Leftovers Are Coming

For several years now I have felt like once Halloween hits, it is a downward coast until the first of the year. Seriously. It seems that as soon as the ghosts and goblins ring that doorbell, the next minute the turkey is coming out of the oven, Santa arrives and then it is time for New Year's Eve fun. 

In no way does that mean we can't enjoy each holiday as it comes, we just have to be ready for how quickly they will arrive. Plus, in the food world, we always have to be thinking ahead to make sure our posts are relevant to what you guys need from us. 

So back in August I took one for the team and roasted a whole turkey. Why? So I could have leftovers to test this recipe and offer up something for when the day after Thanksgiving arrives and everyone is Googling ways to use up all that extra bird sitting in the fridge. 

Enter an easy pot pie recipe that involves NO making a crust, cooks in about 30 minutes and is pure comfort food. It is perfect a simple weeknight supper, or post holiday meal. 

Plus, post Thanksgiving you might be able to use up other leftovers too. Got pie dough? Swap the biscuit mix for it! (Just adjust cooking time!) You can also use up veggies for the filling, and it would be so tasty served with some mashed potatoes and rolls on the side. There is so much you can do with this one easy recipe. 

Planners like me are already thinking ahead for the holidays. Halloween right through the new year are on our radar so we aren't leaving anything to chance!

Can I use a different meat?

Definitely! Cooked chicken would be just as delicious!  

Do I have to use condensed soup?

I know many prefer not to use canned soup, but for me, they are great for my quick recipes. If I was going to use something different it would be a quick pan gravy using chicken stock.  

What kind of biscuit mix do I use?

Of course Bisquick is everyone's go-to but I used a store brand from Walmart and it worked just fine. 

Do I have to thaw the vegetables first?

Yes! They have to thawed and drained so they don't add extra moisture to the pie.

Best Tips:

Use any all-purpose baking mix you have on hand. A cheddar bay boxed mix would make this extra delicious!

Cooked chicken or turkey both work equally well. 

If your pie plate is very full, place on a baking sheet before cooking to prevent a mess. 

Be sure to let the pie sit about 5 minutes before serving. 

Serve with mashed potatoes, a green salad, fresh fruit, rolls, etc.

 

Shortcut Turkey Pot Pie

1 1/2 cups cooked turkey, shredded or diced

1 (12 oz.) bag frozen mixed veggies thawed and drained well

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup biscuit baking mix

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1/4 tsp. dried thyme 

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and pepper

Dried Parsley

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl combine turkey, soup, veggies, thyme, salt and pepper. Pour into a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. In a separate mixing bowl combine baking mix, milk and egg. Pour on top of turkey mixture. Do not stir. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Garnish with parsley for serving.

More Thanksgiving Recipes To Try

Easy Corn Casserole 

Roasted Butternut Squash with Pecans and Cranberries 

Cranberry Fluff 

Autumn Brussels Sprouts Salad

Cranberry Turkey Bites

Praline Roasted Acorn Squash

 

Side Dish Or The Star

I love when a recipe can wear different hats. Having something that is both delicious and versatile means I can make it again and again, and utilize it in different ways.

Case in point? Today's recipe. If you're doing Meat Free Monday, this could easily be your main dish tonight. (See note below!) Or, if you are like me and are always on the lookout for new side dishes, this could totally rock that too! It would be SO tasty with anything you're grilling up this summer. Oh, if your kids turn their noses up at anything green...this has so much cheese, they might not even notice!

Broccoli and Cheese are such classic flavors and this really lets them shine! You might not think it is hearty enough to be the center of a meal, but I assure you, it is! I served it with some fruit and crunch bread on the side and we were plenty full. Plus, the leftovers made a great lunch for the hubby the next day.

If your recipe box is in need of some dishes that you can pull out for different reasons, and enjoy them any way you serve them, start with this!

