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< Back Boiling Turkey Bones Nothing better than homemade turkey broth to warm your body and soul! Previous Next

This cornmeal cereal, known as a Cajun breakfast, is made from a cornbread batter, poured into a hot, cast iron skillet, crusted and turned several times, then steam cooked. It's known as Couche Couche, Cush Cush and Coush Coush, all pronounced "coosh-coosh" and is a Deep South favorite. < Back Couche Couche - Cajun Breakfast Cereal Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Serves: 4-6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1/2 cup cooking oil (vegetable, canola) 2 tablespoons butter or bacon drippings 2 cups all-purpose cornmeal 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, optional 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1-1/2 cups milk, plus additional milk, buttermilk or heavy cream for individual servings Preparation INSTRUCTIONS Heat oil with butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk together the dry ingredients; add the milk. Pour batter into the hot oil and allow to cook until a crust forms on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a metal spatula or spoon, begin turning batter over as it cooks, so the browned part is on top. Once all has been turned, reduce heat to medium low, cover and allow to continue crusting on the bottom and steaming, turning occasionally, until cooked through and has the appearance of cooked, crumbled cornbread. Serve as you would with cereal, spooned into individual bowls, sprinkled with sugar or topped with butter and drizzled with cane syrup or honey. Pour milk, cream, buttermilk or hot coffee milk, around the cereal. NOTES: May be seasoned with salt and pepper only for a more savory version. I also like to cook bacon as a side and serve the couche couche with crumbled bacon and a fried egg on top. Previous Next

Canning Dry Beans Is Super Easy! This Recipe Includes Affiliate Links For Items, If You Purchase I Receive A Commision At NO Extra Cost To You! < Back Canning Dry Beans Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: Serves: N/A Level: Beginner About the Recipe Canning Dry Beans Is Super Easy! This Recipe Includes Affiliate Links For Items, If You Purchase I Receive A Commision At NO Extra Cost To You! Ingredients Dried beans (kidney, black beans, pinto, navy, etc) Water Quart or pint sized mason jars with lids/rings Equipment: A pressure canner ( like this ) Preparation For me, one of the keys to cooking real food is to have a pantry stocked with real food ‘building blocks’ that I have prepared ahead of time. I always have a supply of homemade broth/stock, home-canned tomato sauce, applesauce, pickles, and multiple other items. It makes it easy to put together a real-food meal without spending 6 hours in the kitchen each and every day. I love cooking with dried beans (black beans, red beans, pinto beans, navy beans, you get the picture…), but they can take a lot of time to prepare. If you are starting from scratch, expect to soak them overnight, and then cook them for several hours. It’s not a complicated process, but it definitely makes deciding to have refried beans for supper at the last minute pretty much impossible. To combat this problem, I like to make big batches of beans at once. To preserve my beans, I prefer canning over freezing. Here’s why: 1. My freezer space is limited, and I’d rather use it to store things like meat. 2. I seriously struggle with remembering to take things out of the freezer so they have time to defrost. And a frozen jar of beans takes for.ev.er to thaw out… 3. In the event of a power outage, my canned beans are ready-to-go at a moment’s notice. Even if my freezer was without power and the food in it spoiled, my canned items would be ok. Now this is very important if you are planning on canning beans: You MUST use a pressure canner to can beans– a water bath canner WILL NOT cut it. Any time you are preserving low-acid foods (like beans), a pressure canner is required. Got your bag of beans ready? Let’s do this! How to Pressure Can Beans Supplies: Dried beans (kidney, black beans, pinto, navy, etc) **see my note below regarding amounts Water Quart or pint sized mason jars with lids/rings A pressure canner ( buy one here ) Pick through your beans to remove any foreign objects, then place them in a large bowl and cover with plenty of water. Allow them to soak overnight. (You can add 2 Tablespoons whey, vinegar, or lemon juice to your soaking water if you wish. Some folks report that it makes them easier to digest- although I haven’t noticed a whole lot of difference. Either way, it doesn’t hurt to try.) The next morning, drain and rinse the beans. Place in a large pot and cover them by about 2 inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil. (Stir frequently and watch carefully– those beans LOVE to boil over!) Ladle the hot beans into hot jars (no need to sterilize them, but they should be clean and hot), leaving 1″ headspace. Fill with the cooking liquid, again, leaving 1″ headspace. Put lids and rings on the jars. Alternate Method The Ball Blue Book recommends boiling the beans for 30 minutes before placing into jars. However, this makes the beans a little on the mushy side. Many folks (including myself) have had good luck with simply soaking the beans overnight, rinsing, and then placing them straight into the jars. Fill the jars with boiling water (leaving 1″ headspace) and then proceed with the canning. This eliminates the hassle of boiling and results in slightly firmer beans. Place them in a pressure canner and process at 10 pounds* pressure: Pints for 1 hour, 15 minutes Quarts for 1 hour, 30 minutes (*You will need to adjust your pressure depending on your altitude. I have to process at 15 pounds pressure since we are at 6,500 feet. ) Remove from the canner and let cool, checking all lids for proper seals before storing. Kitchen Notes: Bean Amounts: calls for about 3/4 pound of dried beans per quart jar . For my last batch, I used 11 pounds of dried red beans and that filled about 9 quart jars (give or take a little). If you end up with extra, you can always freeze them, or eat them for supper that night. After you boil the beans and are ready to put them in jars, they won’t be fully softened. The pressure canner will do the rest of the cooking, so don’t panic. 😉 Some tutorials do a “quick soak” method which instructs you to bring the dry beans to a boil, let them stand for one hour, and then proceed with canning. I suppose you can do this if you like, but I prefer the overnight soak. It makes sense to me that that would make them slightly easier to digest, but that’s just my uneducated opinion. If you like, you can add some salt to each jar (1/2 teaspoon for pints, 1 teaspoon for quarts). This is purely for added flavor- it plays no part in the preservation process. I usually leave mine unsalted and season accordingly when I’m ready to use them. So what do you do with all those canned beans? Lots of stuff! Make up a batch of famous refried beans, add them to burrito filling, make venison chili recipe, add to soups, or season and eat as-is. The sky is the limit when it comes to the bean. 🙂 Instructions Remove any foreign objects from beans Place in large bowl and cover with water Optional: Add 2 Tablespoons whey, vinegar, or lemon juice to soaking water Soak overnight Drain and rinse beans Place in large pot Cover with 2 inches of fresh water Bring to a boil, stirring frequently and watching to prevent boiling over Ladle beans into hot jars (no need to sterilize as long as they’re clean and hot), leaving 1″ headspace Fill with cooking liquid, again, leaving 1″ headspace Put lids and rings on jars Place jars in pressure canner and process at 10 pounds* pressure: Pints for 1 hour, 15 minutes Quarts for 1 hour, 30 minutes Remove from canner and let cool, checking all lids for proper seals before storing Previous Next

