Loving Leftovers Turkey Pot Pie

My favorite Thanksgiving leftover?!?!

There’s no better way to use up that leftover turkey.

What could be better than a turkey pot pie?

Come on now,

Get your turkey on…

Again.

kid favorite recipes holidays featured dinner    Loving Leftovers Turkey Pot Pie

Turkey Pot Pie

For the Crust:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper

kid favorite recipes holidays featured dinner    Loving Leftovers Turkey Pot Pie

For the Filling:

leftover turkey

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups turkey stock, preferably homemade

1 chicken bouillon cube

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 cups medium-diced carrots

1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

S&P

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, heat the turkey stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium low heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Toss in carrots and  cook for two more minutes.

Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.

Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick.

Add S&P and heavy cream.

Add the turkey, peas and parsley.

Mix well.

kid favorite recipes holidays featured dinner    Loving Leftovers Turkey Pot Pie

For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.

Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas.

With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together.

Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Divide the dough in half and wrap the halves separately in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Turn  the oven up to 375 degrees F.

kid favorite recipes holidays featured dinner    Loving Leftovers Turkey Pot Pie

Roll out each half of dough on a floured surface.  Roll the dough until it is about a 1/4 inch thick circle.  Set the first circle into the pie plate.  Pour the filling into the crust lined pie plate.

kid favorite recipes holidays featured dinner    Loving Leftovers Turkey Pot Pie

Top with remaining crust.  Trim the edges and crimp the two crusts together.  Make 2-3 slits in top of the crust.  Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sea salt.

kid favorite recipes holidays featured dinner    Loving Leftovers Turkey Pot Pie

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

Leftover Pizza Pie

So last week we were grilling up a storm.

But we didn’t get through everything.

So faced with a fridge full of leftovers…

We threw ‘em together on a pizza.

One word…

YUM!

kid favorite recipes healthy eating for kids featured dinner    Leftover Pizza Pie

WHAT YOU NEED:

Leftovers from Chicken Kabobs

Leftovers from Veggie Kabobs

1 whole wheat pizza dough (try grabbing one from your local pizzeria)

1 jar of Francesco Rinaldi Pasta Sauce

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Lay your pizza crust down on a pizza stone or baking sheet.

Top pizza crust with your pasta sauce.

kid favorite recipes healthy eating for kids featured dinner    Leftover Pizza Pie

Cover the pizza with your leftover chicken and grilled veggies.

This is the fun decoration part.

kid favorite recipes healthy eating for kids featured dinner    Leftover Pizza Pie

Cover with cheese and cook for 15-18 minutes at 425.

Don’t have any pizza dough?

Don’t worry!

Try some whole wheat pitas or english muffins!

Don’t have any leftover chicken?

Make ‘em plain cheese or use what you have!

kid favorite recipes healthy eating for kids featured dinner    Leftover Pizza Pie

I left this one half cheese…but it’s all about options!

Bacon and Pineapple…

Pepper and Mushroom…

Pepperoni and Olive!

Whatever is in the fridge just toss it on.

Most important is to get in the kitchen with the kids and have fun!

Kids Fun Food Week – Spaghetti Pie

Do you ever have leftover spaghetti?

We do!

Want to know a great way to use that leftover spaghetti and have the kids enjoy creating in the kitchen?

Bake up a Spaghetti Pie!

recipes for kids kid favorite recipes featured dinners on a dime 2 dinner    Kids Fun Food Week   Spaghetti Pie

WHAT YOU NEED:

Leftover spaghetti, at least 8 ounces (1/2 a box) whole wheat if you have it

1 lb. ground turkey

1 onion, chopped fine

1 clove garlic, chopped fine

1 sweet red pepper, diced

1 small zucchini, diced

S&P

16 ounces Healthy Veggie Marinara Sauce (if you don’t have time to make your own Francesco Rinaldi has a wonderful line of heart healthy sauces like ToBe Healthy Tomato Basil you can use to save time.)

3 cups low fat shredded mozzarella cheese

fresh basil, for garnish

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a large sauce pan over medium high heat.  When it’s hot, add in your turkey and let it get nice and browned.

