Well, we are all pretty stuffed around here. There was enough food at yesterday’s feast to serve at least another dozen people! That’s always the way it is at Thanksgiving (thankfully!) and the food gets eaten up pretty quickly as leftovers. Except for the turkey, that is. There always seems to be much more of that than of anything else and really, how many turkey sandwiches can a person tolerate?! In my case, not many.

My strategy for not eating turkey sandwiches for the next week is to come up with a different dish to use the turkey in after the holiday. I give you Turkey & Mushroom Bread Pudding!

Turkey & Mushroom Bread Pudding  (adapted from cookinglight.com)
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 cups sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups shredded cooked turkey (about 8 ounces)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 5 large eggs
• 6 cups French or Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 ounces)
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, celery, onion, thyme, and garlic. Cook the mixture for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms & celery are tender, stirring occasionally.

Soften up the mushrooms and celery first.

Stir in the turkey, salt and black pepper. Remove the mixture from the heat and cool slightly.

Add the pre-cooked turkey to the skillet.

In a large bowl, combine the milk, mustard, red pepper and eggs, stirring it all together with a whisk. Stir in the bread, then the turkey mixture. Combine it well.

Combine the turkey & veggies mixture with the milk-eggs-bread mixture.

Spoon it all into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the casserole with the cheese. Bake it at 350° for 1 hour or until it is golden brown. Let the casserole stand 10 minutes before serving.

Like an awesome stuffing!

A great use of all the turkey that is STILL left when everything else is gone!  ~Linda

Turkey & Mushroom Bread Pudding  (adapted from cookinglight.com)

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 cups sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups shredded cooked turkey (about 8 ounces)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 5 large eggs
• 6 cups French or Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 ounces)
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, celery, onion, thyme, and garlic. Cook the mixture for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms & celery are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the turkey, salt and black pepper. Remove the mixture from the heat and cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the milk, mustard, red pepper and eggs, stirring it all together with a whisk. Stir in the bread, then the turkey mixture. Combine it well. Spoon it all into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the casserole with the cheese. Bake it at 350° for 1 hour or until it is golden brown. Let the casserole stand 10 minutes before serving.