Recipes use turkey leftovers from holiday meal

smcclanahan

Our children are so excited to have a couple of days of vacation from school they just don't know what to do first. After some lengthy discussion we decided to make a list of things we would like do over the long weekend. The lists included games to play, movies to watch, neighborhood children to play with and books to read with me. Notice that I did not mention any chores or cleaning duties. I guess we will have to adjust the lists a little to include those items, too.

I do hope you have an enjoyable holiday as well and a chance to do all of the fun things you desire to do. Maybe that could include cooking some new recipes for family to enjoy. Also for you today are a couple of recipes that use turkey leftovers.

Dried Apple Cider Pie

2 5-ounce packages dried apples (4 cups)

3 1/2 cups apple cider or apple juice

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 recipe apple pie pastry (see recipe below)

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan combine dried apples and cider or juice. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes (juices will be slightly thickened). Meanwhile, prepare apple pie pastry. Roll two-thirds of the pastry to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Add prepared apple filling, spreading evenly. Dot with butter. Cover edge of pie with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil; bake 20 to 25 minutes more or until pastry is golden brown and apple edges begin to brown. Cool on a wire rack. Roll remaining pastry into an oval about 6-by-4 inches. Cut into 1/2-inch-wide slivers. Place on a baking sheet; bake 8 to 10 minutes.

Scatter slivers over pie before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Apple Pie Pastry: In a medium bowl combine 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in 1/2 cup shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. Using a total of 5 to 6 tablespoons cold water, sprinkle 1 tablespoon water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat until all is moistened. Form into a ball.

Orange-Coconut Chess Pie

1 unbaked pie shell (9-inch)

6 tablespoons melted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs, well-beaten

1/4 cup orange juice

1 cup frozen coconut

Combine butter, sugar, eggs, orange juice and coconut. Pour into pie shell and bake at 350 degrees until done, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve warm.

Mince Pastry Twists

1 8-ounce package (8 count) refrigerated crescent rolls

1/2 cup prepared mincemeat

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar (optional)

1/8 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Milk (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degree. Lightly grease two cookie sheets; set aside. Unroll crescent rolls and separate into triangles; cut each triangle lengthwise into thirds to make three triangles (24 total). In a small mixing bowl, combine mincemeat and pecans. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the mixture onto each dough triangle, spreading to cover surface of dough. Fold in corners, overlapping slightly in the center. Place 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. For icing, if desired, in a small mixing bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk (1 to 2 teaspoons) to make a mixture of drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Makes 24 twists.

To Store: Place cookies in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Yankee Doodle Noodles

8 ounces uncooked dry no yolk or regular egg noodles

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small onion, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

18 ounces evaporated skim milk

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes

1 dash ground red, cayenne pepper

2 1/2 cups cooked turkey, shredded

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) artichoke hearts, canned in water, drained, thinly sliced

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, (8 ounces), divided

Non-stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook the noodles according to directions on package, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the evaporated milk and sherry and stir until smooth. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened. Add the tomatoes and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. In a large bowl, combine the noodles and sauce. Gently fold the turkey, artichoke hearts and 1 cup of the cheese into the noodle mixture. Coat a 2-1/2 to 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Add the turkey mixture, sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese evenly over all. Bake 35-40 minutes or until bubbly and beginning to lightly brown.

Turkey in Curry Sauce

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth

1 cup half-and-half cream

2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder

2 cups diced cooked turkey

2 tablespoons chopped pimientos

Hot cooked rice

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

In a saucepan, sauté onion in butter until tender. Add flour to form a smooth paste. Gradually stir in broth; bring to a boil. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Add cream and curry; mix well. Add turkey; heat through. Stir in pimientos. Serve over rice; sprinkle with peanuts. Yield: 4 servings.

Leftover Turkey Cheddar Casserole

4 cups cubed cooked turkey (about 1 pound)

3/4 to 1 cup celery, chopped

1 can (5 ounces) sliced water chestnuts

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1 can (10 ounces) condensed cream chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated onion

2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup coarsely crushed potato chips or corn flake crumbs

Black olives (optional garnish)

Sprig parsley (optional garnish)

Lightly butter a casserole or baking pan. Layer turkey, celery, water chestnuts, and bell pepper in pan. Combine condensed soup, sour cream, lemon juice, grated onion, and about 1 1/2 cups grated cheese (1 or 2 tablespoons of milk may be added to sauce to thin, if desired). Spread cheese sauce mixture over turkey. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and crushed potato chips. Bake casserole at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes or until casserole is hot and bubbly (may be microwaved on high for 20 minutes). To serve, garnish with sliced black olives and sprigs of fresh parsley.

Ranch Turkey Pasta Dinner

2 1/2 cups uncooked penne or medium tube pasta

6 to 8 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix

1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed

3 cups cubed cooked turkey

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter. Stir in salad dressing mix until smooth; heat through. Add peas and carrots; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain pasta and add to skillet. Stir in turkey and heat through.

Barb Johnson is requesting your help with a pumpkin fudge recipe. She needs a recipe that is quick and easy to make, not one that will require a long cooking time or uses a candy thermometer. Please search your recipe files so we can help Barb with her request.

Also, several of you sent pieces of mail in the last couple of months and I will be getting to your mail next week. Thanks for all of the great recipes and watch for those recipes next week. Have a very blessed Thanksgiving and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.