It’s the holiday season! And that also means it’s the “how do I get rid of the turkey leftovers” season. These recipes should help.
It’s a tradition in our family to have gumbo on hand for the busy weekend following Thanksgiving. Have all the ingredients prepared and ready to go. Once the roux is ready, you’ll add all the veggies at one time.
• 12 to 14 cups turkey stock (preferably homemade)
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 16 ounces package Cajun-style smoked sausage, diced and browned
• 2 to 3 cups chopped turkey
• 1 to 2 tablespoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
• Thinly sliced green onions
In a large Dutch oven (7 quarts), bring turkey stock to a gentle simmer.
In a large cast-iron skillet, add the flour and oil. Turn heat to medium high and, continually stirring, begin to make the roux. You must stir the mixture constantly so it won’t burn.
When the roux reaches the color of peanut butter, add the onions, celery and bell pepper all at once and stir. The vegetables will cool the roux so that it stops cooking, and the heat from the roux will soften the veggies.
Lower the heat to medium low and let the vegetables cook for 4 to 5 minutes, frequently stirring. Add the garlic and let cook another minute or so.
Add the vegetables to the simmering stock. Next, add in the browned sausage and turkey. Stir in the Creole seasoning and add the bay leaves.
Bring the gumbo up to a gentle simmer and let cook for an hour or so. Remove the bay leaves before serving over cooked rice. Garnish with parsley and/or green onions.
Little Gobbler Croissant Sandwiches
One of my social media friends told me about a sandwich that her mama served their family after Thanksgiving. I decided to try it out for our family. We all love it!
• Croissants (cut in half lengthwise)
• Cream cheese (I used the whipped version so it will be easy to spread)
Spread a liberal serving of cream cheese on each half of the croissant. Pile on the turkey slices and then spoon over as much or little cranberry sauce as you’d like. Top with that other half of the croissant. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
