Use up Turkey Leftovers: Turkey Pile-On

I absolutely LOVE Thanksgiving dinner. Like LOOOOOVVVVEEEE everything about it. Turkey, Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce… all of the classics! But you want to know my favorite part?

LEFTOVERS!

I just love that cold Turkey Sandwich the day after Thanksgiving. So typically when I make a turkey, I get one that is WAY too big for how many people I need to serve. Why? Because if I’m going to go through the hassle of  making a Turkey, you BETTER BELIEVE I’m gonna have some leftovers to show for it!

Plus, after I’ve had my Turkey Sandwich, it’s nice to have additional turkey to do awesome stuff with like this epic Turkey Pile-On!

What is Turkey Pile-On, you ask? It’s basically this delicious creamy turkey sauce with peppers, onions, and mushrooms that you serve over steamed rice and loaded with all kinds of glorious toppings (Cheese, Pineapple, Coconut, Tomato, Scallions, Celery, Almonds, Chow Mein Noodles… etc).

My family has been making this for YEARS and has served it up to big crowds along the way! It’s ALWAYS a hit. I decided to adapt the ol’ family recipe to lighten it up a bit & simplify it. It turned out DELICOUS! I don’t even miss the heavy cream and extra butter!

Ya’ll HAVE to try this. It’s an excellent (and out of the norm) recipe to get those turkey left overs to stretch a little further! And can’t I just say that it’s SO tasty! Bookmark this for Friday!

I hope you and your families have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh, in case you missed it, check out my Thanksgiving Recipe Round-Up!

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Turkey Pile-On

Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25-30 mintues

Total Time: 45-55 minutes

A unique way to use up leftover turkey from Thanksgiving and make it stretch a little bit further...

Ingredients:

For the Turkey Pile-On:
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup diced onion (about 1/2 of a medium onion)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup half and half
3 cups diced leftover turkey
2 tablespoons diced pimentos
2 tablespoons cooking sherry
1/2 lemon juiced
3/4-1 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika, optional

Ideas for Serving:
Steamed Rice
Cheddar Cheese
Pineapple Tidbits
Chinese Chow Mein Noodles
Shredded Coconut
Sliced Scallions
Diced Celery
Diced Tomatoes
Sunflower Seeds
Almonds
Raisins

Directions:

Heat a 2 quart saucepan up over medium high heat. Melt the butter then add the onions, mushrooms, and green peppers and saute until softened (3-4 minutes). Dust the flour over top of the softened vegetables and stir until incorporated (45-60 seconds). Next, add the chicken broth and half and half and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened (6-8 minutes).

Add the diced turkey and stir until heated through (6-8 minutes). Lastly, add the pimento, cooking sherry, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir until well combined and taste to make sure additional seasonings aren't needed (I started with 3/4 teaspoons of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper and then additional to taste).

Serve over steamed rice with toppings of choice.

Adapted from a Carlen Family Recipe

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