Robust Cooking - Cooking Tips, Balanced Meals and Family Recipes

Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers

by Rachel Segal on November 20th, 2008

One of the greatest things about the holidays is the opportunity to experiment in the kitchen. Whether you have traditional standby recipes or you’re feeling more adventurous and are looking to spice things up with some variations on old favorites, it’s fair to assume when you’re done eating…there will be leftovers.

Turkey sandwiches. Turkey soup. Turkey salad. Sure, you’ll be able to use the rest of that bird in no time. But there is an alternative to these predictable dishes (since let’s face it - after a couple of meals like this you’re going to be bored with just the taste of turkey). The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever by Beatrice Ojakangas covers a wide range of casserole dishes for every occasion imaginable - including this tasty sounding recipe I’ll be trying out next week. What better to spice up leftover turkey than potent curry powder. I’m looking forward to putting this recipe to the test next week…that is after I’ve tackled the original Turkey feast on November 27th first.

Turkey and Curried Rice Casserole

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided, plus extra for the dish
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups diced cooked turkey
• 1/2 cup diced cooked ham
• 1 cup crumbled leftover stuffing or toasted and seasoned bread cubes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Pinch of dried thyme
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 cup rice
• 2 cups hot turkey or chicken broth

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 2 to 3-quart casserole.

2. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and add the onions and mushrooms. Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened.

3. Transfer the onions and mushrooms into the casserole and add the turkey, ham, stuffing, parsley, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper.

4. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet and add the curry powder and rice, stirring. Add the broth, stir well, and pour over the ingredients in the casserole.

5. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid.

(c) Beatrice Ojakangas, The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever - with permission from Chronicle Books (2008)

Share This

Related Stories

This Week’s Menu: Festive Sweets and SpiceDried Fruit and Cider RelishCutting Calories and Fat From Your Holiday Meal

POSTED IN: Casserole Recipes