Turn Leftover Turkey into Gourmet Sandwiches

by Gena on 11/25/09 at 7:05 am

Wishing You a Happy Thanksgiving

After Thanksgiving turkey can get kind of boring, but this year avoid the same old turkey sandwich with mustard and mayonnaise and try a little something different   Make your own sandwich spread and top with delicious cheeses like Grafton cheddar or goat cheese and you will never know you are eating leftovers.  I have some favorite combinations, but get creative with your own.   Purchasing good quality breads from your local bakery can make all the difference – kalamata olive loaf, ciabatta, or delicious foccacia all make excellent sandwiches.
For more of my recipes visit my website www.genaknox.com

Turkey, Cranberry, and Blue Cheese

PREP TIME  10 minutes
YIELDS  4 servings

1 cup cranberry sauce
¼ cup Dijon mustard
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese (about 2/3 cup)
3 cups loosely packed arugula
16 ounces of sliced turkey
8 slices of ½ inch thick ciabatta bread, toasted

FIRST In a small bowl, whisk together cranberry sauce and Dijon mustard.  Evenly divide cranberry spread among 8 pieces of toasted ciabatta.

LAST Layer blue cheese, turkey and arugula on 4 slices of ciabatta.  Top with the other slices of bread and serve.

Turkey CranbBrie Sandwich a perfect use for leftovers

Turkey, Apple, and Cheddar Open Faced Sandwich
Recipe from Gourmet Make Simple by Gena Knox

PREP TIME 5 minutes
COOK TIME 5 minutes
YIELD 4 servings

SANDWICH
4 large slices ciabatta bread, cut ½-inch thick and toasted
12 ounces smoked turkey
1 Granny Smith apple, halved, cored, and sliced thin
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

APPLE SPREAD
½ cup apple butter
¼ cup Dijon mustard

FIRST Preheat oven 500°. Combine apple butter and mustard in a small bowl.  Spread 1½ tablespoons onto each piece of bread and top with 3 ounces of turkey. Layer apple slices on top of the turkey and finish with cheese.

LAST Bake just until the cheese melts and the edges begin to brown, about 3 minutes.

Turkey and Artichoke Sandwich

I love using this spread in place of mayonnaise – spread on two slices of kalamata olive bread, top with turkey and oven roasted roma tomatoes and serve.
Quick Artichoke Spread
PREP TIME  5 minutes
YIELDS  3 cups
1 clove garlic, peeled
½ cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup shredded, good quality Parmesan
2 – 16 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained
2 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

FIRST  Puree garlic, basil, and Parmesan in a food processor.  Add artichoke hearts and lemon juice and pulse until smooth.   With motor running, slowly add olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Related Posts

1. Top 10 Thanksgiving Leftover Dishes
2. Tips for Defrosting Your Thanksgiving Turkey
3. New Turkey Traditions: Try Grilling or Deep Frying
4. Why You Should Eat a Heritage Turkey
5. Adopt a Turkey this Thanksgiving

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