No, this is not a post reheated for your viewing pleasure. Those are on another blog. Instead, we are going to look at some cheap alternatives to turkey hash, turkey sandwiches, turkey gumbo, turkey á la king, turkey soup…
If you engaged in the American tradition of turkey on Thanksgiving, you have more than plenty left over today. The joy of the recipes comes with the smallest price tag. Even from scratch, these recipes are under $10. Where’s your apron?
Orange Glazed Cutlets
Since the alien relatives are all retired to the mother ship, this recipe is for four. Gather your ingredients:
3/4 pound turkey cutlets
1 C orange juice
3 T flour
1 T olive oil
2 T butter
2 T honey
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
1/2 T dried basil leaves OR 1 T fresh
1/8 tsp white pepper (optional)
Not this one
If you cannot find turkey cutlets (tenders), you can make them yourself by cutting a turkey tenderloin into 1/2 inch chops and pounding them to 1/4 inch. Fold one in plastic wrap and smash it with a hammer rolling pin, meat mallet or a copy of Mantra for a Muse.
- On a plate, combine flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the cutlets and shake off excess.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until butter foams.
- Add cutlets. Turn once. Cook 3-4 minutes per side to ensure meat reaches 160°F.
- Remove to a clean plate.
Sauce:
- Add juice, honey, Worcestershire sauce and basil to the skillet.
- Stir constantly over high heat 4-5 minutes, until reduced and thick.
- Return cutlets to skillet and cook over medium heat 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure coating with sauce.
Serve piping hot.
Optional: Salt is a matter of taste and really not necessary for this recipe. Pepper is also a matter of taste, but a good addition. Substitute red pepper for better flavor. 1/8 teaspoon of ginger can be substituted for salt and/or pepper.
But this was supposed to be about leftovers, Red!”
And so it was. To adapt this recipe for the big day bird, use 1/3 – 1/2 inch slices of turkey breast straight from the fridge. Increase the heat to medium-high and reduce cooking time to 1-2 minutes per side, just enough to brown the flour.
This recipe is just as good with any number of other cheap sauces.
Remember, cutlets are thin. If you overcook them, they will be dry.
Each serving runs around 275 calories, 11 grams of fat, 21 grams of protein, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, and if you chose salt, about 385 milligrams of sodium.
From scratch, this recipe is around $6. From leftovers, around $1.50.
Turkey Cassoulet
Want to impress everyone with French cuisine? This peasant dish is all aces. As it sounds cassoulet is the French word for casserole. While this recipe calls for turkey, you can substitute chicken when turkey is not handy. Got ingredients?
3 carrots, sliced
2 slices bacon (and you thought it was only Americans!)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
1 lb turkey breast, cooked, chopped
1 can Great Northern beans (15 oz), drained
1 C chicken broth
1 C water
1/2 C whole wheat bread crumbs
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
2 T butter, divided
2 T Parmesan cheese, grated
1 T olive oil
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp dried marjoram leaves
1/8 tsp pepper
Put it all together.
- In a large saucepan, crisp bacon. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.
- Add olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, onion and garlic. Stir to loosen drippings. Cook crisp-tender.
- Add broth, carrots, tomato paste, water, thyme, marjoram and pepper.
- Cover pan. Simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Stir in beans and turkey.
- Pour into 2 1/2-quart casserole dish.
- Combine bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon butter and Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Mix well.
- Sprinkle crumb mixture over cassoulet.
- Bake 30-40 minutes at 375°F, until hot and bubbly.
Options: If you haven’t marjoram on hand, you can substitute basil. Pepper can be doubled according to taste. Tarragon is wonderful in this recipe at 1/2 teaspoon dried or 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped. Substituting half dark meat for this recipe adds a more savory flavor.
Waffle cutting or 1/4 dicing the carrots makes the dish have a bit more personality. Diced carrots cook faster. Tossing in a handful of diced bell pepper to the last few minutes of the onion/garlic cook is a great addition.
This recipe has no salt added because the canned ingredients contain salt. Leftovers will contain some extra salt and other spices as well.
If you are making this one from scratch, buy a turkey breast, cook it and freeze the leftover meat for another recipe.
Each of the four servings in this recipe contain almost 450 calories, 14 grams of fat, 40 grams of protein, 93 milligrams of cholesterol and a touch over 675 milligrams of sodium.
Cost from scratch: Just under $7
Cost from leftovers: Just under $5
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I hope you had a happy turkey day. What is your favorite leftover turkey dish? Are there any requests for cheap eats recipes?
When you tweet or +1 this post, please use the hashtags #food and #recipes. Thank you for all the shares.
spilledinkguy
/ November 23, 2012Wait…
you mean…
I wasn’t supposed to eat it all the first time?!
Not… that… I would ever… do… that…
😉
spilledinkguy recently posted..Maple in Fog
Red
/ November 25, 2012Sounds like you were at MJ’s house. He had to cook another one just to get leftovers. 😉 I hope you took its picture. I can only imagine the fun you would have with a turkey.
