<p>My favorite leftover t-giving casserole…</p>
<p>A Layer of Turkey, Stuffing, pour gravy over top, spread leftover mashed potatoes over all, dot with butter, bake till bubbly.</p>
<p>mmmmmmm.</p>
<p>Ha, great unhealthy recipes ;)</p>
<p>So here is what I ended up doing:
potatoes boiled in skins, sliced
onions, chopped and glazed
cauliflower, broken into small pieces
shredded chedar cheese
a few freshly fried bacon pieces, crumbled
repeat.
Covered everything with eggs mixed with spices.</p>
<p>It was wonderful, even cold out of the fridge on the second day :)</p>
<p>I really try to avoid canned soups, but it seems that many baked dishes call for them. What are good(healthier) substitutes?</p>
<p>I have subbed milk or cream (hardly healthier) with other components that might make a “mock” cream soup base. Another alternative, but still canned, Campbells makes low fat versions. Most casserole recipes are by nature high in fat and sodium. That’s why they taste so goooooood. :)</p>
<p>You can try the recipe that I suggested that has yogurt in it. It is a spinach, cheese (Parm) and potato pie. It is really good.</p>
<p>^I’ve never tried substituting, and I don’t make a lot of casserole type dishes, but for the casserole type dishes I do make generally use chicken stock perhaps with a bit of wine, cream, or a white sauce. As an example Cooks Illustrated upgraded green bean casserole a while back. Instead of cream of mushroom soup they made a mushroom sauce by sauteing mushrooms in butter and garlic. You added a bit of flour then stirred in broth and cream, seasoning with salt and pepper. I’ve never made the traditional version of green bean casserole, but the Cook’s Illustrated version was pretty good.</p>
<p>You can buy canned soup that’s organic, reduced sodium, reduced fat, etc. But the whole point of casseroles, to me, is the convenience, so making a white sauce from scratch would defeat the purpose. Making creamed green beans that way, though, that’s a different story.</p>
<p>I love turkey tetrazzini…talk about comfort food! Saute some onions and mushrooms, add chopped leftover turkey, and toss that with cooked spaghetti, some Parmesan cheese, and a can of cream of mushroom soup (I like the Roasted Garlic kind). This is childhood in a bowl.</p>
<p>Agreed on the nutritional value (or lack of it) in canned soups but I would also have to say that I probably don’t use it more than once a month so no major harm done. And yep, it’s a convenience factor.</p>
<p>The other “casserole” I use canned soup for is Hot Chicken Salad where I use a can of cream of chicken. I need to make that VERY soon…would be good (and timely) with leftover turkey as well.</p>