Turkey Chow Mein Casserole

Let me take this opportunity to wish all our 'south-of-the-border' friends and family a most blessed Thanksgiving!  May your celebrations be filled with peace, love and joy...and may your thankful spirit go with you into the days to come.

Today I am thankful for my husband's sister, Anne...who I only got to know when I married into the family.  She was the oldest of the siblings...the tiniest...and the bubbliest.  She was a wonderful sister-in-law and became a favorite aunt to my children.  She was also a very good cook...and I have many recipes in my file in her perfect handwriting printing.  She passed away suddenly eight years ago...and now I treasure all those things which came from her.  We celebrated our Canadian Thanksgiving last month and I cooked up a whopping big turkey (33 pounds)...which guaranteed lots of turkey leftovers!  I pulled Anne's Turkey Wonder recipe from the file...and took it with me to the grocery store to be sure I had all the necessary ingredients.  I came home with a bag of celery, onions, chow mein noodles, soup and water chestnuts...but had somehow left the recipe card at Safeway.  It never showed up...so I made the dish as I best recalled...and we enjoyed it just fine.  I am documenting what I did right here on MGCC...so that Anne's Turkey Wonder recipe will  live on!  If you are looking for a simple and delicious way to use up your leftover turkey in the coming days...try making turkey chow mein. 

Ingredients:

•  2 cups chow mein noodles
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups cooked turkey, cubed
• 1/4 cup chopped onion (red onion adds a little colour)
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 small can sliced water chestnuts, drained

 Topping:  Crushed potato chips, sliced almonds or chopped cashews.

Method:

1. Put chow mein noodles in the bottom of a greased 2-quart casserole.
2. Combine all remaining ingredients and spread over the noodles.
3. Bake uncovered at 350° F for 30 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and add desired topping.  Bake for 10 minutes longer.

I remember my sis-in-law serving this dish with crunchy crushed potato chips on top...so I have always done the same.  I'm sure cashews would be an excellent addition though!

Pesto Dinner Rolls

Pesto rolls...baked in a cast iron skillet...and served hot from the oven. What could be better? And if there are any rolls left when dinner is done...they make the best sandwich buns!

• 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 Tablespoon instant yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 4 Tablespoons pesto

1. Mix 2 1/2 cups of flour with salt, sugar and yeast in a mixing bowl.
2. Add oil and warm water to dry ingredients and mix.
3. Stir in pesto. (Use store bought pesto...or make your own.)
4. Continue to add flour as necessary to make a soft dough. 
5. Knead until smooth and elastic.
6. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk...about an hour.
7. Divide dough into eight portions.
8. Form eight rolls and position in a well-oiled cast iron pan. (Or make12 smaller rolls.)
9. Cover with a clean towel and allow them to rise in a warm place for at least an hour...until doubled in size.
10. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.

Note ~ Normally one would let the dough rise before forming buns to put on the pan...as in step 6. One day I was rushed for time...and put them on the pan right after mixing the dough. They turned out great.