Creamy Wild Rice and Turkey Soup

 Creamy Wild Rice and Turkey Soup

This thick and creamy soup is the perfect solution to leftover turkey.  Served with leftover dinner rolls or homemade biscuits, it is the ultimate comfort food! 

Creamy Wild Rice and Turkey Soup

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1 carrot, diced small

2 celery ribs, chopped small

½ cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups chicken or turkey broth

2 cups cooked wild rice

2 cups cubed cooked turkey

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup half and half (half cream/half whole milk)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery and onion; cook and stir until tender.

Stir in flour until blended; cook until bubbly. Gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened.

Stir in remaining ingredients; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

For thinner soup add more broth.

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Classic Triple Decker BLT Turkey Club

 

I love a good challenge.  Especially one that involves food.  Like trying to fit my mouth around this triple-decker bacon lettuce tomato turkey club sandwich.  I love club sandwiches.  I love how the simplicity of these five things can make such a delicious sandwich!   Good quality mayo, bacon is crisp, turkey is flavorful, and lettuce and tomatoes are fresh. But the best part of the sandwich is the perfectly toasted bread. 

 Classic Triple Decker BLT Turkey Club

White bread

good quality mayonnaise

iceberg lettuce leaves

slices ripe tomatoes

salt and black pepper

slices crispy cooked bacon

thick sliced roasted turkey

frill toothpicks

Toast the bread in a toaster, or under a broiler on both sides. Cut the lettuce leaves in half crosswise and form into neat stacks.  Set aside.

To make a triple-decker club

 On a clean work surface, arrange 3 bread slices in a row. Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise over 1 side of each bread slice. Place a lettuce stack on top of the first bread slice, top with 2 tomato slices, and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Place 2 slices bacon over the tomatoes (broken to fit neatly if necessary) and top with 1/8 of the turkey (without letting any hang over the sides). Season the turkey with salt and pepper, to taste. Repeat with the second bread slice. Carefully place the second layered bread slice on top of the first layered bread, turkey side-up. Cover with the third bread slice, mayonnaise side-down.

Pin the sandwich’s layers together by piercing them with 4 frill picks or cocktail swords through the top bread slice, in 4 places in a diamond-like pattern, all the way to the bottom bread slice. Repeat entire process with the remaining ingredients to form 3 more sandwiches.

Using a serrated knife cut each sandwich, diagonally, into 4 triangular pieces (each piece should be secured in the center with a pick or sword). Serve with potato chips and pickles.

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Thanksgiving Enchiladas

Thanksgiving Enchiladas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So what to do with all that turkey and stuffing…. Here’s another good idea to use it all up... and a tasty one too. You will love this recipe! 

 

Thanksgiving Enchiladas 

 

2 cups leftover cooked turkey (shredded)

2 cups leftover stuffing

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (divided)

8 soft flour tortillas

3 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 pan using non-stick cooking spray.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a medium saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth.  Stir in sour cream, garlic powder, and pepper.  Lower to simmer while it gets thick and bubbly.  If too thick add a little more broth. Set aside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 In a medium bowl, mix turkey and stuffing together. Set aside.

  

Pour ½ cup of sauce in baking dish and spread out from end to end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Warm tortillas in microwave for a few seconds just to make them warm so they are easier to work with.  Lay out flat and place a tablespoon of mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll each one up and place in on Roll up in tortillas and place in pan seam side down. Line them up close together side by side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pour the rest of the sauce on top and all around sides of enchiladas and cover with remaining cheese.  Spray aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray and cover dish. 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bake 20-22 minutes.  Uncover and place under broiler for a minute or two to brown cheese.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

Serve with some cranberry sauce on top!  YUM.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

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Dried Cherry and Walnut Stuffing

 

I love this dressing. I make a lot of different ones but this might be my favorite. The combination of savory and sweet is over the top. The seasonings bring that traditional herbed stuffing flavor with the slight crunch of onions, celery and toasted walnuts. Bake this inside the turkey or in a separate dish. It’s a real crowd pleaser!

Dried Cherry and Walnut Stuffing

10 cups unseasoned cubed bread

1 pound Sage Sausage (I use Jimmy Dean in a roll)

1 cup butter, melted and divided

1 large onion, chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped

2 1⁄2 tablespoons of crumbled sage leaves (or 1 tablespoon ground)

1 1⁄2 teaspoons crumbled thyme leaves (or 1 tablespoon ground)

¼ cup parsley, chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup dried cherries

1 cup chopped Granny Smith apple (optional)

2 cups toasted and chopped walnuts

1 ½ to 2 cups chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with butter and set aside. Pour bread cubes in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, sauté the sausage over medium high heat until brown. Drain grease and transfer sausage to the bowl of bread cubes. Set aside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using the same skillet, melt two tablespoons of the butter and sauté onions and celery over medium heat. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until softened, stirring frequently.  Add parsley, sage, thyme, salt and pepper and mix well. Add celery and onion mixture to bread cubes and toss to combine.

Drizzle just enough chicken broth to moisten the bread mixture. You do not want it too wet. I usually start off with a cup of the broth and continue to add to it as necessary. Allow the bread mixture to soak up the broth and add more if needed.  Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

 

 

 

 

 

Pour mixture into a grease 9 x 13 baking dish. Drizzle top with remaining butter and cover with aluminum foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  Uncover and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes or until brown and crisp on top.

NOTES:  You can use cherry flavored Craisins but it would be worth your time looking for real dried cherries.

If stuffing the turkey, stuff the neck and cavity loosely with stuffing, folding the neck skin under and fastening with skewer. Roast the turkey at 325 degrees for 15 minutes per pound or until the temperature reaches 170 degrees and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with fork. Let turkey rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

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