Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice

Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice

by | Dec 21, 2020 | APPETIZERS, TURKEY | 0 comments

Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice

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Does that turkey you cooked keep on giving? With New Year’s celebrations just around the corner, it’s wise to tuck away a portion of that leftover turkey for my Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice. Chunks of turkey, shiitake mushrooms and shallots marry with cream cheese and topped with cranberry sauce and roasted chestnuts. It’s a wonderful combination tucked inside flaky and golden puff pastry. This Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice makes a lovely appetizer and can be made several hours ahead and baked when ready to serve.

A basket of chestnuts on a wooden board ready to be sliced for Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice.
Assesmbly of Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Roll on a parchment lined tray and egg wash on the side.

The roasted chestnuts are an added step but give a little sweetness and texture to this dish, plus the extra chestnuts are great to eat on their own or as part of an appetizer or dessert board. Roasted chestnuts are also great as a sweet puree used in other desserts or made into jam. Here’s a couple of ways to use up the extras from The Spruce Eats, that is if they make it that long.

Vegetarian and Vegan Roasted Chestnut Soup

Chestnut Stuffing

A golden baked Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice served whole on a wooden board garnished with fresh parsley.

I’d like to wish everyone a happy and healthy year ahead! I look forward to creating and sharing great recipes with you. This blogging side hustle of mine is what keeps me sane some days, focusing my thoughts on delicious food and having fun with my passion. Have a Happy New Year and all the best in 2021.

Slices of Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice arranged on a grey plate with cranberry sauce and fresh thyme.

Author:  Compelled to Cook

Slices of Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice arranged on a grey plate with cranberry sauce and fresh thyme.
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Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice

Course Appetizer
Keyword appetizer, chestnuts, cranberry sauce, cream cheese, entertaining, gruyere, leftover turkey, mushrooms, party food, puff pastry, sage, shiitake
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh chestnuts
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 ounces thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 shallot finely diced
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1/2 tsp dried sage
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 cup cooked turkey, diced small
  • 2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
  • 1 sheet puff pastry
  • 1/3 cup cranberry sauce
  • 1 large egg

Instructions

  • Preheat oven 400°F.
  • Bring a medium pot of water to a simmer, meanwhile rinse chestnuts and cut a slit across the rounded side of the chestnut being careful not cut into the meat too much. It helps to lay the chestnut flat and use a sharp knife or a chestnut knife. Once the water is at a simmer drop in the chestnuts, cover and simmer on low for 10-12 minutes.
  • Drain chestnuts and arrange in a single layer on a baking tray with the cut side up. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with a kitchen towel and allow to cool enough to handle. Once cool split open the shell by prying apart at the cut seam to remove the outer shell and release the meaty chestnut.
  • Coarsely chop 10 chestnuts and save the remainder for another use. They are great eaten as they are or as a salad topper, in stuffing and many desserts.
  • Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
  • Heat olive oil in a medium skillet and add shallots and mushrooms. Sauté until soft and moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated, about 5-7 minutes.
  • In a medium bowl cream together cream cheese, sage, salt, pepper. Fold in the sautéed mushrooms, diced turkey and Gruyere cheese.
  • Lay the sheet of puff pastry on a sheet of parchment big enough for your baking tray. Roll pastry to a 12"x12" square (the original sheet will be 10"x10"). If using a block of puff pastry roll out to 12"x12".
  • Cut 1" wide fingers that are no more than 4" long down parallel sides of the pastry square, leaving an uncut center strip that is at least 4" wide (see photo).
  • Spread the turkey mixture evenly along the uncut center portion of the pastry sheet.
  • Spread evenly with cranberry sauce and top with chopped chestnuts.
  • Wrap the pastry by bringing the pastry fingers across the filling, alternating sides as you go and tucking or crimping the ends. It's okay to have a few spaces between fingers.
  • Using the parchment, move pastry to your baking tray.
  • In a small bowl whisk together egg and 1 tbsp of water. Brush the prepared pastry with egg wash and bake for 25-28 minutes on middle rack.
  • Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. The center will firm up a little as it cools making it easier to slice and eat.

