Turkey leftovers!
It's that time of year... and I can't be the only one who has way too much turkey after cooking a whole bird for my family of three...!
What are your favourite recipes/ideas to use up cooked turkey? I'll have to freeze some because my husband already said he doesn't want to be eating turkey for the next two weeks, but there must be some ways I can sneak it into other recipes.
(Gluten free options are particularly welcome!
)
[Edit: I know I could look online for ideas - but I'd like to hear what you guys have found to be tasty and low-calorie options for leftovers.]
What are your favourite recipes/ideas to use up cooked turkey? I'll have to freeze some because my husband already said he doesn't want to be eating turkey for the next two weeks, but there must be some ways I can sneak it into other recipes.
(Gluten free options are particularly welcome!
)[Edit: I know I could look online for ideas - but I'd like to hear what you guys have found to be tasty and low-calorie options for leftovers.]
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Replies
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Personally, I'd tell him he can eat the perfectly good and nutritious turkey that's already been paid for and cooked, or he can find money from his own discretionary spending budget (beer? cable?) to buy something else and prepare it himself. I'd also tell him you won't be cooking turkey for any future holidays, or ham, or any other large cuts of meat if he's going to be a whiny self-entitled jerk about eating leftovers. But that's just me.5
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Easy chicken salad. Mix chopped turkey with a chopped avocado, a jar of commercial salsa and some chopped coriander. Serve in soft taco shells.
Also avgolemono soup, and coronation chicken for sandwich fillings.2 -
It's that time of year... and I can't be the only one who has way too much turkey after cooking a whole bird for my family of three...!
What are your favourite recipes/ideas to use up cooked turkey? I'll have to freeze some because my husband already said he doesn't want to be eating turkey for the next two weeks, but there must be some ways I can sneak it into other recipes.
(Gluten free options are particularly welcome! )
[Edit: I know I could look online for ideas - but I'd like to hear what you guys have found to be tasty and low-calorie options for leftovers.]
I make turkey salad for sandwiches. Just like tuna salad, but with turkey instead. Also, I freeze portions of cubed turkey to add to salads.
My favourite thing to do with Christmas dinner leftovers is to freeze complete ready single meals. Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, veggies. Very easy - a few weeks later once the turkey trauma has worn off - to grab one, defrost and re-heat for a fabulous dinner.1 -
Use it anywhere you'd normally use chicken. It will still be turkey, no fooling him there, but completely different from the holiday turkey presentation.
- Turkey pot pie
- Turkey vegetable soup
- Turkey and rice casserole (we make one with enchilada sauce topped with cheese that everyone loves)
- Turkey and dumplings (obv not GF, sorry
) - Turkey, bacon, lettuce, & tomato sandwiches (not a fan of turkey/chicken salad sandwiches)
- Chopped up as a salad topping (similar to above without the bread, I guess!)
We all have things we're not fond of leftover that everyone else seems to love. Mine is spaghetti and meatballs/meat sauce. I'd be sad if my husband threatened to never make it again just because I said I don't like it leftover. Luckily, turkey is easier to dress up than leftover pasta!
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lynn_glenmont wrote: »Personally, I'd tell him he can eat the perfectly good and nutritious turkey that's already been paid for and cooked, or he can find money from his own discretionary spending budget (beer? cable?) to buy something else and prepare it himself. I'd also tell him you won't be cooking turkey for any future holidays, or ham, or any other large cuts of meat if he's going to be a whiny self-entitled jerk about eating leftovers. But that's just me.
Yikes.
My hubby doesn't want to be eating turkey everyday for weeks, but that's okay because neither do I! Don't think that makes either of us self-entitled jerks, though.
Same goes for the big ham I prepare for Easter dinner. I thinly slice and freeze a lot of the leftover ham for sandwiches, and just pull a pack out every once in a while. Same thing with thicker cut ham steaks.
I love having prepared 'leftover' foods in the freezer to utilize whenever.5 -
We all have things we're not fond of leftover that everyone else seems to love. Mine is spaghetti and meatballs/meat sauce. I'd be sad if my husband threatened to never make it again just because I said I don't like it leftover. Luckily, turkey is easier to dress up than leftover pasta!
Yeah, I, too, find that the pasta suffers when re-heated as a leftover.
When I make spaghetti and meatballs, I keep the sauce separate. Put spaghetti on dinner plate, and then top with the meatballs and sauce. That way, any leftover sauce can be frozen on its own and then fresh pasta cooked up for next time.
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snickerscharlie wrote: »
We all have things we're not fond of leftover that everyone else seems to love. Mine is spaghetti and meatballs/meat sauce. I'd be sad if my husband threatened to never make it again just because I said I don't like it leftover. Luckily, turkey is easier to dress up than leftover pasta!
Yeah, I, too, find that the pasta suffers when re-heated as a leftover.