Once it’s brown, toss in your onion, garlic, pepper and zucchini and let them cook down a bit, til they’re soft, about 5-7 minutes.  Season it all up with some S&P.

Add in your pasta sauce and bring it up to a boil then knock it back to simmer for a few minutes on low.

Take it off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Add in your cooked spaghetti and 1 cup of cheese then transfer the mixture to a pie dish.

Top off with remaining 2 cups of cheese and place it into the oven.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Voila…

Leftover spaghetti like you’ve never seen it!

Everyone loves pie…especially spaghetti pie!

Tasty Tidbits – Leftovers

Ever have leftover coffee in the morning?

cooking tips    Tasty Tidbits   Leftovers

I do…

Here’s a fun tip.

Freeze it in your ice cube trays….

Store them in freezer bags…

Then use them to make ice coffee in the summer.

That way your coffee doesn’t get watered down with ice!

Ever have leftover wine?

cooking tips    Tasty Tidbits   Leftovers

Well I don’t…

But let’s say you did.

You could freeze your leftover wine (????????)

Also in ice cube trays.

Use them for deglazing your sauces and stocks.

That way you don’t have to break open a new bottle for them…

Well you can break it open but you can just drink it all instead.

Thanks to wikipedia for these great stock shots…

Totally Turkey Noodle Soup

Don’t throw away that bird!!! If you’re lucky enough to have the holidays at your house then you get to enjoy the it for days on end. We have some great recipes for you this week that will tempt your tummy and hellp your post holidays sticker shocked wallet.

soups recipes for kids kids lunch ideas kid favorite recipes holidays healthy eating for kids featured dinner    Totally Turkey Noodle Soup

Turkey Noodle Soup

Serves: 8
Prep Time: overnight (optional)
Cook Time: 40 minutes

This part is optional if you want to make your own turkey stock. I highly highly recommend it!

1 leftover turkey bones and all
8 quarts water
S&P
2 carrots chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1 head garlic halved
1 head fennel quartered
1 onion chopped

Toss everything in a big ol’ stockpot and let it simmer away for 6 hours. Remove large pieces from stock and strain through a cheese cloth. Pull all that meat off the bone. It’s the best part.

soups recipes for kids kids lunch ideas kid favorite recipes holidays healthy eating for kids featured dinner    Totally Turkey Noodle Soup

For the soup:

2 T extra virgin olive oil
10 button mushrooms, sliced
3 carrots chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
1 leek cleaned and chopped
1/2 package egg noodles
S&P

Set a large pot over medium high heat. Add in your olive oil. When the oil is hot toss in your leeks, allow to cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Then add in your mushrooms, carrots and celery and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

soups recipes for kids kids lunch ideas kid favorite recipes holidays healthy eating for kids featured dinner    Totally Turkey Noodle Soup

Pour in 8 cups of your turkey stock (you can use store bought turkey stock, or even chicken stock if you like). Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Add in your noodles and cook for an additional 7 minutes or until tender. Serve up with some grilled cheese sandwiches or popovers.

Pilgrim Roll Ups

Gather up all your Thanksgiving dinner leftovers and make a delicious and fun to eat wrap.

Pilgrim Rolls

veggies recipes for kids kids lunch ideas kid favorite recipes featured    Pilgrim Roll Ups

Prep Time: 15 minutes

What you need:

Leftovers:

Spinach Sandwich Wrap

Turkey cut into bite sized chunks

Stuffing

Cranberry Sauce

Salad

Little bit of mayo or mustard for sticking

What to do:

veggies recipes for kids kids lunch ideas kid favorite recipes featured    Pilgrim Roll Ups Lay out your wraps in the center of a cutting board.  Spread a bit of mayo or mustard to help your ingredients stick to the wrap.  In the center of your wrap lay out some turkey.  Top with stuffing, cranberry, and leftover salad.  Roll over your sandwhich and slice down the middle.  Perfect for lunch on the go when you take the kids to the mall to find all the shopping bargains on Black Friday.

If Myles Standish had a sandwich shop, this would be a best seller!

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