Turkey Transformations

(Family Features) After the big day has come and gone, most holiday hosts find themselves still talking turkey. What to do with all that leftover bird?

During the long weekend following the holiday, you can put those leftovers to good use. Recipes that incorporate turkey in deliciously unique ways will help you use up those leftovers and clear out the fridge before you know it.

To ensure the tastiest dishes you can feel good about serving your loved ones, look for the USDA-verified seal on your turkey’s packaging to know that your turkey was raised with no growth-promoting antibiotics by farmers who care. One good option: Shady Brook Farms, the first major turkey brand to supply turkey without growth-promoting antibiotics and without charging a premium price.

Quality Starts on the Farm
Darrell Glaser, a sixth-generation farmer from Texas, along with his mother, Jeannette, and wife, Shannon, started raising turkeys more than 20 years ago. Today, his four sons also help on the family’s farm.

“We do everything we can to produce a quality product that other families would be comfortable eating during the holidays,” Glaser said.

Glaser, who has raised nearly 14 million turkeys, says this starts with keeping the birds healthy and comfortable.

“We take really good care to ensure the environment is just right for our turkeys. This includes keeping the floors of our barns dry and making sure the birds have plenty of fresh air and good quality water and feed,” Glaser said.

Glaser says if turkeys are happy and comfortable, they are generally healthy, which reduces the need to prescribe medicine, like antibiotics.

Glaser and his family are one of more than 700 independent farm families who are raising turkeys for Shady Brook Farms without using growth-promoting antibiotics.

“We feed America and want to provide a quality food source for our customers,” Glaser said. “With consumers more concerned about their food, if we can produce wholesome turkey without growth-promoting antibiotics, then we should.”

For more recipes and preparation tips, visit www.shadybrookfarms.com.

Holiday Minis

Ingredients

• 1 pound (or 3 cups) chopped Shady Brook Farms turkey (dark and white meat)
• 1 package (14 ounces) cornbread stuffing mix
• 1 jar (16 ounces) turkey gravy
• 1 can (6 ounces) cranberry sauce with whole cranberries

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray mini muffin pans (as many as needed to make 48 bites) with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Chop freshly cooked or leftover turkey into 1/4-inch pieces.
3. In large bowl, prepare stuffing mix as directed on package. Add turkey to stuffing mixture. Stir in 1 cup turkey gravy. Mixture should hold together when spooned into a ball. If mixture is too dry, add more gravy by tablespoons until correct consistency is achieved.
4. Spoon stuffing mixture into muffin pan, filling each cavity full, then pressing mixture down to level top of each bite.
5. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove from pan and garnish each bite with cranberry sauce. Additional gravy may be heated and served on side as dipping sauce.

Turkey Croissant

Ingredients

• 1 pound (approximately 2 cups) of leftover Shady Brook Farms whole turkey, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 cup diced celery
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 6 tablespoons diced red bell pepper
• 1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 12 croissants

Preparation

1. Combine turkey, pine nuts, celery, chives and red pepper in medium bowl. Stir in mayonnaise and lemon juice. Split croissants and place generous helping of turkey salad on bottom half of each, top with remaining half and serve.
2. To toast pine nuts: Place nuts in dry skillet in single layer and toast over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring as needed to prevent burning. Because pine nuts can burn easily, it is a good idea to watch until they are golden and fragrant, which means they are toasted.

Cozy Turkey Soup

Ingredients

• 1 white onion, minced (reserve 2 tablespoons)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1.4 pounds (approximately 3 cups) of leftover Shady Brook Farms turkey, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 5 yellow peppers, seeded and diced
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 can (15 ounces) chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon salt
• Bread bowls (optional)
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. In skillet, saute onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil for 2–3 minutes. Add cooked turkey and 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper to desired flavor. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large stockpot on low. Saute celery, carrot, garlic and reserved 2 tablespoons onion for approximately 10 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Add yellow peppers, potatoes, stock and 1 tablespoon salt. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
3. Cool for 10 minutes, then transfer back to pot to keep warm.
4. Add turkey and onion mixture to soup.
5. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

Turkey, Spinach and Swiss Quiche

Ingredients

• Non-stick cooking spray
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.25 pounds (approximately 3 cups) of leftover Shady Brook Farms whole turkey, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and well-drained
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese
• 1 (9-inch) pie crust, unbaked

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Saute onion, pepper and garlic over medium heat until tender, about 3 minutes. Add turkey and thawed spinach (squeeze out moisture) and saute 1 minute or until all ingredients are heated through. Remove from heat.
3. In mixing bowl, beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese into bottom of pie shell. Layer turkey, vegetable and spinach mixture on top of cheese. Pour egg mixture over top.
4. Bake approximately 50 minutes, or until center is set.

Sponsored by Shady Brook Farms