Easy Weekly Dinner Menu #45: Dinner Ideas for Turkey Leftovers

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3 minutes
August 5, 2022
Andi Gleeson

Easy Weekly Dinner Menu 45 - Dinner ideas with leftover turkey!

Hi, friends! I hope you had a super fantastic Thanksgiving with plenty of food and happy faces. Ours was great, albeit small and simple with just our little family this year. Our menu was turkey (obviously), slow cooker cornbread dressing (amazing), gravy (not my finest work), roasted sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts (typical), mac and cheese (just OK), and organic jellied cranberry sauce (loved the lack of corn syrup). I was a bit of a food blogging failure this year because I chose to enjoy Thanksgiving instead of taking nice photos and writing up all my recipes. I need to make each dish one at a time throughout the year so I’ll be ready for November next year!

The Weary Chef's Thanksgiving Plate

Speaking of turkey, how to do you cook yours? I have gotten a pre-brined turkey the last two years, and wow is it juicy and delicious. It doesn’t hurt that I cover it in bacon, but I’ve always done that even with natural turkeys. I simply stuff the cavity with thyme, rosemary, sage, and lemon; rub some softened butter under the skin; sprinkle the entire bird with kosher salt and pepper; and lay about 12 oz. bacon evenly over the top. Delish!

I tried to bring my best work to the table this year, but I’ve only just started my online tablescapes class. This was certainly better than my usual shabby place settings, but I’m hoping to get better by Christmas dinner!

Thanksgiving Table Setting

Why am I still talking about Thanksgiving? That is so yesterday! I’m writing this Friday evening, and our Christmas tree is already up. (We’re still working on getting the ornaments on, so I’ll show you a picture next week when it’s done.) There is a lot of Thanksgiving still hanging around in our refrigerator though. There were only four adults and two kids for dinner this year, and I still bought a 16-pound turkey! That makes for a lot of leftovers, so this weeks’ menu is full of seven dinner ideas you can make with leftover turkey. Let’s go…

  1. Turkey Club Salad – This is the only recipe in the list that was originally written to use turkey breast, and boy is it good!Ranch Turkey Club Salad - All the goodness of a club sandwich in a bowl! by @wearychef
  2. Lemon [Turkey] Soup – I know soup is a pretty standard way to use your Thanksgiving leftovers, but the lemon in this recipe adds a bright flavor that is refreshing after a few days of heavy meals.Lemon Chicken Soup - Delicious, #easy #chickensoup #recipe by @wearychef
  3. Crunchy [Turkey] Noodle Casserole – You might have some leftover cream soups and french fried onions too, and this is a perfect dish to use them!Crunchy Chicken Noodle Casserole
  4. Easy Cajun Jambalaya  – This dish (that needs a new photo!) is ready for just about any meat you want to throw in, including leftover turkey!Easy Cajun Jambalaya - A versatile one-dish dinner | wearychef.com
  5. Cream of [Turkey] Soup with Wild Rice – Yes, another soup recipe, but this one is one of our favorites so I couldn’t leave it out!Cream of Chicken Soup with Wild Rice from Scratch #soup #dinner #chicken
  6. [Turkey] and Broccoli Pockets – This is another versatile dish that is fun to make. Use turkey, cheese, and any vegetable you like for a change from your average turkey sandwich.Ham and Broccoli Pockets - Easy dinner for all ages!
  7. [Turkey] and Cheese Sandwich Casserole – Here’s another cheesy twist on a plain old turkey and cheese sandwich. Cubes of sourdough and chunks of turkey are smothered in a creamy cheese sauce and baked for a comforting meal!Ham and Cheese Sandwich Casserole - Cubes of sourdough and ham are smothered in a creamy cheese sauce for a hearty, tasty dinner! #QuickFixCasseroles

Have a great weekend, and be sure to check back soon. I’ll be sharing a new cheesecake recipe early next week plus lots of new dinner ideas!

Andi Gleeson

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