Chicken Divan

This homestyle casserole is great for using up leftover chicken or turkey.  It's one of my favourite meals to take to families with a new baby.

Ingredients:

20 oz. broccoli (1 large head) or green beans

2 cups cooked chicken or turkey, chopped

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/3 cup evaporated milk (omit if using a European brand of cream of chicken soup)

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Topping: 1 cup soft bread crumbs mixed with 2 Tbsp melted butter or margarine.

Begin by steaming the broccoli or beans until crisp-tender. Put into the bottom of a greased casserole dish.

Layer chicken/turkey on top.

Combine mayonnaise, soup, lemon juice and curry powder.  Pour over chicken/turkey layer.

Spread mayo mixture evenly atop chicken, then sprinkle with cheese:

To make topping:  Melt butter or margarine in microwave-safe bowl.

Break 2 slices of bread into small cubes and blend in melted butter/margarine.  Spread crumb topping evenly on top of cheese layer.

Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 30 minutes or till heated through.

Turkey Cranberry Tarts

I got this recipe from a Pampered Chef show that I recently attended.  They are easy to make and very tasty.  Another great way to use up holiday left-overs.

1 pkg. pre-made pie crust or puff pastry (or make your own)

2 turkey (or chicken) breasts, cooked

1/2 red onion

1/2 red pepper

1 courgette (zucchini squash)

4 Tbsp mayonnaise

3 Tbsp cranberry sauce

100g swiss/emmental cheese, grated

1 clove garlic

Press pastry into mini-muffin tray.  Finely chop the turkey, onion, pepper, courgette (zucchini), and mix together.  Add mayo, cranberry sauce, grated cheese, pressed garlic and mix. 

Scoop filling into pastry using a 1-inch small scoop:

Bake for 15 minutes at 375 F (190 C).

Pocket Pasties

For centuries the good people of Cornwall (England) have been filling their famous pasties with almost any ingredients that you would care to think of. The traditional filling is, of course, beef and potato, usually with slices of onion and swede mixed in as well, but the humble pasty can also be found in a number of other guises.  The pasty originally evolved to meet the needs of tin mining.  A hearty meal wrapped in a pastry casing made for a very practical lunch down in the dark and damp tunnels of the mine.

In our home, the pasty maintains a very practical presence as another great dish for disguising leftovers in an appealing manner.  These pocket-sized versions are an invention of my own and are convenient to serve as appetizers, accompaniments to soups and stews, or as a lunchtime substitute for boring, old sandwiches.

Ingredients:
shortcrust pastry
2-3 root vegetables (carrot, parsnip, swede, turnip, etc.), peeled and diced
1 small onion
1 cup pre-cooked chicken, turkey or sausage meat (Vegetarian: sub chickpeas, cannelini beans or black beans)
1 tsp. chicken bouillon (sub veg bouillon for meatless option)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. mixed herbs
dash pepper
1-2 Tbsp plain flour

There are two different "styles" for making pasties.  First, I will show you the traditional method:

Cut a large square shape from the pastry.  I use an upturned tupperware to get a consistent shape.  Spoon filling onto one corner of the pastry square, then fold over, press and seal.  I use a circular cutter to gain a consistent form.  This tool also has a button on top for sealing the pastry, but you can use your fingers if you don't have a similar tool.

Don't forget to cut slits in the top of the pastry to allow the steam to escape during baking.

The other "style":

Cut out pastry in desired shape.  Spoon filling onto one cut-out, then use another to layer on top.  Crimp pastry edges together to seal.  Don't forget to slit the top. 

Regardless of how you choose to assemble your pasties, be sure to gently brush the tops with egg white to ensure a lovely golden pastry case when baked.

Bake in a 400 F (200 C) oven for 20-25 minutes or till pastry is crisp and golden.

Left over shortcrust pastry?  Try a batch of pie crust cookies.

Turkey Cranberry Wreath

Here is another great dish for using up leftover turkey (or chicken).  I learned how to make this nearly 10 years ago at a Pampered Chef party and it remains a family favourite today. There is almost more excitement about having this "leftovers" dish than the Thanksgiving turkey itself!

Ingredients:
2 packages (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp honey Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups chopped cooked turkey
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
4 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).  Unroll crescent dough; separate into triangles.  With wide ends of triangles towards the center, arrange in a circle on a large, round stone or pizza pan.  (Corners of wide ends will touch/overlap in center, do not seal).

Add mayo, mustard, pepper, chopped turkey, celery, cranberries and cheese to a large mixing bowl.  Blend.

 Scoop filling over wide seams of dough triangles, forming a circle:

Coarsely chop walnuts and sprinkle over filling.  Beginning in center, lift dough triangles across mixture, alternating and overlapping to form wreath.  Tuck last end under the center.

Beat egg lightly, then brush over top of dough.  Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Homemade Broth

You can use this method to cook down any roast remnants, although I commonly just do this for chicken, turkey or ham.

First, place the remnants of your roast into a large stock pot.  Add enough water to suit your needs.  If you're looking for a thinner broth, use more water.  If you want a heartier flavour, use a little less water.

Cover and simmer until sufficiently broken down (the bones will be boiled clean) and broth has a dense colour to it (about 1-2 hours).

Pour broth through a strainer into a freezer-proof, microwave-safe container.

Allow to cool fully, then gently skim off any fat that separates to the top.

Cover and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.  Makes a great base for any homemade soup, stew or gravy sauce.