Still Have Turkey Leftovers? Ta-daaa!

It's my All-Time Most Versatile Turkey Rice Casserole Recipe! Why I love this recipe? It's my favorite word....VERSATILE! As long as you have the basics of the turkey (or chicken!), the rice, and the white sauce you can pretty much add whatever your heart desires to make it your own.

My favorite way to make this is the original recipe, which calls for chopped pimentos, chopped green peppers, mushrooms, and slivered almonds. It is gorgeous on a Christmas buffet...full of red and green from the pimentos and green peppers! But...and this is a big BUT...my boys don't like nuts or mushrooms. In anything. Ever. (I know. I know. They're young adults now, but I try to be a good Mom and accomodate!) So I rarely add them. But when I do, it's company worthy!

I've added hot sauce to the white sauce, and green chiles and red peppers. Even dried red pepper flakes for added kick! I've used leftover rotisserie chicken chopped up from the deli, or smoked from the grill. I've added cheese to the white sauce, making a cheese sauce. Parmesan or pepper jack are particularly good! Chopped scallions, herbs, chives, onions, garlic...all a nice touch. I have even substituted shrimp,  or chopped leftover ham, for the turkey (or chicken). I've even made this with leftover cooked quail and the Uncle Ben's Wild Rice! So good! Such a great way to use up those turkey (or chicken) leftovers!

What do you like the most? Just try it. I'm serious when I say it's hard to go wrong here. The worst you could do is make it too bland. But even then it's pretty good.

All-Time Most Versatile Turkey Rice Casserole Recipe
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup all purpose flour
3 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups turkey or chicken broth
3 cups milk
3-4 cups cooked white rice
4 cups cut-up cooked turkey (or chicken)
2 4-ounce cans mushroom stems and pieces
2/3 cup chopped green pepper
4 Tablespoons chopped pimiento
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a dutch oven, heat margarine until melted. Blend in flour, salt and pepper.

















Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until bubbly; remove from heat.

Stir in broth and milk. Return to heat and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Remove from heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.

Pour into an ungreased 9 x 13 baking dish. Cook, uncovered, 40-45 minutes, until bubbly.

NOTE: If this is too much for you,
just cut the recipe in half and put it in a 2-quart casserole dish. And don't be married to the increments. If you only have 2 1/4 cups turkey, or 3 cups of rice, it will still work!

Of course we do the usual round of turkey noodle soup, turkey pot pie, turkey salad sandwiches, hot turkey and gravy, ya da ya da ya da. But I love this the best!

Cheers!
Cathy