Here’s hoping everyone had a good Thanksgiving weekend with family and friends.
What I like best about a great Thanksgiving feast is that I don’t have to cook for several days. There is always a second meal of the same dinner on day two as well as the turkey and/or ham sandwiches in between. For me, a delicious pot of homemade turkey soup is served on the third day.
If you’re feeling brave, try something totally different, like the enchilada recipe below. The turkey and pumpkin make perfect partners in this Mexican dish. As for the the turkey pie recipe, it’s an easy and delicious supper.
Turkey Pumpkin Enchiladas
Cooking spray
4 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 (15 oz.)can refried beans
1 (29 oz.) can pure pumpkin purée
1/4 cup taco seasoning mix
1 (29 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, or more to taste
2 tbsp. chicken bouillon granules
8 (10-inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 (8 oz ) package shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Mix the cooked turkey, refried beans, pumpkin purée and taco seasoning in a bowl.
Pour tomato sauce into a blender, and add the chipotle pepper and chicken bouillon granules; blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Lay a tortilla out onto a work surface, and generously spoon turkey filling in a line down the middle of the tortilla. Fold a top and bottom flap of the tortilla towards the middle, and fold the sides inward to enclose the filling. Lay the enchilada, seam side down, into the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Pour the sauce over the filled tortilla, and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake in preheated oven until cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve with a fresh salad and dinner is served.
Deep-Dish Turkey Pie
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can (10-1/2 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk (or leftover gravy)
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 cups cubed cooked turkey or chicken
1 pkg. mixed vegetables or use your own
1/2 pkg. Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box (1 crust)
Heat oven to 400 F. In 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add celery and onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in soup, milk, poultry seasoning and pepper. Cook until thoroughly heated. Gently stir in turkey and vegetables.
Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole or 10-inch quiche pan. Remove pie crust from pouch; place flat over turkey mixture. Roll up edge of crust to fit top of dish; flute edge. Cut slits in several places in crust. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown; let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Cathi Litzenberger is The Morning Star’s longtime food columnist.
