Everything & the Turkey Casserole

After all the hours you’ve spent cooking Thanksgiving dinner, chances are you’re not in the mood to scrounge for ingredients or run to the grocery store to ready your next meal. And let’s face it, you’ve got tons of leftovers. With this recipe, you’ll have everything at your fingertips. This is the best casserole you can make with everything that’s left over from Thanksgiving.

Just heat up a bit of butter in a skillet. Throw it all in: celery, turkey, sausages, green peas, carrots, corn… even the gravy. And those croutons? Crush them and top the layer of mashed potatoes with the crumbs. Bake quickly. It’ll come out bubbly, crusty, buttery and packed with all the flavors of a perfect holiday feast. It’s easy and quick.

Everything & the Turkey Casserole

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
1 whole onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2-3 cups cubed roast turkey
1 cup sliced sausages (Italian or Spanish chorizos if available)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup cubed carrots
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup green peas
2 cups gravy
2-3 cups mashed potatoes
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup Parmesan cheese (or any grated cheese available)
Red pepper slices, for garnish
Salt and pepper for seasoning

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add extra virgin olive oil and butter. Once heated up, add the onions and celery. Cook till softened.

2. Add the chicken, sausages, carrots, mushrooms, corn, green peas. Mix well. Finally add the gravy. Blend in all ingredients and season with salt and pepper. This whole process takes only about 10 minutes. Once the gravy starts to bubble, turn off heat.

3. In a medium size casserole pan, place the ingredients till it fills up. Top the ingredients with a layer of the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle bread crumbs and cheese. Garnish with red bell peppers slices. Cover casserole with foil. Bake at a preheated oven of 375 F degrees for 20-23 minutes, or till mashed potato crust turns brown on the edges.

4. Serve quickly while still hot.

NOTES: This is a very forgiving recipe. Throw in anything or everything that’s leftover, cut up or chopped. You can even use roast chicken if preferred. But be sure to leave the mashed potatoes for the top layer. Or even mash some leftover sweet potatoes and just keep layering them.

—–

Elizabeth Quirino believes that “food brings the world together.” She loves to cook, develop recipes, photograph & write about her culinary adventures on her 2 blogs Asian in America & The Queen’s Notebook. Outside the kitchen, Elizabeth paints watercolors, reads everything and ends every week with ballroom dancing. For great food stories find her on Facebook and follow Mango_Queen on Twitter.