Notes

-While chestnuts are boiling, baking and cooling you can assemble the pastry roll up until topping with chestnuts for optimal usage of time.
-The Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice can be prepped up to the egg wash, cover well and refrigerated up to 3 hours in advance.  When ready, brush with egg wash and bake.

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Leftover Turkey Dinner Strata

Leftover Turkey Dinner Strata

by | Dec 8, 2020 | CASSEROLES, EGGS, TURKEY | 0 comments

Leftover Turkey Dinner Strata

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A piece of baked Leftover Turkey Dinner Strata served with gravy and cranberry sauce.

It’s time to re-think your turkey dinner leftovers and pass over the usual soup and pasta recipes for this spectacular Leftover Turkey Dinner Strata. It doesn’t just gobble up your leftover turkey, but also dressing, gravy and cranberry sauce. It’s quick and easy to put together because everything is already cooked. So a little chopping and assembly are all you need to do. Like most Stratas, this one can be made up to a day ahead and baked at your convenience the next day. It makes a great brunch, lunch or dinner dish, and it makes a 9×13 pan to feed your hungry family and guests. This Strata gets a huge thumbs up for practicality and tastiness.

Bread, turkey and dressing tossing together in a large bowl in preparation for Leftover Turkey Dinner Strata.
Leftover Turkey Dinner Strata assembled and ready to bake in a white casserole dish.

Chunks of bread, cubed turkey, and herby dressing get speckled with cranberry sauce and soaked in an eggy bath for a great twist on leftovers. I like to serve it with leftover gravy and additional cranberry sauce on the side. It’s a great casserole to feed a crowd and rewarms nicely in the microwave the next day, however, it is recommended to eat within two days of baking. So go ahead and cook that big ol’ bird and cook up a litre of cranberry sauce because this yummy Strata has your back and won’t let your money or efforts go to waste.

Author:  Compelled to Cook

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Leftover Turkey Dinner Strata

Course Main Course
Keyword bread, casserole, Christmas leftovers, dairy, eggs, leftover turkey, leftovers, make ahead, poultry casserole, poultry recipe, strata, turkey, turkey casserole
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  • 1 medium white onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 12 ounces crustless white country style/sourdough bread, cubed
  • 3 cups leftover dressing/stuffing, crumbled
  • 3 cups leftover turkey, large dice
  • 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated, divided about 2 cups lightly packed
  • 3 cups 2% milk
  • 12 large eggs
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp poultry seasoning
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp celery salt
  • 1 cup leftover cranberry sauce

Instructions

  • Add oil to a medium skillet and heat to medium. Add diced onion and cook, stirring often until soft 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl toss together bread, dressing, turkey, cooked onions and half of the Gruyere cheese.
  • In a medium bowl whisk together milk, egg, and seasonings.
  • Lightly grease a 9"x13" casserole dish. Spread evenly with half of the bread mixture. Dot with half of the cranberry sauce. Repeat with remaining bread mixture and cranberry.
  • Pour egg mixture evenly over bread, whisking occasionally as you go to distribute seasoning. Sprinkle with remaining Gruyere cheese.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F and bake uncovered on middle rack for about an hour until Strata is puffed and golden. Remove from oven and allow to rest uncovered for 15-20 minutes before cutting into 12 pieces (3x4). Serve with leftover gravy and additional cranberry sauce.

Notes

-The Strata will last for up to 2 days in the fridge and rewarms nicely on medium power in the microwave.
-The dressing I used would be considered a traditional dressing.
-Want to make this recipe but don't have quite enough leftovers?  Half the recipe and bake in an 8x8 casserole dish.

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Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

by | Dec 13, 2019 | CASSEROLES, TURKEY | 0 comments

Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

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Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry baked golden in a green casserole dish and garnished with fresh thyme.

I don’t know about you, but I think leftovers make some of the very best meals. Not only does leftover turkey taste amazing smothered in cream sauce all nestled up against veggies and potatoes, but it ensures that you’ve made the best of your bird with little waste. 

