mmmmm, mondays: turkey pesto subs

my kids love giant sandwiches. i don't know what it is about them but my third born literally cheers. i'll take that any day. i also love that a toasted sub takes about 10 minutes to put together and only about 5-10 minutes to bake. it's dinner or lunch in a snap and it is delicious. this was our superbowl treat but it is good for any night of the week.


turkey pesto subs

1 large loaf of french bread, cut length-wise

1/2 cup pesto sauce (you can make your own or buy it from the store)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sliced red onions

3/4 pound sliced turkey (from a deli is best)

10-12 slices of provolone cheese


preheat the oven to 400 degrees. place the open faced bread on a large cookie sheet. mix the pesto sauce with the mayonnaise and spread on both sides of the loaf of bread. top the bread with the sliced turkey. place the sliced cheese over the turkey. top with the sliced red onion. 

place in the oven for about 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. if you like extra condiments, add lettuce, etc to the sandwich before you close the sandwich and slice into individual pieces. enjoy!

mmmmm, mondays: turkey tetrazzini

okay...i know...it's tuesday. i think i'm still in a post thanksgiving coma. i am, however, getting back in the swing of things.

this recipe is now a part of all my post turkey consumption. i buy the ingredients when i'm shopping for thanksgiving. this is the best and most delicious way to get rid of those last four cups of turkey...and to stretch your turkey into one more meal. it does take some time to get your sauce up and ready. i enlisted the help of my five year old on a stool to help me stir. worked like a charm. he stirred, i chopped turkey. make this a part of your post thanksgiving meal plans. you won't be sorry!


turkey tetrazzini

 1 bag frozen chopped onions (or about 1 and a half cups fresh)

3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper (about half of a bell pepper chopped)

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pound white button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon ground thyme

1 tablespoon dried parsley

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup white wine

2 cups chicken broth

1 3/4 cup low fat milk

1 pound wide egg noodles

4 cups chopped (bite sized) turkey

3 cups parmesan cheese

panko bread crumbs


melt the butter in a large skillet. add the onions and the peppers and saute for about four minutes. add the garlic and cook for about a minute. add the mushrooms and all the spices and cook for about five minutes more. add the flour to the mixture until well blended. add the wine and chicken broth and stir until smooth. add the milk and bring to a boil until the sauce is thick and smooth (about ten minutes more).

while sauce is thickening, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the egg noodles. drain and set aside.

preheat the oven to 375 degrees. butter or spray an extra large casserole or baking dish.

when the sauce has thickened, add the noodles and turkey. mix until thoroughly combined. place half of the mixture in the backing dish. cover with half of the cheese. layer with the rest of the pasta mixture and cover with remaining cheese. sprinkle entire dish with panko bread crumbs.

bake uncovered for about 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

serve with leftover thanksgiving veggies and rolls...perfection!

*this recipe was adapted from a recipe by emeril lagasse.

mmmmm, mondays: crockpot creamy turkey and rice stoup

i am always looking for good crockpot recipes. i couldn't find any that i liked for turkey and rice soup so this is what was created. it ended up chunkier than i first thought...so i stole rachel ray's "stoup" category and am posting it here. the kiddos loved it and it was perfect for a cold, stormy day. enjoy!

crockpot turkey and rice stoup.

3 cups chopped onions (one 12 oz. bag frozen chopped onions)

4 cups chicken stock (one box)

4 cups chicken broth (one box)

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups chopped celery

1/2 cup white wine

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 cups dried wild rice mix

4 cups turkey (chopped into bite sized pieces)

2 cups milk

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

add onions, chicken stock, chicken broth, carrots, celery, wine, bay leaves, garlic, and wild rice to crockpot.  cook on low for four hours. add turkey. melt butter in a pan. add flour and mix until smooth. whisk in milk and cook until creamy. add creamy mixture to crockpot. turn crockpot to high and cook for another four hours. season with salt and pepper. serve with fresh baked bread (recipe coming next week). enjoy!

gobble gobble and grub

photo credit and sign maker 

happy thanksgiving to our internet family. we are humbled by all of the love and support that we have received from all of you since starting on this blogging adventure 6 months ago. we are so very thankful for all of you and wish you a day filled with love, laughter and thankfulness.

gobble. gobble. 

xoxo

chach + nellie

ps--

wondering what to do with all of those amazing turkey day leftovers? try this super yummy casserole. you won't regret it. love.

thanksgiving leftovers casserole

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cups of leftover vegetables (whatever you have: peas, green beans, mushrooms, etc.)
2 cups of leftover stuffing
2 cups leftover turkey (you could also make this with honey baked ham, or another meat)
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
2 eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees f.

2. melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and saute the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. stir in the remaining vegetables and the turkey. mix together and remove from heat.

3. in a casserole dish (9×13-inch), spread the stuffing over the bottom. add the turkey and vegetable mixture and spread evenly on top of the stuffing. in a medium bowl, mix together the mashed potatoes and the eggs until thoroughly combined. spread this on top of the turkey and vegetable mixture. top with the shredded cheese.

3. bake for 25 to 30 minutes. let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.