Kefir is like yogurt on steroids when it comes to probiotic count. It is also made without heating the milk which is a big plus when using raw milk. < Back How to make kefir Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: N/A Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 4 cups whole milk we use raw milk from our family milk cow 2 - 4 tablespoon kefir grains OTHER ITEMS NEEDED: 1 qt mason jar Lid or cheesecloth to cover jar loosely Mesh strainer Spatula or plastic spoon Preparation Put the kefir grains in a 1 qt mason jar. Pour whole milk over the grains leaving about 1 inch space at the top of the jar. Stir the milk and grains and cover loosely. Leave in a warm place for 12 - 24 hrs. - depending on the taste you prefer. The kefir grains culture the milk and the longer it is left the tangier it will become. I leave mine on the kitchen counter for 24 hours. If it has separated and there is a bit of liquid on the bottom, I shake it before straining. Pour the kefir through a strainer into another jar catching the grains in the strainer. Refrigerate and enjoy. NOTES Leaving the kefir for 24 hours makes a delicious drink with maximum probiotics. If you find that it is too tart at this point, decrease the time left on the grains. Previous Next

Homemade cheese is fun and delicious! < Back Fresh Food Storage Mozzarella Prep Time: Cook Time: Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Homemade cheese is fun and delicious! Ingredients Rennet tablet (or liquid) ¼ cup cool non-chlorinated water 1-gallon fresh milk (or ¾ gallon prepared powdered milk with one pint of ***heavy cream) 2 teaspoons citric acid Stainless steel pot (or any non-aluminum or non-cast iron pot) Heavy duty kitchen gloves Preparation Crush ¼ rennet tablet in a ¼ cup cool, *chlorine free water and stir to dissolve. Pour the milk in your pot and heat on medium heat. Sprinkle 2 level teaspoons of citric acid powder in milk and stir gently. It will start to curdle. (If you don’t have citric acid, use vinegar) Heat milk slowly to 88F° and once the milk has reached that temperature, add the rennet solution, and continue to stir slowly until the milk reaches 105F°. Turn off heat. The curds and whey will now be clearly separated. Scoop out the curds and ladle them into a microwavable bowl. Press the curds gently together with your hand (wear gloves because it will be hot) and pour off as much whey as possible. **Microwave your curds on high for 1 minute and drain excess whey. Work your cheese quickly with a spoon or hands (with the gloves on) into a ball until it starts to cool. Repeat this process two more times setting the microwave for 35 seconds each time. Continue to drain excess whey while working the cheese into a nice little ball. The last time, when your cheese is almost too hot to touch, knead it quickly like bread dough until smooth. At this point, if it stretches like taffy it is done. When your cheese is smooth and shiny it is ready to eat. Refrigerate or freeze until used. FYI-The rennet is used to help the cheese coagulate and to help it hold together when it is stretched making it stronger. If too much rennet is used, the cheese can become very rubbery. *If you don’t have distilled water or non-chlorinated water, just boil your water for 15 minutes to remove the chlorine. Chlorine is meant to kill bacteria and you don’t want to inhibit the growth of the cheese bacteria. **If you don’t want to use the microwave, heat the whey to 175F° and store the cheese in it until it is heated up enough to work with. And repeat the process as stated above. ***In a pinch, you can replace the heavy whipping cream with olive oil, but the cheese will be a bit rubberier, and the taste is just a little different than with the cream, but it is acceptable. Previous Next