Groceries are expensive and we all work hard to feed our families well, which is another reason I’m a fan of leftovers.  They’re great for repurposing into inexpensive meals.  Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry is a great way to use up extra vegetables in your fridge, along with the leftover turkey.  Feel free to substitute the puff pastry for pie crust dough too.  They’re both great options, I just happen to choose puff pastry for this post. 

Puff pastry sprinkled with flour and ready to be rolled with fresh vegetables and diced turkey in the background for Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry.

I’ve made this Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry as a one-pan family-style meal.  It bakes up golden with bubbling hot goodness beneath.  It smells amazing and is homey and comforting.  As a child, I ate frozen pot pies, usually when my dad was away to give my mom a break from cooking.  While they’re no comparison to homemade, they emanated what I love about a pot pie and I secretly enjoyed them. I didn’t know any better and I had nothing to compare the frozen version to, so for me, it was comfort food heaven in a little foil dish. Nowadays I opt to make homemade and I hope your family enjoys it as much as I do, but whatever your homey, comfort food is, enjoy it! 

A scoop of Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry from a green casserole dish with serving bowls in the background.

Authour:  Compelled to Cook

A scoop of Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry from a green casserole dish with serving bowls in the background.
Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
Print Recipe
    Servings Prep Time
    6-8 people 35-40 minutes
    Cook Time
    30-35 minutes
    Servings Prep Time
    6-8 people 35-40 minutes
    Cook Time
    30-35 minutes
    A scoop of Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry from a green casserole dish with serving bowls in the background.
    Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
    Print Recipe
      Servings Prep Time
      6-8 people 35-40 minutes
      Cook Time
      30-35 minutes
      Servings Prep Time
      6-8 people 35-40 minutes
      Cook Time
      30-35 minutes
      Ingredients
      Servings: people
      Instructions
      1. Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven until foamy. Stir in carrots, celery and diced onions (add pearl onions with potatoes). Sauté for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
      2. Sprinkle in flour and stir to coat all the vegetables. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
      3. Over medium heat, slowly add one cup of hot chicken broth stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil (mixture will be very thick).
      4. Add another cup of broth and stir until smooth and the mixture comes to a simmer. Repeat with remaining broth.
      5. Reduce heat to low and add potatoes, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer, partially covered for 10-12 minutes until potatoes are almost tender (this will depend on the size of your diced potatoes).
      6. Stir turkey and peas into the stew and adjust to taste with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a greased 12"x8" or 2-quart equivalent casserole dish.
      7. Preheat oven to 400°F.
      8. Meanwhile prep the puff pastry dough if you have purchased unrolled. Dust your work surface with flour and roll pastry into a rectangle large enough to fully cover your casserole dish. Dough should be about 1/8" thick.
      9. Drape rolled puff pastry over the casserole, tuck in the corners and edges but allow the pastry to come up the sides a little (this helps prevent the sauce from bubbling up over the pastry).
      10. Cut 6-8 slits in the puff pastry to allow steam to escape.
      11. Whisk egg and cream together in a small bowl and brush evenly over puff pastry.
      12. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and pastry is cooked through. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
      Recipe Notes

      -It's important to use hot chicken or turkey broth.  Pouring cold liquid into the hot flour mixture will cause the flour to congeal and you will have lumps in your sauce.  Using hot broth maintains a steady temperature of the mixture allowing all flour particles to become incorporated before the flour cooks.

      -Flour does not reach its full thickening capacity until it comes to a full boil.

      -Use pre-rolled puff pastry dough for more convenience.

       

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      One Pot Turkey Mushroom Pasta

      One Pot Turkey Mushroom Pasta

      by | Dec 20, 2018 | PASTA, TURKEY | 0 comments

      Bring on the leftovers!

      Get ready for the inevitable week of turkey leftovers with this creamy and delicious One Pot Turkey Mushroom Pasta.  It will gobble up 2 cups of leftover turkey while being quick, easy and perfect for the whole family.  This one tastes a little like turkey pot pie, without the pie.  One of the ways I make sure there’s added flavour is to brown the mushrooms nicely.  The trick here is to start with a hot oiled pan, don’t overcrowd the mushrooms and allow them to cook on one side until golden before stirring.  It’s a great way to maximize flavour.  I also like to use flavoured cream cheese for added flavour.  For this recipe, I used a garden vegetable cream cheese, however, herb and garlic would also work well. 