When I make spaghetti and meatballs, I keep the sauce separate. Put spaghetti on dinner plate, and then top with the meatballs and sauce. That way, any leftover sauce can be frozen on its own and then fresh pasta cooked up for next time.
Meatball sandwiches
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That, too!
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snickerscharlie wrote: »That, too!
Now I want meatballs, but turkey pot pie is already on the menu. Perhaps I should have whined more
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snickerscharlie wrote: »That, too!
Now I want meatballs, but turkey pot pie is already on the menu. Perhaps I should have whined more
We're having open-faced hot turkey sandwiches for dinner, smothered in gravy, with mashed potatoes and stuffing on the side. Oh, and green beans.
Tomorrow I'll make some turkey salad for lunches and the rest will get packaged up and frozen.1 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »That, too!
Now I want meatballs, but turkey pot pie is already on the menu. Perhaps I should have whined more
We're having open-faced hot turkey sandwiches for dinner, smothered in gravy, with mashed potatoes and stuffing on the side. Oh, and green beans.
Tomorrow I'll make some turkey salad for lunches and the rest will get packaged up and frozen.
That sounds delicious! I'm thinking of having leftover dressing, potatoes, gravy, and ham for lunch again today. The turkey is already earmarked for pot pie
No problem with too many leftovers around here!
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Like @SueSueDio there's only 3 of us, so lots of yummy leftovers! 0
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We had 8 people (including 2 teenage boys) and a smallish turkey. I'm thinking next year we should definitely size up
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3
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I didn't host, so no left overs for me. Except for all the cookies.
I like all of the above suggestions. Sandwiches, soups, pot pie. Yum.1 -
It's that time of year... and I can't be the only one who has way too much turkey after cooking a whole bird for my family of three...!
What are your favourite recipes/ideas to use up cooked turkey? I'll have to freeze some because my husband already said he doesn't want to be eating turkey for the next two weeks, but there must be some ways I can sneak it into other recipes.
(Gluten free options are particularly welcome! )
[Edit: I know I could look online for ideas - but I'd like to hear what you guys have found to be tasty and low-calorie options for leftovers.]
So you had your Christmas meal without inviting any other people over?? Why so much leftovers.
My position is definitely no turkey, but if that was ham I wouldn't complain about eating leftovers everyday.4 -
It's that time of year... and I can't be the only one who has way too much turkey after cooking a whole bird for my family of three...!
What are your favourite recipes/ideas to use up cooked turkey? I'll have to freeze some because my husband already said he doesn't want to be eating turkey for the next two weeks, but there must be some ways I can sneak it into other recipes.
(Gluten free options are particularly welcome! )
[Edit: I know I could look online for ideas - but I'd like to hear what you guys have found to be tasty and low-calorie options for leftovers.]
So you had your Christmas meal without inviting any other people over?? Why so much leftovers.
My position is definitely no turkey, but if that was ham I wouldn't complain about eating leftovers everyday.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to live close to extended family (or have a good enough relationship to want to invite them over if they do), and friends often have their own family commitments for holidays.
NOT that I think for one moment she needs to justify why they had a small Christmas gathering. It's completely irrelevant.6 -
I've had this one bookmarked since Thanksgiving. It looks like a great, different way to use leftover turkey! It could probably be adapted to be GF (you'd need an alternative flour for the topping). I don't ever actually have canned chipotle peppers on hand, but I think it would still be good without those. Maybe add a little extra chili or ground cayenne for spice.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/269275/turkey-tamale-pie/1 -
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snickerscharlie wrote: »That, too!
Now I want meatballs, but turkey pot pie is already on the menu. Perhaps I should have whined more
Come over to my house. I made my Dad's infamous spaghetti sauce and meatballs for Christmas dinner and have plenty of leftovers. Already sent leftovers home with family and still have a bunch left.1 -
It's that time of year... and I can't be the only one who has way too much turkey after cooking a whole bird for my family of three...!
What are your favourite recipes/ideas to use up cooked turkey? I'll have to freeze some because my husband already said he doesn't want to be eating turkey for the next two weeks, but there must be some ways I can sneak it into other recipes.
(Gluten free options are particularly welcome! )
[Edit: I know I could look online for ideas - but I'd like to hear what you guys have found to be tasty and low-calorie options for leftovers.]
I pretty much do sandwiches for a day or two, then a pot pie and freeze whatever is leftover after that.1 -
It's that time of year... and I can't be the only one who has way too much turkey after cooking a whole bird for my family of three...!
What are your favourite recipes/ideas to use up cooked turkey? I'll have to freeze some because my husband already said he doesn't want to be eating turkey for the next two weeks, but there must be some ways I can sneak it into other recipes.
(Gluten free options are particularly welcome! )
[Edit: I know I could look online for ideas - but I'd like to hear what you guys have found to be tasty and low-calorie options for leftovers.]
So you had your Christmas meal without inviting any other people over?? Why so much leftovers.
