Calling all leftovers! It’s that time of year where we indulge (my favorite time) and we often have a fridge full of leftovers. I discovered this recipe on Pinterest years ago and I just fell in love with it for a couple of reasons. First, I love to make anything or eat anything that comes in a ramekin or individual baking dish. Love, love, love. Also, the idea of getting rid of leftovers in a way that doesn’t feel like you’re eating leftovers is a big deal for me. So, voila! Turkey Shepherd’s Pie! I’ve adapted the recipe to fit me and my leftover needs and you do the same! You could do this in one big casserole dish, but what if you have leftovers? Then you’d have leftovers of your leftovers and that’s just weird. Happy fridge cleaning!
- 5 cups (or whatever you have) leftover turkey, white and dark meat, shredded
- 16 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, minced
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Flour
- Chicken stock
- 2 T parsley, chopped
- Kosher salt, pepper
- Olive oil
- Butter
- 1 cup (or more) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Leftover mashed potatoes
- Leftover brussel sprouts (optional)
- Leftover gravy (optional)
- Cooking spray
Spray 6-8 ramekins with cooking spray, set aside.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat up a couple tablespoons of olive oil and a couple tablespoons of butter. Saute mushrooms until brown and soft. Add shallot and celery and continue to saute until soft. Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds and then sprinkle mixture with 2-3 tablespoons of flour. Let flour cook for a few minutes then add gravy (if using), plus some chicken stock to create a gravy consistency. Add in shredded turkey, brussel sprouts (if using) and let simmer for about 15 minutes, adding more stock if mixture gets too dry.
Meanwhile, mix mashed potatoes with cheddar cheese. I sometimes add a splash of milk to get the potatoes working and moving for me.
Fill ramekins with turkey mixture about 2/3 the way up the ramekin. Top with mashed potatoes, smoothing out top. Continue with remaining ramkeins (or until mixture runs out!).
If eating immediately, heat in a 350 degree oven until bubbly and top is brown. You can also wrap these in plastic or tinfoil and freeze for another time (my choice!). Just let thaw and then bake at 350 until bubbly and top is brown.
