26, 2024
The age old question, “should you wash your turkey?”
Washing your turkey before cooking is a common mistake that could be dangerous.
Preparing the ingredients for your Thanksgiving feast is an hours-long process.
Youll want to scrub potatoes, soak the broccoli in salt water andre-wash the pre-washed lettuce.
It turns out washing your turkey isnotthe proper way to avoid bacteria.
In fact, it actually makes the situation a whole lot worse.
Why Is Washing a Turkey Dangerous?
Check out this list of otherfoods you should never wash before cooking.
How to Prep Turkey Safely
Your Thanksgiving turkey doesnt have to put the family at risk.
Use sauteed fresh mushrooms if you might’t find ones in the jar.
“This recipe comes from a cookbook our church compiled.
It’s convenient because it can be made ahead and frozen.
After the holidays, we use leftover turkey to prepare this dish for university students.
They clean their plates!”
The richness of the soup is offset with plenty of vegetables: celery, carrots and frozen peas.
That’s one tradition I’ve kept up.
This hearty soup uses a lot of turkey and is great after watching football games and raking leaves."
“A dear friend brought me some of this soup when I was illand it instantly hit the spot.
Now I like to take it to friends when they’re not feeling well.
It’s filling, and it really warms you up on a wintry day!”
Top with some french-fried onions and serve with a side of cranberry sauce.
“This meal-in-one tastes like a big holiday dinner without the work.
These sweet and savory muffins with turkey and cranberry sauce are ready in 30 minutes.
“I love experimenting in the kitchen.
That’s how I created these muffins that use up leftovers from a turkey dinner.
Team them with a bowl of soup and some fresh fruit for a satisfying meal.”
The day after, throw together our easy turkey version ofshepherd’s piewith your leftovers.
It’s ready to bake in just 10 minutes.
“We live out in the country and the nearest grocery store is 25 miles away.
So I have become quite skilled at turning leftovers into second-time-around successes.”
Repurpose those bones by enrichingstore-bought chicken brothfor this Thanksgiving-flavored soup.
“I like making this soup around the holidays after a big turkey dinner.
It’s especially good on cold winter nights when it’s snowingwhich happens a lot where I live!”
It really hits the spot on chilly fall and winter days.”
Recipe contributor Rita Taylor, St. You would never guess this impressive-looking pie can be made with leftovers and a couple of convenience items.
“With its pretty lattice crust, this cheesy baked dish is as appealing as it is tasty.
It’s easy to make too, since it uses ready-to-go crescent roll dough.”
“This recipe turns our leftover turkey into a whole new meal!
Canned cream of chicken soup and uncooked pasta makes this dish a breeze to throw together.
“A co-worker gave me this recipe when we were discussing quick and easy ways to use leftover turkey.
The mild, cheesy casserole is a hit with my family.
And it doesn’t get much easier than thisyou don’t even have to cook the macaroni first!”
Serve a bowl of this turkey chili with a side of cornbread and a simple salad.
“Cut the fat and calories while savoring all the comfort, heartiness and flavor you love.
This recipe makes it easy!”
Keep the jalapeno seeds in for extra heat, or leave them out for a milder version.
“These quesadillas stuffed with turkey and cheese get amped up when you add sweet-tart cranberry salsa.
You might want to make extra; the salsa goes great with chicken or pork, too!”
Note that the broth needs an overnight chill before the fat is skimmed.
“Make the most of leftover turkey with a delicious homemade soup.
Roasting the turkey bones, garlic and vegetables adds a rich flavor without added fat.”
“A longtime family favorite, this thin-crust pizza is both tasty and nutritious.
It’s an excellent way to use up leftover turkey, too.”
We call for canned pumpkin to make it easy, but feel free to usehomemade pumpkin pureeinstead.
Keep the creamy, cheesy turkey filling warm in the slow cooker and let everyone serve themselves.
We like great northern beans for their delicate, nutty flavor, but cannellini beans are a good substitution.
“On winter evenings, we like nothing better than a steaming bowl of soup.
This one uses the turkey carcass to make a flavorful stock for the soup.”
“This hearty, rich-tasting dish is sure to be a hit with your family.
Regardless of your preferred method, ensure the bacon is crispy enough to crumble.
And save thatleftover bacon greasefor other uses.
Feel free to fancy it up with otherfresh herbslike sage, thyme, chives and tarragon.
The crust is very easy to work with.”
I usually double the recipe.”
Look for sturdy chips, not the ultra-thin ones.
you might also swap them out with other flavored tortilla chips or corn chips.
“I make this as a way to get my husband and nieces to eat their vegetables.
This creamy entree will fill you up fast.”
We call for rice-shaped orzo but anysmall pasta shapewill work.
Or leave the pasta out completely for a low-carb meal.
“My mother always made this skillet while we were growing up.
Now I make it for my husband and kids.
Serve this hearty dish with a nice big salad.
“Turkey, stuffing and veggie leftovers come together into a fabulous casserole.
There’s comfort in every bite.”
Soften them up by briefly frying in a little oil until they’re pliable.
“Planning a fiesta night?
These authentic-tasting enchiladas in spicy green sauce will kindly the whole family.
You’ll be thankful for turkey leftovers!”
Note in this recipe that the granules go straight into the pot with cold water.
Both will work in this soup.
“Pumpkin adds a unique richness to this warm soup.
you could prep both the crepes and filling ahead of time.
Just bring the crepes to room temperature and warm up the filling before assembling.
“This savory crepe recipe has been passed down through many generations in my family.
you’re able to also use the turkey filling to make a potpie.”
If it falls apart while cooking, add a little flour to the mixture to absorb the excess moisture.
It can also be helpful to chill the mixture in the fridge before frying.
“Talk about a fun way to use holiday leftovers!
Making this turkey and stuffing patty is so fast.
The family looks forward to this breakfast treat every year.”
The turkey filling and mashed potato topping can be prepped while the stuffing crust bakes.
If you find the crust is getting too dark, protect it with apie crust shield.
Prebaking the crust makes it crunchy.”
you could also substitute with ground spices, tasting and adjusting the amount of spices as you go.
“Although hearty with lots of nutritious vegetables and turkey, this soup is also light and luscious.”
All it’s crucial that you add is the ambiance for a bistro meal at home.
Serve them with leftover gravy, cranberry sauce, achunky applesauceor an herbed sour cream dip.
“I grew up with a family that looked forward to leftovers, especially the day after Thanksgiving.
Serve three per plate along with a crisp green salad for an unforgettable meal.”
you’re free to skip the proofing step and add the yeast straight into the flour mixture.
The smaller grain size of the yeast allows it to dissolve in the moisture of the dough.
Eat it for dinner, breakfast or just as a snack.
To add an over-the-top touch, drizzle with turkey gravy.”
Soups are either brothy or pureed and some can be served cold.
Chowders are thick, rich and creamy, full of chunky stuff and served hot.
)“This recipe uses Thanksgiving leftovers to create a rich and creamy turkey chowder.
My grandmother would even add chopped hard-boiled eggs to this chowder, which gave it a nice richness.”
Recipe contributor Susan Bickta, Kutztown, PennsylvaniaLeftover Turkey Recipes FAQ What do I do with dry leftover turkey?
How long is leftover turkey good for?
Use up refrigerated leftover turkey within four days.
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