A delicious, deep south recipe that will tickle your palate! < Back Lighter Than Air Hush Puppies Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 cup self-rising flour (you can make your own) 2 cups self-rising cornmeal 3 medium onions, grated (keep the juice!) 3 eggs ½ teaspoon pepper ¾ teaspoon salt ¼+ cup diced jalapenos (optional, sort of) Buttermilk (just enough to make a batter) Preparation Combine all ingredients together and let it rest for about 30 minutes. Drop dollops of batter into hot oil and deep fry until a beautiful golden brown, Serve hot and thank the old-time southern mothers for such a delicious side dish. Previous Next

The best pasta for a special occasion is homemade ravioli! < Back Green Ravioli With Ricotta And Culatello Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe The best pasta for a special occasion is homemade ravioli! Ingredients For the pasta: 12oz of type 0 flour 3.5oz of frozen spinach 1 egg 1 egg yolk 1 pinch of salt For the stuffing: 2 cups of ricotta cheese 1/2 cup grated pecorino Romano salt and pepper to taste For the condiment: 1tbs of butter handful of sage 4 slices of Culatello di Zibello PDO crisped in the oven for pan a few tbs of grated parmesan cheese Preparation Flavorful, homemade stuffed pasta such as ravioli, or even the simpler pastas such as maltagliati or tagliatelle, despite the extra effort put in, are always a great idea. The recipe for green ravioli with ricotta may seem like a bit of work at first – the filling is simple whilst the dough requires some attention – but once you try it you will realize that the effort is totally worth the delicious results. A few notes on the dough: you want it to be homogeneous, smooth, elastic – and most importantly, rolled very thin. It may take some experienced hands to expertly work the rolling pin to achieve the desired thickness, but unless your pasta machine is able to roll out thin sheets of pasta to perfection, there may be no other way. Whether it be a formal or casual occasion, green ravioli with ricotta and Culatello di Zibello PDO will add a special touch to any meal. Set some time aside on the weekend, prepare this recipe and surprise your friends and family at your next Sunday lunch. To make the pasta: First, prepare the frozen spinach by cooking in boiling water until soft. Drain well, squeezing out as much excess water as possible, and set aside to cool. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg and egg yolk together. Place the flour on a work surface. Make a well in the center and place the slightly beaten egg into it. Now begin the kneading process, incorporating the spinach puree as you bring the pieces of dough together. Add a pinch of salt and knead the dough until you get a nice, smooth lump. Let it rest for approximately 30 minutes in the freezer. To make the ricotta filling: Whilst the dough is resting, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, using a fork, combine the ricotta cheese, pecorino cheese, salt and pepper. Leave in the refrigerator until you are ready to prepare the ravioli. To prepare the ravioli: After the dough has rested and is looking nice and compact, dump it onto a lightly floured work surface, cut it into slices and start rolling out each slice into long strips with a rolling pin. Sprinkle the work surface with more flour as you go, if necessary. You will need thin strips of dough that are also thick enough to accommodate the filling. Drop a teaspoon of filling every 5 cm along the strip of dough, cover with the second strip of pasta and cut in between with a ravioli cutter. You can also seal the ravioli with your fingers, cut into rectangles with a sharp knife, and then decorate with the prongs of a fork. Place the ravioli evenly distributed on a lined baking tray, place the tray in the freezer and when they are frozen, remove the tray and transfer the ravioli into freezer bags for easy storage. When you need the ravioli, they will be ready to be cooked in salted boiling water. The green ravioli with ricotta will cook in just a few minutes if you have been able to make the dough very thin. When ready, drain gently and season with melted butter and sage, then decorate each dish with a fried crispy slice of Culatello di Zibello PDO. Previous Next