      While this post is geared at using up leftover turkey, you could also use leftover chicken, purchased rotisserie chicken or even frozen cooked cubed chicken. The whole premise is minimal cooking involvement but great tasting creamy pasta cooked in one pot.  

      Being a shift worker, I’m a big, big fan of one pot dinners.  Working nights, I still cook dinner prior to leaving for work, so easy and relatively convenient is a must when it comes to getting dinner on the table. One Pot Turkey Mushroom Pasta is just one of my go-to meals to make my work week easier. 

      Author:  Compelled to Cook

      One Pot Turkey Mushroom Pasta
      Print Recipe
        Servings Prep Time
        4 people 20 minutes
        Cook Time
        25 minutes
        Servings Prep Time
        4 people 20 minutes
        Cook Time
        25 minutes
        One Pot Turkey Mushroom Pasta
        Print Recipe
          Servings Prep Time
          4 people 20 minutes
          Cook Time
          25 minutes
          Servings Prep Time
          4 people 20 minutes
          Cook Time
          25 minutes
          Ingredients
          Servings: people
          Instructions
          1. In a large skillet heat oil over high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and allow to cook until golden on one side and moisture is starting to evaporate. Stir mushrooms and cook for an additional minute. Add chopped onion and garlic. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally until starting to soften, 3-5 minutes.
          2. Add wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until most of the wine has cooked out. Stir in 3 cups of chicken broth, pasta, thyme and parsley. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on low, stirring once.
          3. Whisk cornstarch into remaining 1/4 cup of chicken broth. Stir into pasta and allow to come to a full simmer to reach full thickness. Stir in cream cheese, turkey, peas, salt and pepper. Allow to cook 1-2 minutes to heat turkey and peas. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

          Italian Turkey Kale Rolls

          Italian Turkey Kale Rolls

          by | Nov 3, 2017 | CASSEROLES, TURKEY | 0 comments

          With this weeks wintery weather here in western Canada I can safely say it’s casserole season! Which for me is a great because I love saucy and satisfying dishes that warm the house and fill it with mouth watering aroma. So while I’m not actually crazy about the weather, it does give cause to make Italian Turkey Kale Rolls. They’re a tasty way to warm your belly and beat off this weeks chill.

          Ground turkey is spiced up with Italian sausage, herbs and spices then combined with rice and rolled into kale leaves. Baked until flavours meld and the turkey is cooked through then topped with a sprinkling of cheese and given a quick broil. The resulting roll is tender, full of flavour and laden with tomatoey sauce. These tasty rolls are hearty and satisfying without being heavy, not to mention a great way to eat a little kale.

          I would consider Italian Turkey Kale Rolls a weekend recipe as there’s some prep and an hour long baking time. So a lazy Sunday afternoon is in order. The recipe does make 14 large rolls which for many of us will mean leftovers. Easy to portion out and freeze the leftovers to save for another wintery day when your time is limited.  Enjoy!

          Recipe source for Italian Turkey Kale Rolls:  Compelled To Cook

           

