I used to have no imagination when it came to turkey. Leftover turkey meant sandwiches. And more sandwiches. Then everyone would get tired of turkey and never want to see turkey again. Which explains why I only used to make turkey once a year, at Thanksgiving. It would take a whole year to get over being tired of it. But just try looking in most cookbooks under turkey. Not a lot of turkey recipes out there.

Then it finally dawned on me that I didn’t need turkey recipes. I needed chicken recipes. Turkey is an easy replacement for chicken in most recipes. And the world is full of chicken recipes.

Now I cook turkey throughout the year. I love turkey. I love all the different things I make with it and we don’t get tired.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to use leftover turkey!

Go Mexican! The “wild” flavor punch of Mexican food feels like a polar opposite to the traditional Thanksgiving meal. You don’t even know you’re eating holiday leftovers. Try Sour Cream Enchiladas–with turkey instead of chicken.

You can also make turkey–instead of chicken–fajitas. (Try my homemade tortillas.)

Or, a little more traditional and yet still different…. Chicken and Biscuits becomes Turkey and Biscuits.

It’s also a great way to get in some of those leftover Thanksgiving Day vegetables. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand for this recipe.

Or, go Italian! Again, such a different flavor direction that it really makes you forget you’re talking leftovers. Make Chicken, Bacon, and Ranch French Bread Pizza, only with turkey. (When I do this, my kids don’t know the difference. Same with the enchilada recipe above. They think they’re eating chicken.)

And don’t forget Turkey Noodle Soup!

Not that leftover turkey sandwiches aren’t great. Especially on Grandmother Bread. I love ’em. But you can only eat so many of them. (Favorite post-Thanksgiving sandwich–turkey and dressing sandwich!!! You?)

Find all these recipes on Farm Bell Recipes for the handy print page and to save them to your recipe box:

Sour Cream Enchiladas
Chicken ‘n’ Biscuits
Chicken, Bacon, and Ranch French Bread Pizza
Turkey Noodle Soup

Find more chicken recipes that can be translated to turkey recipes here.

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