Recipes For The Meal That Keeps On Giving

It's the meal that keeps on giving and Katie Lee Joel has some quick and easy mouth-watering recipes using those thanksgiving leftovers.

Katie Lee Joel's Thanksgiving Leftover Menu:

Turkey Gumbo -- Save your turkey carcass to make this rich and hearty turkey gumbo. Put it on early in the day and by evening it will be ready.
Katie's good friend from New Orleans introduced her to this recipe last Thanksgiving and she's been waiting to make it this year!

Sweet Potato-Cranberry Shortcakes -- Use leftover mashed sweet potatoes or sweet potato casserole to make these biscuits, then top with leftover cranberry sauce and whipped cream for an inspired dessert!

Buffalo Turkey Quesadillas -- Watching the football games? Try this quick and easy twist on Buffalo chicken wings and use your leftover turkey instead to make these Buffalo Turkey Quesadillas.

Turkey Shepherd's Pie -- This is one dish that consolidates all of your leftovers -- turkey, veggies, gravy, and mashed potatoes!

RECIPES:

1 turkey carcass
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 yellow onions, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 chicken bouillon cube
1 Tablespoon Creole seasoning
1 pound smoked sausage (such as kielbasa), sliced ¼ inch thick

Remove turkey meat from carcass and dice. Set aside.

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is chocolate brown, about 15 minutes. Do not let burn. Stir in onions, celery, and green pepper and cook an additional 5 minutes. Stir in 10 cups water and bouillon cubes. Place turkey carcass in the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to simmer for 4 hours. Remove carcass. Add reserved turkey meat and sausage. Stir in Creole seasoning and season with salt and pepper. Simmer one hour. Serve with steamed rice.

Sweet Potato-Cranberry Shortcakes

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1/3 whole milk

Leftover cranberry sauce
Whipped cream

Preheat oven to 450 F. Grease a baking sheet.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and butter. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in sweet potatoes until just combined. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated and the dough begins to shape into a ball.

Sprinkle a work surface with flour, coat your palm, and rub some on a rolling pin. Turn out the dough onto the work surface. Knead the dough for 1 to 2 minutes, folding it over onto itself each time. Rol the dough to about ½-inch thick. Flour a 3-inch biscuit cutter (or the rim of a glass) and cut out the biscuits. Reshape the leftover dough into a ball, roll it out again and cut out more biscuits until there is no dough remaining.

Place the biscuits on the baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. While the biscuits are still hot, spread softened butter on top of each one and let it melt.

Split each biscuit in half and fill with a few tablespoons of leftover cranberry sauce and a whipped cream.

Buffalo Turkey Quesadillas

3 cups turkey, shredded
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons hot sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
12 flour tortillas (soft taco size)
Nonstick cooking spray
Blue cheese dressing
Celery sticks

In a microwave-safe dish, melt butter with hot sauce.

In a large bowl, combine turkey with sauce and stir until evenly coated. Add cheese and toss to combine.

Evenly divide turkey mixture on six tortillas and top with remaining six tortillas.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Cook quesadillas, one at a time, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, using a spatula to turn. Cut into quarters and serve with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side.

Turkey Shepherd's Pie
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
11/2 cup diced carrots (about 3 carrots)
1 cup celery, diced (about 2 stalks)
1 large yellow onion, minced
1 cup thinly sliced white button mushrooms (about 4 ounces)
One 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed (about 2 cups)
4 cups shredded cooked turkey
11/2 teaspoons finely minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh sage
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
21/2 cups low-sodium turkey or chicken broth
6 cups mashed potatoes (leftover or use recipe on page 000)
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish.

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onions, and mushrooms. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the peas, turkey, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Mix well, remove from the heat, and set aside.

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add stock slowly and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Add the sauce to the vegetable-turkey mixture and mix well. Transfer to the baking dish.

Spoon the mashed potatoes on top, spreading gently to cover. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake until the potatoes are lightly browned, about 1 hour.