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Refresh Thanksgiving-Share The Love This Season With A Holiday Menu That's Simple, Yet Impressive.
Refresh Thanksgiving-Share The Love This Season With A Holiday Menu That's Simple, Yet Impressive.
Put your heart into cooking this holiday season and share the love with special recipes sure to impress your guests. A refreshing take on Thanksgiving (or its leftovers), this menu provides a trio of textures, colors and tastes with just enough unique flair to make you feel great. With a little something for everyone, these delightful recipes just may become family classics for years to come!
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Turkey Pot Pies with Herbed Phyllo Crust
This recipe offers a combination of leftover roast turkey and vegetables with a creamy sauce. Served under layers of delicate phyllo pastry sprinkled with savory herbs, it creates a stunning appearance. It’s also amazingly versatile and works equally well with leftover chicken, beef and even salmon. Cook and serve your flavorful pies in individual gratin dishes or large ramekins.

Serves 4-6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 cups leftover roasted vegetables, chopped into bite sized pieces (or 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley and dill)
3 cups leftover turkey, chopped into bite sized pieces
8 sheets phyllo dough, thawed according to package instructions
Olive oil spray
Salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray four individual gratin dishes (or 8-ounce ramekins) with olive oil spray.
  2. In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes or until soft. Reduce heat to low, and sprinkle flour over onions. Cook, whisking constantly for 3 minutes.
  3. Whisk in chicken broth, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce, and bring to a boil.
  4. Remove from heat. Add peas, chopped vegetables, 2 tablespoons herbs and turkey. Mix well and taste for seasoning. Divide between prepared gratin dishes or ramekins.
  5. Lay one phyllo sheet on a large cutting board. Working quickly, spray with olive oil spray and sprinkle with a small amount of chopped fresh herbs. Top with the next sheet of phyllo, spray and sprinkle with herbs. Repeat with two more phyllo sheets, ending with a sheet sprayed with oil, but not sprinkled with herbs.
  6. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife cut the phyllo stacks in half widthwise. Place each on a gratin dish and fold and crimp the edges to fit the dish. Cut a slit in the center of each crust. Repeat with the four remaining phyllo sheets, herbs and two remaining gratin dishes.
  7. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes, and serve.
Julie B. Home Helper
This holiday season, beauty has come to the dish care aisle. After you’ve enjoyed a wonderful meal with your loved ones and cleared the table, it’s time to get a sparkling clean for all of those holiday dishes. Reach for the dishwashing liquid that’s dermatologist recommended. Dawn® Hand Renewal with Olay® Beauty can help you get softer, more beautiful hands in 5 uses. To learn more, read
Thanksgiving Dishwashing Transformed
.

Tip: Phyllo is simple to use if you follow a few basic rules, like keeping it covered and moist at all times and brushing (or spraying) the edges with butter or olive oil. Follow package instructions for further tips on handling.

Styling Tip: Instead of folding and crimping the edges to fit the dish, try the layered approach shown in our image. Simply place sheets on top of the dish alternating directions as you go. Crumple the last layer lightly (like a tissue) and lay on top.

Mashed Maple Sweet Potatoes
Convenience counts with this simply sweet, kid-friendly recipe. A splash of cream and maple syrup add sweet richness, while black pepper adds kick.

Serves 4-6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
3 pounds sweet potatoes
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup heavy cream, warmed
1/4 cup pure maple syrup, warmed
Pinch of ground cloves
Salt and pepper, to taste
Additional black pepper and maple syrup (optional, for garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce each potato with a fork, and bake until very tender, about 1 hour.
  2. Remove and cool slightly. Halve potatoes lengthwise, and scoop out flesh into a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher or, for a smoother purée, force through a potato ricer. Stir in melted butter, warmed cream and syrup. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle a few grinds of black pepper and a generous drizzle of pure maple syrup. Serve.

Tip: This recipe can be prepared two days ahead. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Reheat in a 350°F oven or in the microwave.

Swiss Chard with Orange and Bacon.

Swiss Chard with Orange and Bacon
This recipe is fresh, fresh, fresh! A leafy green similar to kale, coarsely chopped Swiss chard blends beautifully with diced lean bacon, fresh orange juice and orange zest. This recipe provides the perfect, light complement to the richness of the sweet potatoes.

Serves 4-6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds Swiss or red chard, tough stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped
4 slices lean bacon, diced
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
1 cup, freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or margarine)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
  1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the chard about 3 minutes, until bright green and tender. Drain, squeezing out any excess water from the leaves.
  2. In a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate. Pour the orange juice into the same skillet. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced and slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.
  3. Turn off heat. Stir in butter or margarine, orange zest and chard.
  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish, top with diced bacon and serve.

Tip: To make this dish vegetarian friendly, simply substitute a soy-based product for the lean bacon. Look for soy bacon or tempeh bacon in the natural foods refrigerated section of your local grocery or specialty store.

Cooking for the ones you love with happiness in your heart is one of the greatest gifts of the holiday season. And with these creative uses for leftovers with sides that are as colorful as they are delicious, you’ll have everyone asking for seconds.
 
If you like this article, you might also like:

Thankful for Great Leftover Ideas!
Showing a New Side to Your Thanksgiving Table
Talking Turkey


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