I wasn't able to do a Vintage Menu Recipe post this week as one of my sons was here visiting. We had a lovely time together which was really nice. There was not really a lot of time for work. I was too busy playing!
He left to go back to Prince Edward Island yesterday armed with Christmas presents for the family, etc. I hope we will be able to get together again sometime soon, but in reality it won't be until next summer.
Today is his 42nd birthday. I am so grateful that he is still with us. He had a heart attack about 4 years ago now, which he thankfully survived. That is what happens when people have no access to a family Doctor and they are Diabetic and cannot get proper treatment.
Thankfully all is under control now, but it was touch and go for a while. I always called him my little fuzzy bear when he was a child. He had a mop of Shirley Temple curls and a smile to match. He has grown up into a fine, kind and caring man. A great son, husband and father. I hope and pray that he will be with us for a very long time to come.
Today is also the American Thanksgiving holiday. Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American readers! I hope it is a good day for you all!
I decided to make a recipe that would be good for using up leftover turkey to help out! I love leftover turkey myself. I almost love it more than I do the original dinner. Leftovers are often tastier than the original, or at least as tasty.
There are no boring leftovers in my home!
This recipe comes from a small cookbook I have entitled Country Cooking by the people at Pillsbury. I have had it for a very long time. It was published in 1994. I am actually really surprised that I still have my copy. But I am really grateful that I do.
This is a lovely little book filled with lots of mouthwatering recipes for main dishes, sides, soups, salads, desserts, pickles, jams, jellies and sauces. I truly treasure my copy!
This tasty casserole is almost like a pot pie without the crust. What you have here are tasty scalloped potatoes au gratin with a mix of cubed turkey, peas, carrots, corn and a nice gooey layer of cheese on top.
It is rich and creamy and deliciously easy to make! One thing you don't want to be having to do the day after a big holiday meal is cooking another laborious and complicated dinner. This simple recipe makes sure that you can still provide your family and guests with something hearty but with maximum ease!
It is a bit of a cheat in that it uses a package of au gratin potato mix. In the UK you will find this near the instant dry mashed potatoes. It is the Idaho brand.
In North American you can use the Pillsbury brand or the Betty Crocker brand. I used the Betty Crocker brand. I always have boxed scalloped/gratin potatoes in my cupboard. They always come in very handy when you are looking for a quick and easy side dish, and for casserole recipes like this one I am sharing with you today!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE TURKEY AND SCALLOPED POTATO BAKE
It is a bit of a cheat for sure, but a very tasty one and there is nothing too out of the ordinary required!
- 1 package dry potato gratin mix (I used Betty Crocker)
- 2 cups (250g) cubed cooked turkey
- 2 cups (480ml) water
- 1 cup grated peeled carrot (about 3/4 of a large carrot)
- 1 cup (142g) frozen petit pois
- 1/2 cup (70g) frozen corn niblets
- 2/3 cup (160ml) whole milk
- 2 TBS butter
- 1 cup (120g) grated cheddar cheese
The original recipe specified Pillsbury gratin potato mix, but in reality, any gratin potato or scalloped potato mix will do just fine. They are all pretty much the same! Dried sliced potatoes and a sauce packet. You will need both.
You can vary the protein in this tasty casserole and adapt it to what you have. You can used cubed chicken, turkey, ham, pork, beef or even canned tuna or salmon. All would work well with these flavors.
The original recipe did not use frozen corn, just frozen peas. I thought if I added some corn along with the peas and carrots it would be more like a pot pie. You could also use frozen mixed vegetables in the same quantity in their place. In that case I would skip the grated carrot as there would already be carrots in the vegetable mix.
I used strong cheddar that I grated myself to sprinkle on top of this tasty casserole. I love the flavor of strong cheddar cheese. It was also a white cheddar. In the UK, most cheddar is white. I prefer the color of white cheddar.
I did not do it today but I think a handful of crispy salad onions/fried onions would be really nice and add a bit of crunch to the top of the casserole as well.
HOW TO MAKE TURKEY AND SCALLOPED POTATO BAKE
When I tell you this is a doddle to make you better believe it. Quick, easy delicious. My favorite combination!
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Have ready a 2 QT/2Ltr shallow casserole dish.Pour the dry potatoes from the package into the dish. Sprinkle the seasoning mix on top. Scatter the cubed turkey on top.Measure the water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the carrots, peas and corn, along with the milk and butter. Bring back to the boil and then pour over the potatoes. Stir all together.Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes test tender. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese evenly over top.Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
One thing which I really loved about this dish was that it was very quick and easy to throw together. When you have just cooked a huge holiday meal the last thing you want to do is to spend a lot of time cooking another meal. Quick and easy fits the bill.
Not only is it quick and easy to make, but I thought it was quite delicious! I love also that you can adapt the recipe to use all sorts of leftover proteins! I would call this a tasty winner!
Some other delicious ways to use your turkey leftovers that I have cooked in the English Kitchen are:
TURKEY BROCCOLI AND STUFFING CASSEROLE - One of my favorite things to do with my leftovers. It uses up some of the meat, gravy and some of the stuffing. This delicious recipe is sized for two to three people. If you have leftover vegetables, you can use that in place of the broccoli, or you can simply reheat them and serve them on the side.
BOMBAY TURKEY - One thing they really like to do with leftover turkey is to do a curry. Next to Fish and Chips and Roast Dinners, curries are a National favourite! This recipe uses your leftover turkey (of course), but also chopped apple, onions, celery and garlic. Its delicious.
Turkey and Scalloped Potato Bake
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinInactive time: 5 MinTotal time: 1 HourA stir together, delicious and easy mid-week meal that makes great use of leftover turkey. You can also use ham or chicken, or tuna in its place.Ingredients
- 1 package dry potato gratin mix (I used Betty Crocker)
- 2 cups (250g) cubed cooked turkey
- 2 cups (480ml) water
- 1 cup grated peeled carrot (about 3/4 of a large carrot)
- 1 cup (142g) frozen petit pois
- 1/2 cup (70g) frozen corn niblets
- 2/3 cup (160ml) whole milk
- 2 TBS butter
- 1 cup (120g) grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Have ready a 2 QT/2Ltr shallow casserole dish.
- Pour the potatoes from the package into the dish. Sprinkle the seasoning mix on top. Scatter the cubed turkey on top.
- Measure the water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the carrots, peas and corn, along with the milk and butter. Bring back to the boil and then pour over the potatoes. Stir all together.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes test tender. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese evenly over top.
- Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Did you make this recipe?
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