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.
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.
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.
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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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.
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.
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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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.
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!
Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven until foamy. Stir in carrots, celery and onions. Sauté for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
Sprinkle in flour and stir to coat all the vegetables. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Over medium heat, slowly add one cup of hot chicken broth stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil (mixture will be very thick).
Add another cup of broth and stir until smooth and the mixture comes to a simmer. Repeat with remaining broth.
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).
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Meanwhile prep the puff pastry dough if you have purchased unrolled. Dust your work surface with flour and roll pastry to 13"x9" rectangle or large enough to overhang your casserole dish. Dough should be 1/8"-1/4" thick.
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.
Drape rolled puff pastry over the casserole, pressing the overhang onto the edge of the dish.
Whisk egg and cream together in a small bowl and brush evenly over puff pastry.
Cut 6-8 slits in the puff pastry to allow steam to escape. 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.
-Be sure to leave an overhang of puff pastry. If you don't the stew will bubble up over the pastry, preventing it from cooking properly.
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Spinach and Cheddar Potato Cakes recipe is an oldie but a goodie. A simple way to use the cold, hard mashed potatoes that have been hiding in your fridge for three days.I can say with confidence that I always make too many mashed potatoes. With the same confidence, I can also say that I’ve had that forgotten Tupperware container of mashed potatoes buried in my refrigerator. I think we’ve all been there. So the next time you’re sifting through your fridge, desperately trying to find something for lunch and can’t believe you have nothing. Dig deep and move a few jars to find the lost and lonely tub of mashed potatoes, begging to be consumed. Mix with a few pantry items and a give a quick pan fry, you’ll find lunch is served.
What I like about this recipe, is the ratio of potato to egg and breadcrumbs.I find the cakes stay moist and hold together very well during forming and frying.While this is my own little version, you could easily customize the flavours to your liking. Maybe try different greens and herbs, garlic, parmesan, corn or sautéed onions. I also used sour cream and fresh dill as an accompaniment, but tzatziki would also be great. Use whatever you have on hand and enjoy!
Recipe source for Spinach and Cheddar Potato Cakes: Compelled to Cook
In a medium bowl, mix together egg, spinach, dill,green onion and seasonings. Add mashed potatoes and bread crumbs, mix until well combined. Fold in cheese.
Heat oil in a non stick frying pan over medium-high heat. While pan is heating, form 1/3 cup potato mixture into approximate 3" patties about 1/2" thick and place into pan as you form them. Cook 4-5 minutes per side until heated through and golden brown. Serve with sour cream and additional fresh dill and sliced green onions.
With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, you are bound to have leftover mashed potatoes. Mexican Jalapeño Cheddar Croquettes will be your reason not to forget them at the back of the fridge. Maybe you even still have company and need to put out a few snacks. These little potato bombs are super crispy, cheesy and just a little spicy. They’re perfect for passing around and dipping in your favourite salsa.
A bit of information on the recipe today. First, I chose to amp up the coating by using ground-up corn tortilla chips mixed with panko breadcrumbs. Panko instead of regular breadcrumbs because they’re coarser and give more crunch than fine breadcrumbs. Homemade breadcrumbs would have a similar result as you could control the grind. For the tortilla crumbs, I used Tostitos Extra Thick tortilla chips but any corn tortilla chip will do. Don’t be skimpy on the coating and pack on as much as the egg wash will hold. This will ensure a thick coating and help hold in the melty cheese trying to escape.
I chose to shape the croquettes into approximate 2” long ovals, but round or tubular will also work. I think for sharing, forming into a 1 3/4” ball would be best. A better crunch to soft potato ratio in my opinion and therefore more snacky like. However, if you’re having them with a salad, the larger oval is a good fit. I’m not that fussy, just sharing my thoughts on the matter.
I love this recipe because of the tortilla breadcrumb coating. It makes for an amazing crunch and cooks to a picture-perfect golden. Using pickled jalapeños not only softens the heat of the pepper but adds a little acidity to all the starchy potato and melty cheese. As a bonus, these Mexican Jalapeño Cheddar Croquettes are a great way to use up any leftover mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
In a large bowl stir together mashed potatoes, sour cream, egg, salt and pepper until well combined. Stir in cheddar cheese, jalapeño and chives. Place approximately 3 tbsp of mixture in the palm of your hand and roll into a 2" long oval. Continue with remaining potato, placing each on a tray when formed. Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes. Can be done several hours ahead.
Place several croquettes into flour and turn to coat. Shake off excess and dunk in egg wash, turning to coat completely. Scoop out of egg wash and roll in breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere and coat completely. Set aside on a tray and repeat with remaining croquettes.
Using a deep fryer or large pot with at least 3" of oil, heat to 350℉. Gently place as many croquettes that will fit (without overcrowding) into the pot. Maintaining 350℉ cook for 4-5 minutes. Using a slotted scoop remove croquettes to a paper towel-lined plate. Keep warm in a low oven and repeat with remaining croquettes. Serve immediately with your favourite salsa.
Breading
Using three shallow dishes, in the first combine ground tortilla chips, breadcrumbs and chill powder. In the second whisk eggs with milk. For the third, generously season the flour with salt and pepper. Arrange dishes for breading station starting with flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs
Recipe Notes
Pulse tortilla chips in a mini processor until the size of panko breadcrumbs. If a processor is not available, place tortilla chips in a sealable bag and crush with a rolling pin.
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