Thanksgiving. The day family and friends come together for a morning of frantic chaos as they tend to various conversations, catch ups and chatter while simultaneously juggling all the stress of creating a bountiful holiday feast.

A favourite amongst many, the Thanksgiving dinner is a staple tradition in countless homes around the globe. It’s often a time when distant relatives, independent children and the like can all be in the same room together, sitting and enjoying a perfectly crafted meal and creating a memory that will last forever in the hearts of close loved ones.

Then comes the hard part. The dinner is over, the guests have all taken their leave with more than enough “stuffed” jokes to last another year, you step into the kitchen and… there’s still a ton of food. This too is a staple tradition in countless homes around the globe, as well as a unanimous question. What to do with all that food?

We recognized this issue and have decided to put together a couple must-have recipes that can help you turn those leftovers into exquisite meals to come.

CREAMY TURKEY & DUMPLINGS

The perfect meal for the cold evening, these dumplings can easily bring the warmth back into your kitchen.

Ingredients:

For Soup Base:

• 3 containers 32 oz low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 medium sized onions diced
• 4 carrots peeled and sliced into 1" rounds
• 1 head broccoli chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter approximately
• 2 tablespoons olive oil approximately, we use Delallo Olive Oil
• 2-3 cups leftover chopped turkey meat chicken subs great!
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or a few fresh sprigs
• 1 teaspoon powdered garlic or add in a few cloves fresh
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

For Dumplings:

• 1 1/2 cups flour we tried with Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat and all purpose with equal results
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk or half and half
• Serve with: grated parmesan cheese fresh black pepper

Directions:

1. Bring chicken stock to a boil in large stockpot while you prep ingredients.

2. Saute onions, carrots, and broccoli in a large saute pan with butter. Add olive oil as needed if pan looks dry. Cook until onions are translucent and carrots are beginning to soften. If using fresh garlic add it in for the last 3 minutes of cooking time. 

3. Add sauted vegetables, chopped turkey meat and seasonings to the stockpot. Boil for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are softened to desired state. Adjust seasoning if needed.

4. Whisk cornstarch into half and half until all lumps are gone. Whisk into soup and boil for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

5. In a medium bowl mix dumplings together. Swirl soup with wooden spoon and add heaping tablespoons into center of soup (needs to be at a rolling boil). Continue adding quickly until all batter is used up. Put lid on and cook on high for 2-3 minutes.

6. Serve immediately. Top with grated parmesan and a bit of fresh cracked pepper

DELICIOUS TURKEY POT PIE

With beautiful golden crusts, these turkey pot pies will make your mouth water before you even start cooking them.

Ingredients:

• 8 tablespoons butter, divided
• ½ a small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 2 carrots, chopped
• ½ cup Brussels sprouts, shredded
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 1/2 -3 cups whole milk
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• ½ cup frozen peas
• 1-2 cups leftover shredded turkey
• ¼ cup leftover cranberry sauce (optional)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
• salt + pepper, taste
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 large egg, beaten

Directions:

1. Add the butter to a large skillet and set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until softened and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes, season with salt + pepper. Add the garlic, carrots and shredded Brussels sprouts. Continue to cook until the carrots are fork tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sage + thyme.

2. To the skillet, add the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and continue cooking another minute, stirring to incorporate. Slowly pour in the milk and a pinch of cayenne. Bring the sauce to a low boil and then reduce the heat and stir in the peas. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in the shredded turkey and cranberry sauce (if using). Taste and season with more salt + pepper if needed.

3. Grease 8 mini ramekins. Divide the turkey mixture among the ramekins. Unroll the puff pastry and cut it into 8 squares (4 squares per sheet). Tuck the sides of the pastry down into the ramekins OR let the pastry hang over the sides of the ramekins. Pinch the pastry against the ramekins to seal. 

4. Brush the tops of the pastry with the beaten egg and then cut four small slits in the top of each pie. Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh parsley and salt.