Talk about coincidence:
I decided to roast a turkey on Sunday. A casual turkey, one of the sale turkeys from Thanksgiving.
No muss. No fuss. And the little ones got sick so it ended up being just Dave and me...
So the first thing we did was send a plate to Mom and Dad. With gravy... and cranberry orange relish that I made in November and froze.
So far, easy-peasy, right?
So I'm working away today, and Holly Jacobs ( I just love this gal) notes to me on facebook that she roasted a turkey too.
Only she brined hers. I've never heard of that so I'm going to bring Holly here and make her talk about it.
And then Tina Radcliffe chimes in that she roasted a turkey, too. For suppers and lunches this week.
Obviously, there's something "fowl" in the air!!! ;)
So what do you do with leftover turkey and gravy? One of our favorites is turkey biscuit pie. You thin down the turkey gravy by half, so two cups gravy and two cups water.
Heat the thinned gravy.
Make Bisquick biscuit recipe only use a little more milk. Trust me on this, and remember, I'd rather write than cook these days.
Pour gravy into 13 x 9 pan.
Add turkey to hot gravy.
Plop spoonfuls of biscuit dough over the top of the gravy-filled pan.
Bake at 400 degrees until top is nicely browned.
Eat.
You cannot get simpler than that for a crowd-pleasing meal, right????
If you want veggies tucked into it, I steam them lightly before adding them to the gravy. I don't usually do potatoes because we've already got buttzillion carbs in the biscuits and gravy, right? So let's stave off the heart attack for a week or two more. ;)
If you want veggies tucked into it, I steam them lightly before adding them to the gravy. I don't usually do potatoes because we've already got buttzillion carbs in the biscuits and gravy, right? So let's stave off the heart attack for a week or two more. ;)
This is amazing, Ruthy! I would never think to do this with leftovers. So easy. And yummy!
ReplyDeleteAnd you know, this is about the time of year I start craving turkey and gravy. I usually make it in the spring. And then I start craving it again in early November. I often go ahead and make it then, and then wonder what I was thinking when it's Thanksgiving, and I'm not really in the mood for it anymore. LOL
Missy, we've done that too! But we call it our 'dry run' turkey day in November. :)
DeleteAnd there are always so many people around here at the holidays that it's fun to have a peaceful turkey now and again. Something about the smell of roasting turkey... Oh my stars, so perfect!
Ruthy, This is a very easy recipe...yum!! Tonight is straight up turkey dinner leftovers here (there are still some homemade rolls, which hardly ever happens, so yay!) and I'm doing something similar to this on Tuesday. We'll do a turkey ala king. I like the milk in the sauce...it lightens it a bit more than gravy. And peas. Lots of peas in it.
ReplyDeleteAs for the brining, I'll be back with more on that!
Holly
PS It should be mentioned that I love you right back! LOL
I love reciprocated feelings, Holly! ;) Hey, we might grab you for a turkey a la king sometime too. I could never get the sauce quite right. Too floury or lumpy tasting when I was going for a nice cream sauce. Hold that thought and I can't wait to see how you romanticize brining a bird.
DeleteI'm just sayin'!
Oh yum! I've got one of those November turkeys in my freezer too! It sounds like its time to bring it out to thaw...
ReplyDeleteLeftover turkey doesn't last long around here, but I may just have to save some for this pie. If I keep the veggies separate, the boys will love it.
Jan, I never use the veggies in it any more. I keep them as a side dish. My family just loves the turkey (or roast chicken) and gravy, straight up. And the gravy thickens right back up because the biscuits soak up 50% of the water....
DeleteThe end result is perfect. (I'm using the perfect word way too often... Hmmm....)
Hey, Holly! So glad you dropped by. I'm looking forward to learning about brining. I've seen in on Foodnetwork a good bit but have never tried it.
ReplyDeleteJan's back! Jan, I know it's been a rough couple of weeks for you. We're glad to have you home--our blog home, anyway.
This isn't home? Who knew????
Deleteok not so easy for me - now wild 'bout turkey but where do you get the gravy? are you talking about the juice stuff you get when you cook the turkey or that stuff you add flour too and pray it doesn't burn when you're stiring it on the stove? the final dish looks good though LOL but not the cooking the turkey part. A friend did some rachel ray recipe a few years ago with thanksgiving leftovers - dressing, cranberry, turkey - some layered casserole but she added cheese 'cause down here well just 'bout everything needs cheese if you're calling it a casserole - not all but just about-it was better than the actual meal!