Gail Thornton
/ November 23, 2012Yum! Thank you for the alternatives for the day after, Red! I want to buy a turkey just to make the cassoulet. We didn’t have leftovers here, 🙂
I hope your day with your family was delicious and warm…..
Gailxxx
Gail Thornton recently posted..Poem – On Hold to Paris
Red
/ November 25, 2012A fridge full of yumminess. The cassoulet is a great one. My suggestion: Buy a turkey breast; bake; use what you need and freeze the rest cut up for later. <3 xxx
Noeleen
/ November 23, 2012Red, these are great recipes – and a beaut post for that time of year for you guys. It seems so lovely, thanksgiving 🙂
I’ve never ever cooked turkey, & have only ever bought turkey breast at the supermarket. I really, REALLY need to venture more…
Noeleen recently posted..THE CLOWN WITH THE BIG RED LIPS
Red
/ November 25, 2012Oh, Noeleen, it is so easy. I know you have cooked chicken breast. It truly is the same principle, just a bit longer time. I would think for you and D a small one would be plenty. If you get a larger one (over 3kg), you could freeze the rest for another recipe or slice it for sandwiches. It is so much healthier for both of you than the salty stuff from the deli pack. <3 Right up your alley. xxx
Carl D'Agostino
/ November 23, 2012When I have a yen for the taste of orange for chicken, fish, shrimp I use orange marmalade. Don’t need any other ingredients.
Red
/ November 25, 2012I wish that shortcut were available for us. I cook for too many diabetics to use marmalade as much as I would like. I only have two recipes which call for prepared jellies. One, I make because I can use a sugar free variety. The other, I cheat and make fruit sauce of my own. Perhaps, I can put up some of my alternative recipes.
Binky
/ November 23, 2012These recipes sound pretty good, though I think they’re more single-serving size. Well, for some of us, anyway.
Binky recently posted..After School Snack
Red
/ November 25, 2012LOL! There are a number of people close to me (besides Claret and Bruno) who say the same thing. There was enough turkey a la king for 8 people. There were hardly enough leftovers for Beau!
Laurie
/ November 23, 2012I like your prices on meals a lot better than mine. I bought two packs of chicken breast today, when I got home I realized I could have bought a thing of already fried chicken for the same price and got more chicken. What’s wrong with this picture?
Laurie recently posted..Now for Christmas
Red
/ November 25, 2012I have given up on fresh chicken parts. Since the only dark meat I can get in them must be hidden. Fryers are just nasty. When you swap turkey for chicken (ironically), you can save. Especially if you do the whole bird and adapt the recipes. Remember, it needs a little extra moisture when you cook turkey instead.
Laurie
/ November 25, 2012hmm, fresh chicken…….when I was a kid it was freshly killed and tasted a lot better…I manged to get ground chicken in place of ground beef, wonder if I could get them to eat turkey in place of actual chicken pieces … if I put it in freezer bags they won’t know the difference.
Laurie recently posted..Saturday’s Plans
Red
/ November 25, 2012Stop calling it chicken. Start calling it bird. It was how we got over the “Bambi” issue when we were children. (I had a sister with far too much heart to eat venison as a kindergartner.) Once in the bags, no one knows but you.
MJ Logan
/ November 24, 2012Leftovers? I had to go grill my own turkey to have some leftovers. Worth it though.
MJ
MJ Logan recently posted..Light
Red
/ November 25, 2012I saw that! It looked yummy. I cannot tell you the last time I have had smoked turkey. I am feeling something circa 1985. Maybe, earlier.
Valentine Logar
/ November 24, 2012Wonderful, although by the time the kids packed up what they wanted there was barely any left for us. I had to make more mac-n-cheese for DB just so he would have some the next day. Greedy little..oh I did not say that.
Valentine Logar recently posted..No Restraint
Red
/ November 25, 2012LOL! I was trying to send more of it home, but the 14 hour drive was not conducive to “to go” boxes. *sigh*
Miss R
/ November 25, 2012Fried Turkey, basted turkey, turkey on a stick, coconut turkey, turkey with mustard, turkey ala king, turkey bisque, boiled turkey, cajun turkey, turley soup, turkey with shrimp… I think that’s it.
~Bubba Gizzard
Miss R recently posted..Twinkie Twinkie Little Star
Red
/ November 25, 2012Wait. No, turducken? I am aghast! *giggles* Great to see you tonight, Chica <3 xxx
Lorre
/ November 26, 2012No turkey leftovers this year, but this sounds great for another time. Christmas perhaps? Hmmmm!
Thanks for adding the price tag. It makes your recipe even more appealing.
Thanks for the leftover link. You so rock!
Red
/ November 26, 2012You are not the only one to proclaim no leftovers. MJ smoked a second turkey because there were no leftovers. Look for some more recipes to traditional foods slightly twisted over the next couple weeks. I have too many requests for food than I can viably answer by email.
You are so very welcome 😉 When I wrote the title, I knew your catch phrase would be a part of this one.