          Italian Turkey Kale Rolls
          Print Recipe
            Servings Prep Time
            14 rolls 45 minutes
            Cook Time Passive Time
            63 minutes 5 minutes
            Servings Prep Time
            14 rolls 45 minutes
            Cook Time Passive Time
            63 minutes 5 minutes
            Italian Turkey Kale Rolls
            Print Recipe
              Servings Prep Time
              14 rolls 45 minutes
              Cook Time Passive Time
              63 minutes 5 minutes
              Servings Prep Time
              14 rolls 45 minutes
              Cook Time Passive Time
              63 minutes 5 minutes
              Ingredients
              Rolls
              Sauce
              Servings: rolls
              Instructions
              Rolls
              1. Bring water and salt to a boil, add rice, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool while continuing.
              2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a simmer. Trim the bottom 2-3 inches from kale leaves. Blanch leaves in water for 3 minutes. Remove using a slotted scoop to a cold water bath or cold running water to stop the cooking process. Drain well.
              3. In a large bowl combine ground turkey, Italian sausage, onion, green pepper, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Mix gently just to combine all ingredients. Gently mix in rice.
              4. Preheat oven to 350℉. Lay a kale leaf flat and dab with a paper towel to grab any excess moisture. Scoop a generous 1/4 cup of filling onto leaf and roll leaf over filling, tucking in the sides as mush as possible. If the leaf is not large enough to tuck the sides simply press them around the filling. Place roll into a greased 13"x 9" casserole dish. Repeat with remaining kale and filling, stacking rolls tightly in pan getting 2 rows of 7.
              5. Pour sauce evenly over rolls, cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired and broil 2-3 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes prior to serving.
              Sauce
              1. In a medium bowl whisk together all ingredients and set aside until rolls are assembled.
              Recipe Notes

              I found that it takes 3 bunches of fresh kale to yield the 14 large leaves.  Save the smaller leaves for another use. It may be necessary to trim out about 1" of the center stem from the bottom of the cooked kale leaf to allow the leaf to roll nicely.  Don't worry too much about tucking in the sides as they are packed tightly in the pan and hold their shape when cooked.

              Zesty White Bean and Meatball Soup

              Zesty White Bean and Meatball Soup

              by | Dec 4, 2016 | SOUP, TURKEY | 0 comments

              Need a little something to warm you up this winter?  Try a steaming pot of Zesty White Bean and Meatball Soup. It’s not only warming but super hearty and healthy.

              The meatballs take a bit of time to mix, form and pan fry but totally worth the effort.  These little gems are made from ground turkey, chorizo and a host of herbs and spices.  The chorizo amps them up with flavour, fat and spice.  It’s a nice change from using the usual Italian sausage.  Once the meatballs are ready, it’s just a matter of tossing everything together in the pot and allowing it to simmer to tender up the veggies and meld the flavours.

               

              For this recipe I cooked my own cannelloni beans but by all means use canned if you’d like.  There’s really little difference to pre cooking your own dried beans other than a cost savings.  I also chose to use cabbage instead of dark greens, mostly because I love cabbage, cooked, raw, plain or dressed….yes I’m a fan.  But also because it adds substance without being too heavy and cabbage is fantastic with tomato.  Don’t let the long list of ingredients run you off either.  Everything is common and readily available and most of it you probably already have in your house.

               

              I love this Zesty White Bean and Meatballs Soup because it definitely warms you, fills you up and hopefully makes you forget about how cold it actually is outside…..if at least not for the time it takes to enjoy a bowl of soup.  Enjoy!

              Recipe Source:  Compelled To Cook

               

              Zesty White Bean and Meatball Soup
              Print Recipe
              A hearty and healthy soup loaded with cabbage, beans and zesty meatballs.
                Servings
                6 people
                Servings
                6 people
                Zesty White Bean and Meatball Soup
                Print Recipe
                A hearty and healthy soup loaded with cabbage, beans and zesty meatballs.
                  Servings
                  6 people
                  Servings
                  6 people
                  Ingredients
                  Meatballs
                  Soup
                  Servings: people
                  Instructions
                  Meatballs
                  1. In a food processor bowl combine chorizo and garlic, process until chorizo is broken down into tiny chunks. Set aside. In a large bowl whisk together egg, onion, oregano, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Stir in ground turkey, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and chorizo garlic mixture until just combined.
                  2. Form into meatballs using approximately 1 tbsp of mixture per meatball. Once all the meatballs have been formed, heat oil in a large non stick skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs in a single layer and pan fry until golden on all sides, about 12 minutes. Scoop out meatballs onto a paper towel lined plate, reserving fat from skillet.
                  Soup
                  1. In a large pot or dutch oven use 1 tbsp of fat from the meatballs and sauté onions and celery over medium heat until starting to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add meatballs, cabbage, diced tomatoes, broth, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 20 minutes. Add cannellini beans and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately with crusty bread.
                  Recipe Notes

                  Makes approximately 10 cups of soup.