As I made my way through the recipe box, I wanted to share a variety of recipes that would appeal to diverse tastes and cooking abilities. These last 10 recipes range from appetizers to Thanksgiving centerpieces, but all are dishes that showcase turkey and its versatility.

21st Way: Turkey and Vegetable Tetrazzini

Ingredients: 16 oz. linguine pasta, 2 Tblsp vegetable oil, 1 lb. turkey breast cut into 1″ pieces or shredded, 2 cups broccoli chopped, 2 cups carrots sliced, 2 cups mushrooms sliced, 2/3 cup milk, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Cook linguine according to directions on package.
2. Heat oil and cook turkey until done.
3. Set turkey to side. Add broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms to pan and cook on medium for 3-5 minutes.
4. Add milk, cream of chicken soup, parmesan cheese, and turkey. Cook until heated through.
5. Stir in cooked linguine and cook till hot.

***Left-over baked turkey works great in this recipe.

22nd Way: Turkey Asparagus Risotto

Ingredients: 1 lb turkey shredded or cubed, 1 lb asparagus, 3 cups mushrooms sliced, 1 shallot, 4 cups chicken or turkey broth, 1 cup Arborio rice, 2 Tblsp olive oil, 2 Tblsp butter, 1 cup white wine, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Steps:

1. Cut asparagus into 2 inch pieces.

2. Sauté the asparagus and mushrooms in non-skillet. Cook just until the vegetables are soft. About 7 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.

3. In a large pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once butter melt adds shallots and cook just until softened.

4. Stir in the Arborio rice and mix until coated in butter. Toast slightly but do not brown.

5. Pour in wine and cook until wine absorbs.

6. Pour one cup of broth over the rice and stir consistently until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat process, one cup at a time, until all liquid is absorbed by the rice.

7. Add the shredded turkey and sautéed vegetables to the risotto, heat through. Mix well. Serve immediately.

***Left-over baked turkey works great in this recipe.

23rd Way: Turkey and Bisquick Dumplings

Ingredients: 2 cups turkey shredded, 2 1/2 cups Bisquick, 2/3 cups milk, flour to roll dough, 6 cups chicken or turkey broth, salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Mix Bisquick and milk until in tight dough ball.
2. Coat rolling pin and rolling surface well with flour. Roll dough as thin as possible. Use butter knife or pizza cutter to cut 2 inch dough squares or strips. *Works best if you allow dough to dry out a bit before trying to pick up to place in broth.
3. Bring broth to boil in a large soup pan.
4. Add turkey and return broth to a boil.
5. Gradually add Bisquick dumplings to boiling broth with turkey.
6. Simmer for 7-10 minutes, stirring often to make sure dumplings are not sticking to bottom of pan.
7. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowl.

***Left-over baked turkey works great in this recipe.

24th Way: Short Cut Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients: For filling: 2 1/2 cups cooked turkey shredded or cubed, 2 Tblsp veg oil, 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, 2 cups pre-made poultry gravy or poultry gravy mix, 1 15 oz can black beans, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper
For crust: 2 1/2 cups Bisquick mix, 2/3 cup milk, flour for rolling crust or use pre-made pie crust

Steps:

1. Preheat over 350 degrees.
2. In large skillet heat oil. Cook turkey until done.
3. Drain and rinse black beans.
4. Add frozen vegetables and black beans to turkey and set to side.
5. Heat gravy according to directions on package.
6. Mix gravy, salt, and pepper into turkey and vegetables.
7. Mix Bisquick and milk. Once dough is mixed, use rolling pin and flour to roll dough flat enough to cover 9×13 baking dish.
8. Pour gravy/vegetable/turkey mixture into 9×13 backing dish.
9. Cover dish with crust and tuck edges around inside lip of pan. Use knife to cut two or three slits in center of crust.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

***Left-over baked turkey works great in this recipe.

25th Way: Fancy Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients: 2 Tblsp butter, 1 onion chopped, 2 stalks celery chopped, 3 carrots chopped, 4 Tblsp flour, 4 cups chicken or turkey stock, 2 potatoes peeled and diced, 2 cups shredded turkey, 2 Tblsp chopped parsley, 1/2 cup frozen peas thawed, 1 prepared pie crust (*or use Bisquick trick from Shortcut Turkey Pot Pie Recipe), 1 egg lightly beaten

Steps:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter in sauce pan and cook chopped onion until tender.
3. Stir in celery and carrots and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add chicken or turkey stock and bring to a simmer.
6. Add potatoes and simmer until tender.
7. Stir in turkey, parsley, and peas.
8. Pour mixture into 9×13 baking dish.
9. Top with pie crust and brush with egg.
10. Bake 30 minutes unit crust is golden.
11. Remove from over and let set for 5 minutes prior to serving.

