Although Thanksgiving has come and gone, the memories and leftovers will surely stick around for a few more days! Here are some of our favorites to help cure your leftover woes.

Thanksgiving Sandwich

Turkey Pizza

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

What’s your favorite way to eat your leftovers!?

By Amalya

The perfect Thanksgiving meal is colorful and balanced with something for everyone

Thanksgiving Dinner is comprised of 4 main food groups: turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin, and cheese! Let me elaborate using some of my favorite family recipes from past blog posts…Here is a delicious rundown of the perfect Thanksgiving menu:

Appetizers
Grandma’s Shrimp (for a lighter start to your meal!)

Pimento Cheese Spread

Cheese & Sausage Balls

Aimee’s Amazing Spinach Dip

Cheese Platter (duh!)  

Dinner
The BEST Turkey and Gravy Recipe

Side Dishes
Southern Cornbread Stuffing

“Night Before” Mashed Potatoes

Homemade Cranberry Sauce (at the bottom of the page)

Green Bean Casserole (with a new twist!)

Butternut Squash & Cheddar Gratin

Gluten-Free Buttermilk Biscuits (Click through for some other fabulous gluten-free Thanksgiving treats!)

Dessert
Harvest Pie

Ginger Pumpkin Mousse

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

And don’t forget the leftovers! What’s on your Thanksgiving menu?

By Gillian

Well, it’s done. The green beans have been devoured, the Pumpkin Ice Cream has mysteriously disappeared and the tryptophan has left your blood stream. But you open the refrigerator and what do you see? LEFTOVERS! Why not combine them into one yummy dish? Turkey Pizza is something my parents created years ago to try to trick a picky-eater (sorry Mom) into eating Thanksgiving food. But now we’ve modified it to take care of all our lingering leftovers in a tasty way.

TURKEY PIZZA

1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
1 ½ cups turkey gravy (either from a jar or from the turkey)
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes
1 cup leftover stuffing
1 cup cooked and shredded turkey meat
1 cup Tillamook Shredded Italian Blend Cheese
1/2 cup ranch dressing (optional)
1/2 cup cranberry sauce (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) or whatever is recommended on your pizza dough. Roll out the pizza dough, place onto a pizza pan or other baking sheet, and spread 1 cup of gravy over the top of the pizza using the back of a spoon. Spoon the potatoes onto the pizza, in little clumps. Arrange stuffing and turkey on top and spread evenly over the whole pizza. Top with cheese.

Cover pizza with aluminum foil (to protect the turkey from drying out). Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until crust is browned and center is cooked through. Serve with a side of ranch dressing or with dollops of cranberry sauce.

The great part about this recipe is that anything goes! If your family is like mine, and someone has already picked away at the stuffing, sub it out for green beans. If you’re out of gravy, a layer of cranberry sauce could serve as a tasty base. Play around with it and share with us your favorite combination!

Do you have any turkey leftover traditions to share?

~ Katie of the Tillamook Team

Photo: Amy – Cutting Coupons in KC

By Katie

My GaGa, expert Turkey and Dressing Maker, wearing his favorite hat with his favorite walking stick.

My grandfather, affectionately dubbed “GaGa” by his first grandchild, was a veterinarian and had a profound appreciation for the animals that supply us food and nourishment. He was also a Texan, so he made a mean Thanksgiving dinner! In his memory, here is his famous recipe for Turkey and Dressing that I now make using Tillamook Butter.

INGREDIENTS (for a 10# turkey):

1 package herb seasoned bread crumbs (not cubes!)
1 package cornbread crumbs
2 chopped onions
4 cups diced celery
¾ cup Tillamook Butter
4-8 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 cup white raisins
1 can sliced water chestnuts
½ tablespoon salt
4 cups water
Approx. 1 cup flour

PREPARATION:

Stuffing:

Simmer celery, onion, and butter in 4 cups water until tender (about 20 minutes). Mix seasonings, crumbs, raisins, and water chestnuts. Add onions, celery and broth (as needed). Add at least 3 tablespoons fat from cooking giblets. Should be moist but not goopy. Taste for seasoning.

Turkey:

Take out giblets and neck to simmer in about 5 cups water in a separate pot. Wash and dry turkey thoroughly. Rub inside and out with softened butter. Sift flour over all of it – top and bottom. Stuff with bread crumb mixture, cover with a tent made of foil, and bake according to directions.

Gravy:

Melt 8 tablespoons fat from turkey pan in a pan. Add 8 tablespoons flour gradually. Whisk together while it browns. Slowly add 4 cups broth (made from cooking giblets and neck together). Season. Might need to supplement with chicken broth. Whisk, whisk, whisk until there are no lumps.

My mother says: “GaGa made the best turkey and dressing. He spent lots of time “coddling” the turkey – poking at it while it thawed out, rubbing it with butter, trussing it up. (Oh! And he only got the turkeys that had the least pre-done to it – no self-basting, no injected with this or that.)  Then he watched it carefully while cooking.  It was always very moist, and the dressing was delicious. Happy Thanksgiving!”

Turkey image: Flickr/Gerry (Creative Commons)

By Gillian

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and if your family is anything like mine, you’re not only planning for the BIG turkey meal, but the dozens of meals you’ll make after Thanksgiving with the leftovers! One of the classic post-Thanksgiving meals is a turkey sandwich with all the holiday fixings – turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy. Our friends over at simplethings sandwich & pie shop in Los Angeles are famous for their Thanksgiving Sandwich and have agreed to share the secret to their mouthwatering recipe with all Tillamook fans!

SIMPLETHINGS THANKSGIVING SANDWICH (4 sandwiches/servings)

4 tablespoons Tillamook Unsalted Butter
4 slices of bacon, chopped
2 teaspoons jalapeno, minced
2 cups (16 oz) prepared cornbread stuffing
1/2 cup (4 oz) Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
4 eggs
1 cup (8 oz) turkey gravy
1 lb (16 oz) oven roasted turkey (sliced 1/8” thick)
1/2 cup (4 oz) cranberry relish
4 rustic rolls

Prepare the stuffing:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the chopped bacon and sauté until crisp. Add the jalapeno and cook until jalapeno is soft, then set aside. Place the stuffing in a large bowl and add the bacon mixture, Monterey Jack Cheese and eggs. Mix completely. Place mixture in a buttered dish and bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove and set aside until ready to make sandwiches (note: this may yield more stuffing than what’s needed for 4 sandwiches).

Make the sandwiches:
Heat gravy in a saucepan. Add the turkey to warm through and coat completely. Split each roll and top the bottom slice with ¼ cup of the jalapeno stuffing. Top the stuffing with the gravy soaked turkey. Spread the cranberry relish on the top piece of bread and place on top of sandwich to serve.

This sandwich is amazing! Give it a try with your Thanksgiving leftovers and let us know what you think!

P.S. If the cold weather and holidays have you craving warm, comforting home-cooked dishes, such as the Thanksgiving Sandwich from simplethings sandwich & pie shop, stay tuned for exciting additions to the Tillamook Kitchen! We have a new group of Chefs and restaurants we’re excited to introduce to you and your family this holiday season.

By Mary