- This topic has 14 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated December 8, 2008 at 5:05 pm by .
- Posts
rtebaltHi everyone! Haven’t been on the site for a couple of weeks. (I was back home visiting family.) Anyway, I’m back! At Thanksgiving I won 2 frozen turkeys. I gave on to friends, but I stuck the smaller one (a 12 pounder!) in the freezer. For Christmas, we’re having ham, so I won’t be using the turkey. I need to find some recipes to use with the turkey. I’d like to make it sometime in January (it takes up a lot of room in the freezer), but I need some recipes for leftover turkey because it will just be me & the hubbie. Can anyone help? Please! Thanks so much!!! 🙂 (Missed you guys while I was gone! 🙂 )
- mdowdy
I dont know how much this will help but i just slice mine and put it in bags to freeze and use later for sandwiches.
- wilbe95Welcome back!!!!
I agree, you will get turkeyed out. I would cut it up and freeze after cooking to use later. Once it is deboned it doesn’t take up very much space. - mcnerd
I’m also now cooking for one and it does create its own challenges, but I solved the biggest one by investing in a small 7.2 cf chest freezer so I can freeze more instead of looking at it in my refrigerator for days in a row until eaten. Now I can easily make casseroles or roasts, then divvy up the leftovers in to portion sizes and freeze in FoodSaver bags (eliminates freezer burn and stores longer). I can also take advantage of store specials and save money in the long run.
I also tossed out all my cookbooks with all those fancy meals for 6-8 people, knowing that (after drooling) I would never make them and having them only frustrated my cooking efforts. I started keeping my own recipes I found (for 1 or 2-4 people) I came across. From the internet you will never run out of ideas.
For the turkey, cook it, carve it up and store all the pieces in separate containers/bags (breasts separate from bits & pieces) and freeze them until you need a sandwich or a meal that uses them.Baby Hot Browns
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/4 cup hot water
3/4 cup half and half
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup grated swiss cheese
5 slices bacon — cooked and crumbled
1 large onion — thinly sliced
6 ounces cooked turkey — thinly sliced
18 small French bread slices
parsleyDissolve bouillon cube in hot water, and half and half in a saucepan, melt butter and add flour. Whisk and cook until mixture is frothy and raw flour taste is gone. While stirring, add the bouillon mixture. Stir constantly with a whisk until the sauce thickens and begins to bubble. Add Swiss cheese and stir until smooth (add water and heat if sauce needs to be thinned) Assemble hot browns by placing turkey and onion on each bread slice. Top with sauce and crumbled bacon.Heat at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
- HSLINKS
I completely agree with freezing the leftovers.. if you bag breast meat with liquid it won’t dry out as much.
If you debone the meat take the bones and cook in pot with water, herbs and veggies. You will have stock for soups or cooking. Freeze in small containers or use your ice cube tray. We used to pack stock into the cardboard milk cartons and freeze.Make up a stir fry pack – 3 ice cubes, some left over veggies, some cooked rice, some meat (could be turkey or anything else) -zip, label and freeze. **if you increase the ice cubes, use some cooked turkey you can have turkey rice veg soup
Freezing meals (we call them lunchables at my house) in individual containers is great but does take up room. If you or hubby take lunch to work its handy to pull one or two the night before and you are ready to go for the next day. It’s also handy when you are tired or sick and don’t want to cook.
If you lay bags flat for freezing they store better – you can always move them upright after they freeze flat.Ria
- mdowdy
How about a turkey pot pie, made just like chicken pot pie but use turkey instead of chicken
- Margaret KSome great ideas here. We save the left over gravy as we always make alot of it. Every once in awhile we have hot turkey sandwiches for dinner. Makes me hungry for one now.
- brchbell
Oh how I love doing up a turkey! After the first meal i remove all the meat and put them into 1 cup amount bags. I make all kinds of such with them over the next few months. I take cressant rolls and put chopped turkey and graded cheese in them and roll them up and bake in a pan that i put a can of cream of chicken soup, 1/2 can milk and 1 cup cheese. I make turkey soup. I make pot pie, I throw together a making Do casserole. 1 cup turkey (or what ever meat you have) 1 cup vegetable, 1 cup pasta or rice and 1 can cream soup. maybe some cheese if i have it. Oh there are so many ways to use up turkey! Use your imagination and have fun!
- JoAnn
As aeveryone has stated above. Freezing in smaller protions is the best way to store. Just use turkey in place of any chicken recipe that you have. As “brchbell” stated use your imagination and have fun! So many good ideas here for you today. WELCOME BACK !! Have missed you here.
- rtebalt@brchbell 94426 wrote:
Oh how I love doing up a turkey! After the first meal i remove all the meat and put them into 1 cup amount bags. I make all kinds of such with them over the next few months. I take cressant rolls and put chopped turkey and graded cheese in them and roll them up and bake in a pan that i put a can of cream of chicken soup, 1/2 can milk and 1 cup cheese.
Thanks for all the great ideas Brchbell!!! 🙂 I really like the crescent roll idea! How exactly do you make them??? Thanks so much!!! 🙂
- rtebaltThanks you guys! Please keep the recipes & ideas coming!!! OK, so you guys freeze the leftover turkey for sandwiches? I’ve never done that before? How long does it last in the freezer? When you’re ready to have a sandwich, do you just thaw the meat in the fridge? Or do you have to reheat it first? Does it still have a good flavor after its been frozen??? Thanks so much!!! 🙂
- brchbell
Cheesy Chicken or Turkey Crescents
1 cup diced cooked turkey or chicken
½ to 1 cup grated cheese
2 (8oz.) cans refrigerated crescents rolls
1 can cream of Chicken soup
1 cup milkCombine soup, milk and ½ cup cheese in saucepan. Heat of medium heat until cheese melts. Pour the soup mixture into 9X13” pan. Separate crescent rolls and spread the turkey or chicken on and top with some graded cheese. Roll up dough from wide end and place in pan of sauce. (You can also cook them with out the sauce!) After you get them all into the pan bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown.Serves 6
You can just use on can of crescent rolls and bake it in a 9” pan for a small family! Make up two small pans and freeze one for later one!
- JoAnnCheesy Chicken or Turkey Crescents, these sound sooo good. I’ll have to try this one with chicken.
- wilbe95
How long does it last in the freezer? When you’re ready to have a sandwich, do you just thaw the meat in the fridge? Or do you have to reheat it first? Does it still have a good flavor after its been frozen??? Thanks so much!!!
The turkey will keep in the freezer for a good six months after that sometimes it can get a little dry. I usually thaw in the fridge. If I am cooking it in a gravy or in a pot pie type I will just throw it in froze. For sandwiches, thaw or heat in the microwave-it is great either way. Sometimes the meat can be a little moister after freezing.
- mdowdyI would think it would last at least a couple of months. I thaw the meat in the fridge, we like our sandwiches cold so I don’t reheat it. I really dont see a big difference in the flavor. Hope this helps
- leeannhoy28
Turkey Pot Pies
I used to do this with my left over chicken and Turkey. I would freeze them for when hubby worked late and it was a much better alternative than a grilled cheese!
rtebalt
mdowdy
wilbe95
mcnerd
HSLINKS
Margaret K
brchbell
JoAnn
leeannhoy28- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.