Learn how to make 30 Minute Mozzarella, in your own kitchen. With just a few simple ingredients, this step by step recipe will show you how easy and easy it is to make cheese at home. From milk to yum, this recipe is fun for all ages. < Back 30 Minute Mozzarella Recipe Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: Serves: 1 pound Level: About the Recipe Ingredients 1 Gallon of Milk (not ultra-pasteurized) 1.5 tsp Citric Acid 1/4 Rennet Tablet or 1/4 tsp Single Strength Liquid Rennet 1 tsp Cheese Salt (adjust to taste) Preparation Choosing the Right Milk Make sure the milk you use is not ultra pasteurized. You can use homogenized or non-homogenized milk. Farm fresh milk is a great option if you can find it locally. Low fat milk will work, but the cheese will be drier and less flavorful. Prepare Work Area Do not prepare any other food while you are making cheese. Put all food products away. Move all sponges, cloths and dirty towels away from your work surface, wipe your sink and stove with soap and water. Finally use your antibacterial cleaner to wipe down all surfaces. Prepare Rennet Crush 1/4 tablet of rennet and dissolve in 1/4 cup of cool non-chlorinated water, or add 1/4 tsp single strength liquid rennet to the water. Set your rennet mixture aside to use later. Mix Citric Acid & Milk Add 1 1/2 tsp. of citric acid to 1 cup cool water, pour this into your pot. Now, pour cold milk into your pot quickly, to mix well with the citric acid. This will bring the milk to the proper acidity to stretch well later. Heat Milk Heat the milk slowly to 90°F. As you approach 90°F, you may notice your milk beginning to curdle slightly due to acidity and temp. Note: If you're having problems with milk forming a proper curd, you may need to increase this temp to 95°F or even 100F. Add Rennet At 90°F, remove the pot from the burner and slowly add your rennet (which you prepared in step one) to the milk. Stir in a top to bottom motion for approx. 30 seconds, then stop. Cover the pot and leave undisturbed for 5 minutes. Check the curd after 5 minutes, it should look like custard, with a clear separation between the curds and whey. If the curd is too soft or the whey is milky, let it set longer, up to 30 more minutes. Cut & Cook Curd Cut the curds into a 1" checkerboard pattern. Place the pot back on the stove and heat to 105°F while slowly stirring the curds with your ladle (if you will be stretching the curds in a hot water bath, rather than using a microwave, heat to 110°F in this step). Take the pot off the burner and continue stirring slowly for 2-5 minutes. (More time will make a firmer cheese) Transfer & Drain Curd With a slotted spoon, scoop curds into a colander or microwave safe bowl (if the curd is too soft at this point, let it sit for another minute or so). Once transferred, press the curd gently with your hand, pouring off as much whey as possible. If desired, you can reserve the whey to use later in baking or as a soup stock. Heat Curd & Remove Whey If in a colander, transfer the curds into a heat safe bowl. Next, microwave the curd for 1 minute. If desired, add 1 tsp of salt to the curds for added flavor. You will notice more whey separation from the curd. Drain off all whey as you did before. Quickly work the cheese with a spoon or your hands until it is cool enough to touch (rubber gloves will help since the cheese is almost too hot to touch at this point). Microwave two more times for 35 seconds each, and repeat the kneading as in the last step to aid in more whey drain off and ensure even heating of the curds. Drain off all of the whey as you go. Note: If you prefer to not use a microwave here is a recipe using a water bath where the curds are heated in hot water Knead & Stretch Curd Now the fun begins, knead quickly now as you would bread dough. Remove curd from the bowl and continue kneading until it is smooth and shiny. Return it to the microwave if needed (if it begins to cool before it's ready to stretch). Add salt near the finish. At this point, if hot enough, the cheese should be soft and pliable enough to stretch, and stretch, and stretch some more (like taffy). This is what makes it Mozzarella We hope you have as much fun with this as we do. Eat & Enjoy Now knead your cheese back into a big ball until it is smooth and shiny Your Mozzarella is ready as soon as it's cool enough to eat. To cool quickly, place it in a bowl of ice water and refrigerate. When cold you can wrap in plastic wrap and it will last for several days, but is best when eaten fresh. Equipment Good Thermometer Knife to Cut Curds Spoon or Ladle to Stir Curds Large Colander Large Bowl Previous Next