26th Way: Crockpot Sesame Turkey

Ingredients: 1 ½ pound turkey breast sliced, ½ cup honey, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 Tblsp dried onion, 2 Tblsp ketchup, 1 Tblsp oil, ½ tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tblsp water, Sesame seeds

Steps:

1. Put turkey into crock pot.

2. Combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, and garlic. Pour over turkey.

3. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 ½ – 2 ½ hours, or just until turkey is cooked through.

4. Remove turkey from crock pot, leave sauce.

5. Dissolve 2 tsp cornstarch in 3 Tblsp of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened.

6. Cut turkey into bite size pieces and return to crock pot – can leave turkey in and simmer on low until sauce thickens. Sprinkle with Sesame seeds and serve.

27th Way: Turkey Noodle Soup

Ingredients: 2 Tblsp vegetable oil, 1 lb. shredded turkey, 4 cups chicken or turkey broth, 2 carrots sliced, 1/2 onion sliced thin, 2 stalks celery sliced, 2 cups Amish egg noodles, salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

1. In large soup pan heat oil. Cook carrots, celery, and onion for 2 minutes.
2. Add chicken or turkey stock and bring to a boil.
3. Add noodles and cook for 7 minutes.
4. Add turkey and cook to heat through. Salt and pepper to taste.

***Left-over baked turkey works great in this recipe.

28th Way: Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Breast

Ingredients: 1 lb. turkey breast sliced 1 inch thick, 10-12 slices bacon (Do not use thick cut.), 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Rub half of the spice mixture all over the turkey breasts.
4. Wrap each slice of turkey with 2 or 3 slices of bacon. Place the turkey breasts so that the bacon seam side faces down in 9×13 baking dish.
5. Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar mixture over the top of the turkey.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bacon is crisp and turkey is cooked through, baste the turkey occasionally with drippings from pan. 
7. If you prefer extra crispy bacon, broil for an additional 1-2 minutes.

29th Way: Turkey Parmesan

Ingredients: 1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 egg lightly beaten, 1 Tblsp water, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 lb. turkey breast sliced 1 – 1 1/2 inches thick, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup pizza or spaghetti sauce, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Steps:

1. Preheat over to 325 degrees. Coat 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese; mix well. In another shallow dish, combine egg, water, and pepper; mix well.
3. Dip the turkey breast slices in the egg mixture and then the breadcrumb mixture. Coat completely.
4. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown turkey for 4 minutes per side.
5. Place browned turkey in coated 9×13 baking dish and cover with pizza or spaghettis sauce.
6. Bake for 25 minutes.
7. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake for 3-5 more minutes (until cheese is melted).
8. Serve immediately.

30th Way: Whole Roast Turkey

Ingredients: 12-15 lb. whole turkey, 1 stick of salted butter but into 1 Tblsp pats, 1 Tblsp salt, 1 Tbslp black pepper, 2 yellow onions peeled and halved

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, combine the salt and pepper.
3. Remove the turkey from its packaging. Be sure to remove the neck and the bag containing the gizzards and heart from inside the turkey’s cavity. (You can keep these items to make stock or discard them.)
4. Use a few paper towels to dry off the skin of the bird and inside the cavity.
5. Lift the skin over the turkey breast (on the side closest to the legs) and slide your hand under the skin separating it from the breast meat. Do this on both sides of the breast.
6. Insert three pats of butter under the skin on one side for the turkey breast spreading them around evenly. Repeat on the other side.
7. Sprinkle the salt and pepper mixture all over the turkey. Using your hands press the rub into the skin a little. If you have any extra rub sprinkle it inside the cavity.
8. Place the onion halves and any remaining butter pats inside the turkey’s cavity.
9. Place turkey on rack of roasting pan.
10. Cover tightly with a piece of aluminum foil that is large enough to completely cover the turkey breast.
11. Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 2 hours. Carefully remove the foil from the turkey. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees and cook the turkey for another hour, or until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 165 degrees F and the skin is golden and crispy.
12. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before carving.

This recipe is for a 12-15 pound bird. You will add 15 minutes per pound at the 325 degree cooking time. The temperature increase at the end does not change. Here is a handy list of how long to cook your turkey at different weights:

• 10 pounds: 1 hour 30 minutes at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.
• 12 pounds: 2 hours at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.
• 14 pounds: 2 hours, 30 minutes at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.
• 16 pounds: 3 hours at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.

While these are not the only ways turkey can be prepared, they are some of my family’s favorite recipes and I hope they will become some of your favorites too.

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S. For additional turkey recipes check out “Turkey 30 Ways – Part 1” and “Turkey 30 Ways Part 2” and be sure to comment or share.