  
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  
• 8 1/3-inch-thick slices seeded wheat bread (such as La Brea Bakery) or four ciabatta rolls, cut horizontally in half
  
• 12 oz thinly sliced smoked turkey
  
• 3/4 cup coarsely crumbled blue cheese (such as Maytag; about 3 ounces)
  

directions

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until soft and lightly browned, breaking up onion rings, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.
   
2. Chop enough arugula to measure 1 cup; place in medium bowl. Mix in mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper. Spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons arugula mayonnaise over each cut side of bread. Divide turkey slices among 4 bread slices. Top with crumbled blue cheese, dividing equally. Top with red onions, then whole arugula leaves and bread.
   

My own Turkey Recipe (I wish I could have included a photo...but I ate it too quickly)

ingredients

• 4 slices of Multigrain bread
• Left over turkey slices
• kosher salt
• fresh crushed pepper
• Left over cranberry sauce or cranberry-orange relish
• Cream cheese 
• left over stuffing (optional)

directions

1. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on one slice of bread. Put a liberal scoop of cranberry sauce or relish on the other side.
2. Place turkey on top of the cream cheese. Crack fresh pepper over the turkey slices and put a few dashes of kosher salt on the cranberry side. 
3. Feel free to put layer of stuffing in between. You are welcome to warm up the turkey and stuffing, although either way, I think it's delicious. 

Something not so traditional...


Spicy Turkey Paella
Recipe by Rozanne Gold
Photograph by Lisa Rutledge

taken from bonappetit.com
November 2003




ingredients

• 12 oz spicy smoked sausage (such as linguiça, andouille, or hot links), cut into 1/2-inch slices
  
• 1/4 cup garlic-flavored olive oil
  
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped
  
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
  
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
  
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron
  
• 4 cups low-salt chicken broth
  
• 4 large plum tomatoes, quartered
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  
• 4 1/2 cups cooked leftover turkey, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  
• 1 cup frozen peas
  

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Brown sausage in large skillet over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
   
2. Heat olive oil in 6 1/2-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until golden, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Add bell pepper; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in rice and saffron, then next 5 ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 15 minutes. Add sausage, turkey, and peas to rice mixture. Bake paella 10 minutes and serve.
   

Test-kitchen tip: If you can't find garlic-flavored olive oil, simply add a clove of minced garlic when you stir in the rice.

Turkey Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

courtesy of Rachel Ray

via Food Network

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 2 pounds ground turkey or chopped leftover turkey
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
  
• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  
• 1 onion, cut into 1-inch dice
  
• 2 carrots, peeled and grated
  
• 4 ribs celery, chopped
  
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
  
• 2 tablespoons flour
  
• 2 cups turkey or chicken stock (recommended: Kitchen Basics brand)
  
• A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 (10-ounce) box frozen peas
  
• 1 very ripe banana
  
• A few dashes hot sauce
  
• 2 cups shredded sharp yellow Cheddar
  

directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
   
2. In a deep skillet or a Dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons oil over high heat. Add meat and break up with a wooden spoon, season with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning.
   
3. Place sweet potatoes in a pot, cover with water, cover pot, bring to a boil, salt and cook 15 minutes until tender.
   
4. Grate onions and carrots into the turkey. Add the celery and stir, cook 5 minutes. While vegetables are cooking, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add flour to melted butter and whisk 1 minute then whisk in stock and season with salt, pepper and Worcestershire. Thicken a few minutes.
   
5. Stir peas into meat and turn heat off.
   
6. Drain potatoes and return pot to heat. Add remaining butter and melt over medium heat. Peel and slice banana and add potatoes to the pot. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper and a few dashes hot sauce. Mash potatoes and banana to combine, adjust seasoning. Top the meat with the potatoes. Cover potatoes with cheese and set in oven. Bake to melt cheese, 5 minutes.

My tips: I'm not loving the banana being included and I think if you add a different cheese like Monterrey Jack or Pepper Jack. I also think that you can skip some of the steps re: the sweet potatoes by including leftover sweet potatoes.