This is a simple and quick meal that your entire family will enjoy! < Back Spam Eggs And Rice Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Serves: 4 (add additional egg for each individual) Level: Beginner About the Recipe This is a simple and quick meal that your entire family will enjoy! Ingredients 1 can low sodium spam 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp mirin 1 tsp furikake seasoning 1 Fried Preparation Cut the Spam into cubes. In a hot pan, cook the spam until you get a golden brown color. Add soy sauce, sugar and mirin. Cook for an additional 2 minutes and remove off heat. Serve with white rice, furikake and fried egg. Previous Next

Perfect Dessert For The Summer! < Back Strawberry Upside Down Cake Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 50 Minutes Serves: 12 Level: Beginner Ingredients 2 cups crushed fresh strawberries 1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored Jell-O® mix 3 cups miniature marshmallows 1 (18 ounce) package yellow cake mix, batter prepared as directed on package Preparation Step 1 Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Step 2 Spread crushed strawberries on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Evenly sprinkle strawberries with the dry gelatin powder, and top with mini marshmallows. Step 3 Prepare the cake mix as directed on the package and pour on top of the marshmallows. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the pan to loosen the sides and turn the cake out onto a serving tray. Store cake in the refrigerator. Previous Next

Overnight Crockpot Breakfast Casserole is a classic breakfast casserole with eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, and cheese. It's easy to make, great for the holidays and feeding a crowd. < Back Crockpot Breakfast Casserole Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 8 Hours Serves: 8 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 pound package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes ½ pound breakfast sausage ½ pound bacon cooked and crumbled 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided ½ medium sweet onion diced ½ green pepper diced ½ red pepper diced 12 eggs 1 cup milk ½ cup sour cream ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper Preparation Overnight Crockpot Breakfast Casserole With the holidays quickly (too quickly!) approaching and schedules getting busier by the minute, I'm sure you're looking to have one less thing to worry about (or at least I am!). This Crockpot Overnight Breakfast Casserole can be the perfect answer to that request! You just put it in the slow cooker, go to sleep while it's cooking, and serve it up in the morning! Crockpot Overnight Breakfast Casserole is a classic breakfast casserole with eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, and cheese. It's a crowd-pleaser, for sure, and is large enough to feed a crowd! After some questions and comments from readers, I worked to improve this recipe over the last couple months. I reduced the amount of hash browns in half and added sour cream for creamy moisture. I also realized that this casserole has so many warm, comfort food flavors that what it really needs to take it to the next level is freshness. To make your casserole truly spectacular, top it with fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes or pico de gallo, cilantro, avocado, red onions, or any other topping you can think of. The freshness just adds the perfect pop. What to Serve with Crockpot Breakfast Casserole Crockpot Breakfast Casserole is a meal by itself! Serve it with lots of fresh toppings like avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onions, sour cream, salsa, or hot sauce. If you're trying to stretch it a little bit for a crowd, you can also serve it with fresh fruit or a simple fruit salad. Toast, bagels, muffins, or English muffins would also make excellent sides and fill everyone up a little more. What Size Crock Pot Should I Use? I suggest using at least a 6 quart Crock Pot or larger. If you can get a programmable one, like this , that would be even better! That way there's no way you'll lose track of time or overcook it. Instructions In a large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage with onion and peppers until cooked through and no longer pink. Drain and set aside. Grease a large 6 quart slow cooker (or bigger) with cooking spray or butter. Layer half the hash browns in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top with half the sausage mixture, bacon, and then cheese. Repeat layers with the remaining ingredients, except cheese. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and sour cream. Pour over hashbrown and sausage layers. Cook on low for 6-8 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high. Sprinkle on remaining cheese and cover until melted. Serve warm with lots of fresh toppings. Notes PLEASE NOTE: Not all slow cookers cook at exactly the same temperature. You may need to adjust the cook time to your specific device to avoid burning the edges, as some readers have reported. This casserole is gluten free. Check the ingredients on your sausage and hash browns, to make sure. Don't thaw the hash browns. It's not necessary and could cause them to dry out. Add diced ham or other ingredients that you love in omelets, such as mushrooms or spinach. Mix in a can of diced green chiles with the sausage for a Southwest style casserole. To really make this breakfast shine, add lots of fresh toppings such as sour cream, tomatoes, salsa, avocado, green onion, or chives. Consider getting a programmable Crock Pot with a timer, like this one . That way you don't have to worry about getting distracted or over-sleeping and overcooking! How do you reheat leftovers? I just cut a slice and pop it in the microwave. If your microwave is big enough, you can transfer the remaining casserole to a baking dish and microwave the whole thing that way until heated through. Can you freeze it? I don't recommend it. Eggs don't typically freeze well and have a rubbery texture when thawed. Previous Next