ReplyDeleteSusanna
Ah, Susanna.... I can't layer the cranberry in with the dressing and bird... Just gotta keep them a little bit separate, but I love other casseroles... And I came up with one last week that we'll use here, it was a crowd pleaser. And quick. We know that if you're workin' all the time, quick is essential!
DeleteHey, if gravy's hard for you, I'll coach you through it. It's really an easy peasy procedure. My trick is using flour pre-mixed with cold water and whisked into a lumpless state.... And using my big metal whisk. Lumps do NOT stand a chance. I am a fierce whisker! ;)
Ruthy, I just saw that on a cooking show this past weekend. I'd never thought to do that. I always start with butter/grease from sausage. Then add flour to make a roux. (And yes, it just took a whole minute to find out how to spell that word!)
Deleterue
roo
reaux
raux
roux! Yes, there it was on Google, finally. :)
I've done it both ways - the roux is great when you want to feel like an accomplished cook, and whisking the flour into water or milk ahead of time works so well - especially for cream soups.
DeleteBut when I'm in a hurry? Hey, that gravy in a jar from the grocery store tastes great, and there are never any lumps :)
(Thanks for the welcome back, Missy!)
Ruthy, I have a great recipe for Chicken (turkey) ala King that's never failed me. I'll dig that out, too!
ReplyDeleteAs for gravy, that's always my husband's department. He makes it much better than I do. Except for this once, when he made his flour/water mixture. He put it in the Tupperware thing he shakes it up in...but instead of cold water, for whatever reason, put in hot.
The whole thing exploded all over the kitchen and everyone in it. LOL He still gets teased over that!
Holly...mulling over romanticizing brine.
I used to sell those Tupperware shakers, LOL! And yes, they do explode when you use hot water. The kids loved making instant pudding in them.
DeleteKids. What do they know???? ;)
Looks like I'm adding something new to my repertoire. Sounds like comfort food at its best.
ReplyDeleteOh, absolutely. Biscuits and gravy and plump, nice meat.... What could get better than that????? ;)
DeleteI'm just going to sit in this corner and sip on my white hot chocolate and nod and say 'hey', cause this vegetarian doesn't know nuffin about cooking turkeys. :-)
ReplyDeleteNod.
"Hey!"
Kav, just consider it like a bajillion calories/carbs you do not have to fight off. Here, honey. Have a green bean.
Delete:)
Do you do gravy on anything? I am interested to know that.
Oh yum, a green bean. What a compliment to hot chocolate! Pfffft!!! And no gravy. I've never had a vegetarian recipe though I've made cheese sauce, or cooked veggies in a kind of broth marinade but it's not like gravy where you would pour it over your food.
DeleteLOL, Kav! Hey, back atacha. :)
ReplyDeleteHow about making a gravy, adding a couple of cans of Veg-All (or a bag of frozen, cooked veggies) and then plopping the biscuit dough on top?
:)
Ah, I didn't see this before I asked! So, Kav, fess up... gravy???
DeleteAnd if so, does it have to be non-meat?
Although I can like me some cheese sauce real well, guys!
definitely non-meat, Ruthy. That's why we're called vegetarians and not carnivores like y'all! :-) Even my soup has to be made in a veggie broth, so going to a cafeteria and picking up cream of broccoli soup doesn't mean it's a vegetarian dish if they've used a meat broth as a base. Like Kermit says "It ain't wasy being green!"
DeleteI wondered about that. Well, I love veggies, so I have to agree that they're some of the finest 'fruits' of the Earth.
DeleteBut I love chocolate more.
My son and his girlfriend cooked Christmas dinner for my entire family this year. First, it was delightful not to have to cook! Anyway, he brined the turkey and oh my dear, you could hear the lips smackin' for a mile! That was the best turkey we ever made acquaintance with. Hmm...makes me drool just thinking about it. May have to make a turkey run to Kroger's later. :)
ReplyDeleteI keep hearing the same, Edwina! I can't wait to try it.
ReplyDelete