How was everyone’s holiday? Good? Stuffed? Voices hoarse from all the talking and laughing and football cheering? Have tons of leftovers and don’t know what to do with them?
In case you’re looking for ideas, here are two that caught our eye. They both call for turkey deli meat, but who says you can’t use some of that great roasted turkey you have?
First is Faith’s Satay-Inspired Turkey Grilled Cheese with Nutty Masala Sauce. This sandwich gives your turkey a completely different flavor profile with its earthy flavors. I think the peanut butter is a nice touch and a little cranberry sauce on the side won’t hurt. Or you can grab your leftover turkey meat and vegetables and make Megan’s Cheesy Roast Turkey and Veggie Panini. Her recipe calls for spinach but I don’t see why you can’t throw in some broccoli rabe or even Brussels sprouts in there if you have any left over.
Here are the printables for both sandwiches. Have a great weekend, everyone—and get some rest in between all that shopping! !
Printable Recipe
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Description
The Nutty Masala Sauce I made for this sandwich was inspired by satay sauce, but has butternut squash puree for a fun twist. It’s amazing on this sandwich, but I’m sure you can think of at least 10 other uses for it off the top of your head (it’s amazing even eaten off a spoon).
Ingredients
- FOR THE SAUCE:
- 2 Tablespoons Creamy Peanut Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Butternut Squash Puree (See Note)
- ½ Tablespoons Honey
- ½ Tablespoons Rice Vinegar Or Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Light Soy Sauce
- ¼ teaspoons Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoons Ginger Powder
- ⅛ teaspoons Garam Masala Spice Mix
- ⅛ teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt To Taste
- FOR THE SANDWICHES:
- 8 slices Your Favorite Bread
- 8 teaspoons Butter
- 4 teaspoons Sesame Seeds
- ½ pounds Oven-roasted, Thinly Sliced Turkey Deli Meat
- 1 whole Medium Red Bell Pepper, Quartered, Seeded, And Thinly Sliced
- 4 ounces, weight Mozzarella Cheese, Shredded
- 2 whole Scallions, White And Green Parts, Thinly Sliced, For Garnish
Preparation Instructions
1. Use a fork to stir together all ingredients for the Nutty Masala Sauce in a medium bowl. Taste and add salt as desired. Set aside for now.
2. For the sandwiches, spread 1 teaspoon of butter on 1 side of each slice of bread. Then sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds onto the buttered side of each bread slice, gently pressing the seeds in.
3. Lay 4 bread slices onto your work surface with the butter/sesame side facing down. Spread some of the sauce onto the bread and top with the turkey, red bell pepper and mozzarella. Place the remaining slices of bread on top of the cheese with the butter/sesame side facing up.
4. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, carefully add the sandwiches and cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden, flipping once. It should take about 4 minutes per side (you can turn the heat up or down as necessary).
5. To serve, transfer the sandwiches to serving plates and sprinkle on the scallions.
Notes:
– Butternut squash puree: This is super easy to make; however, if you don’t have time to whip up a batch, canned pumpkin will also work. If you’re using canned pumpkin, look for solid-pack pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling (which has spices and sweeteners).
Printable Recipe
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Description
Take a bite of this crispy and totally cheesy roast turkey and veggie panini for those chilly fall nights. It’s even better with a side of completely creamy tomato soup.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 whole Onion, Sliced And Caramelized
- 4 slices Hearty Garlic Artisan Bread
- 3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- ½ pounds Roasted Turkey Sliced Lunchmeat
- 1 whole Tomato, Thinly Sliced
- 1 cup Spinach
- 4 slices Cheddar Cheese
Preparation Instructions
To caramelize onions, preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add in butter and allow to melt and start to simmer. Add in thinly sliced onion and toss to coat in butter. Let simmer and stir occasionally until the onions turn golden brown and reduce down. Remove from skillet.
For the paninis, preheat panini maker to 375ºF. (If you don’t have a panini press, make this like a grilled cheese—it’s fantastic!)
Top slices of bread with mayonnaise and mustard. Top slice of bread with turkey, tomato, caramelized onion, spinach and then cheese. Top with another slice of bread.
Spray panini press with nonstick spray and press until bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted inside. Remove from press, slice and serve.
How about you? What are your neat little tricks for making your table look extra special? Come share! We’d love to hear your ideas.