Time to raid the fridge! < Back Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Serves: 4 - 6 serving(s) Level: Beginner About the Recipe Time to raid the fridge! Ingredients 1 pie crust (1/2 of Perfect Pie Crust recipe) 1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup) 1/2 c. finely diced onion 1/2 c. finely diced carrot 1/2 c. finely diced celery 2 c. leftover turkey, light and dark, diced or shredded (or both!) 1/4 c. flour 2 c. low-sodium chicken or turkey broth, plus more if needed 1/4 c. white wine (optional) 3/4 c. heavy cream 1 c. frozen peas (optional) 2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped Salt and pepper to taste Preparation Even if you've planned your Thanksgiving menu perfectly, you'll probably still have leftovers once the big meal is over. If you're looking for something to do with your extra turkey, here’s the recipe for my delicious pot pie. You can make it with chicken or turkey… whatever’s in your fridge. You may even have leftover onion and celery from the Thanksgiving stuffing—even better! Just make sure to pair it with leftover Thanksgiving desserts—if there are any! What is turkey pot pie made of? It's just like chicken pot pie, but with turkey! The filling is made with vegetables like onion, carrot, celery, and green peas. It becomes creamy thanks to some butter, flour, broth, and heavy cream. I sometimes like to add a splash of wine to the filling, but you can leave it out if your family is like mine and doesn't like the taste. For the turkey, you can use dark meat or light meat, and can shred or dice it. It's up to you. The top is just a simple pie crust! Any crust works: Use store-bought or frozen puff pastry, or dive into the depths of your freezer to find the homemade crust from that Thanksgiving pie you never got around to baking. What's the best way to reheat turkey pot pie? You can cover the whole dish with foil and reheat the pot pie in a 350ºF oven. Depending on how much is left, it could take 10 to 20 minutes. Just be sure not to place your dish into the oven directly from the fridge. It could shatter, and who wants to clean up shards of glass and turkey from the bottom of an oven until the end of time? Not me. Go ahead and stick the dish in the oven while it preheats or let it hang out on the counter for 15 minutes or so before you put it in the oven. How long does turkey pot pie last in the fridge? It'll stay good for about 3 days. Make sure to wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap or place the pot pie in an airtight container to keep it as fresh as possible. Directions 1 Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 2 Melt butter in a skillet or dutch oven. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and cook until translucent (a couple of minutes.) 3 Add turkey and stir. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir. Cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly. 4 Pour in chicken or turkey broth, stirring constantly. Splash in wine (you can leave this out if you’d like.) Pour in cream. (May add frozen peas at this point if you’d like.) 5 Bring to a slow boil and allow the mixture to cook and thicken for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste (do not underseason), and fresh or dried thyme to taste. Do one final taste at the end and add what it needs. 6 Pour mixture into a casserole dish or deep pie pan. 7 Roll out the crust so that it’s about 1 inch larger than the pan you’re using. 8 Place the crust on top of the pot pie mixture, and press the crust into the sides of the dish. Cut vents in the top of the crust. 9 Bake for 30-40 minutes or until very golden and bubbly and the crust is done. 10 Allow to cool for a little bit before serving. 11 Serve with a large spoon. Previous Next