Written for Inside & Out by Alison Strickland of Two of a Kind
It’s the day after Thanksgiving. The last thing you want to do is spend time in the kitchen. But you still need to eat – and feed hungry guests if they’re staying with you. With a few extra ingredients and a little prep work, you can transform your Thanksgiving leftovers into a fresh and filling meal.
Here’s what you’ll need to make turkey Cobb salad for a small crowd (4-6 people) with a side of cranberry sauce and brie crostini:
Leftover turkey
Leftover roasted vegetables – like Brussels sprouts and butternut squash
Leftover cranberry sauce
Eggs, apple smoked bacon, avocado, lettuce
French baguette
Double cream brie
Keep things casual and serve the salad family style. You can dress and toss it all at once or leave it undressed and let guests help themselves (my preference as it accommodates vegetarians, who can pick around the bacon and turkey, and prevents soggy greens). You can even let everyone assemble their own crostini.
Turkey Cobb Salad
Makes 4-6 servings
INGREDIENTS
Dressing:
3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad:
6 strips apple smoked bacon
3 eggs
10 cups spring mix
1 turkey breast, cut into 1/2” cubes
2-3 cups roasted Brussels sprouts
2-3 cups roasted butternut squash
1 large avocado, cut in half lengthwise and then crosswise into 1/4”-thick pieces
1 cup candied pecans, roughly chopped (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the dressing: Combine the dressing ingredients (canola oil through garlic) in a small jar with a lid and shake vigorously until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Make the salad: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lay bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, remove from oven and pour off bacon grease. Bake for an additional 3-8 minutes until crisp. Remove bacon from oven and transfer strips to a paper-lined platter to drain and finish crisping. Cut strips into 1” Set aside.
Place eggs in a small sauce pan and fill with enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; turn off heat. Cover and let stand for 12 minutes. Transfer eggs to a small bowl and cover with cold water; let cool and peel. Slice eggs in half lengthwise and then crosswise into 1/4”-thick pieces. Set aside.
Spread lettuce in a large serving platter. Arrange bacon, eggs, Brussels sprouts, turkey, butternut squash, avocado and candied pecans in separate rows.
To serve, drizzle with dressing, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Or let guests serve themselves and dress the salad to their liking.
Cranberry Sauce and Brie Crostini
Makes 4-6 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 French baguette (homemade or store-bought), sliced diagonally into 1/2”-thick pieces
Cooking spray
Double cream brie
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly coat both sides of baguette slices with cooking spray and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, flip baguette slices and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Let cool on the baking sheet.
Top baguette slices with brie and cranberry sauce, and serve.