Cheesy Broccoli & Rice Casserole

2 TBS butter

2 c. instant rice, uncooked

2 (12 oz.) bags frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

2 celery ribs, finely chopped

1 (10 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (10 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

1 (16 oz.) jar cheese sauce

1/4 c. sour cream

3/4 c. milk

1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and a piece of aluminum foil big enough to cover it. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Saute onion and celery until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add broccoli and cook another 5 minutes. In a medium bowl whisk together cheese sauce, soups, milk and sour cream. Add rice. Stir to combine. Add mixture to skillet. Stir well. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to baking dish. Cover. Bake for 30 minutes, until rice is tender. Uncover. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and extra pepper. Cook 10-15 additional minutes. Stir well before serving.*NOTE* If you want to make this 100% meat free, swap out the cream of chicken for cream of celery soup. I think it would be delicious!

Inspired by Spicy Southern Kitchen
Shared at Weekend Potluck

Birthday Supper

 I am a firm believer that everyone should be able to pick whatever he/she wants to eat on his/her birthday. Weather it means they have someone special cook a yummy dinner or go out to a favorite place, we all deserve that on our special day.

And every year on Mr. E's birthday I know exactly what he is going to request for me to make him his beef stroganoff.  Something from his childhood, his mom used to make, that to this day he still loves every bite. Now, I don't have the recipe she used, but years ago I found one that was very similar and simple for me...using one of my best friends in kitchen my crock pot.

 Oh, and it just so happens to be super economical too. It takes an inexpensive cut of beef like round steak and stretches it as far as possible, feeding your entire family on the cheap!

If you have a birthday coming up, be sure  you get exactly what you want for your special birthday supper. Or, if you know someone who loves stroganoff, maybe you could surprise them on their "day all about me" with a big plate of this!
  
Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

2 lbs. round steak, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces

1 (6oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of celery soup

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1 c. sour cream

1 lb. wide egg noodles

2 TBS dried parsley

2 TBS butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine beef, soups, onion, soup mix, mushrooms, salt and pepper in slow cooker. Stir well. Cook on LOW for 8 hours. Stir in sour cream and 1 TBS parsley. Reduce to warm. Cook noodles and drain well. Return to hot pan. Add butter, 1 TBS parsley, salt and pepper. Stir until butter melts. Serve beef mixture over noodles.

Shared at Weekend Potluck

New Orleans At Home

My boys love creole/Cajun food. They can't get enough. For Mr. E. is steams from the trips he took to Louisiana to visit his aunt and uncle. Great memories made over delicious food. For the boy I think it's simply in his DNA, from Daddy of course. I'm sure his very varied and sophisticated palate has something to do with it too. He loves him some great flavor, what can I say?

One of the little guy's favorite restaurant dishes is the gumbo he used to get at Qdoba. See, when they first opened here in Fort Wayne, we won a year's worth of meals from them! So, we ate there a lot over the next 12 months, and enjoyed every bite. But when those meals ended, I will fully admit I was taken back a bit at how pricey they are. I'm not saying the food isn't worth the money, but for a place I would list in the "fast food" category (you order at the counter, you get your own drinks and condiments, there are no servers) it's just a little bit more than I'm willing to spend. Therefore, I had to come up with ways for us to enjoy our favorites at home.

This is the first gumbo recipe I was willing to try when it was given to me. Why? One reason. The words "easy and skillet". To me that meant another one pot wonder I could have on the dinner fast and then share with all of you!

This is a simple weeknight meal that is packed with flavor. You can decrease or increase the heat level depending on how much your family can stand. This was just right for me (the wimp) and the guys added some dashes of hot sauce to theirs for some extra heat.

Bring New Orleans into your kitchen with a delicious, fast meal that is sure to create some new creole fans of its own!

Easy Skillet Gumbo

2 TBS vegetable oil

2 (9 oz.) packages smoked sausage, sliced

1 green pepper, chopped

1 medium white onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 ( 14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained, leave a little juice

2 tsp. creole seasoning

1 TBS cornstarch

1 (15 oz.) can chicken broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dried Parsley, for garnish

Cooked Rice

In a large dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onions, peppers, garlic, carrots and celery. Saute' until sausage is browned and veggies are tender-crisp. Add tomatoes. Stir well. Sprinkle with cornstarch. Mix well. Add chicken broth. Stir to combine. Increase heat to high. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes until thickened. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with parsley if desired. 

Shared on The Country Cook May 8, 2015