My position is definitely no turkey, but if that was ham I wouldn't complain about eating leftovers everyday.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to live close to extended family (or have a good enough relationship to want to invite them over if they do), and friends often have their own family commitments for holidays.
NOT that I think for one moment she needs to justify why they had a small Christmas gathering. It's completely irrelevant.
For us, it was a combination of these, plus having elderly parents and other family members passing on. They are greatly missed and fondly remembered. 2 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »That, too!
Now I want meatballs, but turkey pot pie is already on the menu. Perhaps I should have whined more
Come over to my house. I made my Dad's infamous spaghetti sauce and meatballs for Christmas dinner and have plenty of leftovers. Already sent leftovers home with family and still have a bunch left.
I might need to know why they're infamous instead of famous first 1 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »It's that time of year... and I can't be the only one who has way too much turkey after cooking a whole bird for my family of three...!
What are your favourite recipes/ideas to use up cooked turkey? I'll have to freeze some because my husband already said he doesn't want to be eating turkey for the next two weeks, but there must be some ways I can sneak it into other recipes.
(Gluten free options are particularly welcome! )
[Edit: I know I could look online for ideas - but I'd like to hear what you guys have found to be tasty and low-calorie options for leftovers.]
So you had your Christmas meal without inviting any other people over?? Why so much leftovers.
My position is definitely no turkey, but if that was ham I wouldn't complain about eating leftovers everyday.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to live close to extended family (or have a good enough relationship to want to invite them over if they do), and friends often have their own family commitments for holidays.
NOT that I think for one moment she needs to justify why they had a small Christmas gathering. It's completely irrelevant.
For us, it was a combination of these, plus having elderly parents and other family members passing on. They are greatly missed and fondly remembered.
This too 0 -
We don't do turkey for Christmas because we are turkeyed out after Thanksgiving and leftovers. After Thanksgiving I usually make a stock with the carcass and a green chile turkey stew which uses up quite a bit...sandwiches after that.
We usually do a ham for Christmas and use some of the leftovers for split pea soup and freeze the rest for sandwiches for the boys for school lunches.1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »We don't do turkey for Christmas because we are turkeyed out after Thanksgiving and leftovers. After Thanksgiving I usually make a stock with the carcass and a green chile turkey stew which uses up quite a bit...sandwiches after that.
We usually do a ham for Christmas and use some of the leftovers for split pea soup and freeze the rest for sandwiches for the boys for school lunches.
This is why I save the turkey for Christmas. On Thanksgiving I do prime rib and then a ham for Easter. I'm in Canada, so our Thanksgiving is a bit earlier than when it's celebrated in the States, but I still make turkey a Christmas exclusive. 1 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »We don't do turkey for Christmas because we are turkeyed out after Thanksgiving and leftovers. After Thanksgiving I usually make a stock with the carcass and a green chile turkey stew which uses up quite a bit...sandwiches after that.
We usually do a ham for Christmas and use some of the leftovers for split pea soup and freeze the rest for sandwiches for the boys for school lunches.
This is why I save the turkey for Christmas. On Thanksgiving I do prime rib and then a ham for Easter. I'm in Canada, so our Thanksgiving is a bit earlier than when it's celebrated in the States, but I still make turkey a Christmas exclusive.
I always think turkey at Christmas is weird. I think I've had it maybe once or twice when we've had Christmas at my wife's parent's house...they are British so always turkey at Christmas, but they don't really host anymore and haven't in years. In the U.S. turkey at Thanksgiving is traditional. I'd do a rib roast for Christmas, but my kids won't eat it so we stick with the ham which is what I grew up with.1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »We don't do turkey for Christmas because we are turkeyed out after Thanksgiving and leftovers. After Thanksgiving I usually make a stock with the carcass and a green chile turkey stew which uses up quite a bit...sandwiches after that.
We usually do a ham for Christmas and use some of the leftovers for split pea soup and freeze the rest for sandwiches for the boys for school lunches.
This is why I save the turkey for Christmas. On Thanksgiving I do prime rib and then a ham for Easter. I'm in Canada, so our Thanksgiving is a bit earlier than when it's celebrated in the States, but I still make turkey a Christmas exclusive.
I always think turkey at Christmas is weird. I think I've had it maybe once or twice when we've had Christmas at my wife's parent's house...they are British so always turkey at Christmas, but they don't really host anymore and haven't in years. In the U.S. turkey at Thanksgiving is traditional. I'd do a rib roast for Christmas, but my kids won't eat it so we stick with the ham which is what I grew up with.
We always have turkey at Thanksgiving. This year we had turkey and ham for Christmas Eve dinner. It varies though. We don't have a set Christmas menu. Last year it was braised lamb shanks.0 -
For Thanksgiving we rotate between traditional turkey and sides and North Carolina barbeque with baked beans, potato salad and typical "pig pickin" sides.
Christmas is a crapshoot as to what we have. No set tradition.0
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