# What to do with these uncooked turkey pieces



## velochic (Nov 25, 2006)

So, I thought I was getting a turkey breast, but I must have misunderstood what the packaging said.

I opened the turkey breast on Thursday to cook it and it turned out that I had a bunch of small turkey breast PIECES that had been molded inside the packaging to look like a turkey breast.

I was so flustered about it that I didn't cook it... we just went out to eat.  Okay no big deal.

But now I have 2 or 3 pounds of raw turkey breast pieces and I don't know what to do with it.  I need to cook it off this weekend.

I'm going to brown some for Turkey Tetrazzini.

I'm going to pound some out for Turkey Scallopini.

What else... any other ideas?  I can't refreeze it until I get it cooked.  So, I'm looking for a couple of nice recipes that will freeze well.

ETA:  The meat is boneless and skinless, btw.


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## buckytom (Nov 25, 2006)

a teryaki marinade on the grill is a good idea. 

same goes for viniagrette/herb marinades, then on the grill.

but they don't freeze well. i guess you could put them in bagies in the marinade, then freeze for grilling later.

cube them and make turkey chilli. or turkey bolognese.


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## velochic (Nov 25, 2006)

Thanks for the ideas, buckytom.

I can't grill, though.  

I'm thinking a pasta casserole other than the Tetrazzini might work.  I could dice up the meat very fine.

I have to work with ingredients from scratch (no sauces, etc. unless they are made from scratch).  I'm particularly interested in casseroles.  We don't/can't cook from canned or preserved ingredients.

Thanks!!!


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## BigDog (Nov 25, 2006)

I have a chicken casserole recipe that could easly be changed to turkey . . .

Cube and cook in VOO enough turkey to cover the bottom of your pan. Drain well and layer on the bottom of the pan. Lay a layer of Swiss cheese (your favorite) over the chicken. Generally one layer with some overlap is sufficient, but if you like it extra cheesey, add as much as you want. Then spread a layer of cream of chicken soup over the cheese. Then cover with a layer of previously prepared stuffing/dressing (boxed/canistered or homemade). Bake in a preheated, 350 degree F oven for about 30 minutes, or until the stuffing crisps and the sides start to bubble. 

WARNING: You may want to place a catch pan under the casserole. This will slightly increase the cooking time, but greatly decrease the clean up time!

Serve with a side of veggies (I prefer corn, or maybe mixed) and there you go. A 9X13 pan of this is usually good for about 6 people or so, depending on portion size and additional dishes served.


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## auntdot (Nov 25, 2006)

Don't fully understand your restrictions, but we love to make a turkey pot pie.

Or a turkey Caesar salad, or maybe turkey tacos, or can make a turkey Reuben sandwich.

Julienne the cooked turkey and make a sesame noodle Chinese type dish.

Or make a turkey salad with mayo and onion, celery, curry powder, garlic powder, some hot sauce (or cayenne), use your imagination.

Turkey crepes using a white sauce, can easily Google for many recipes.  Think some sliced black olives would work well here.

Or just a turkey ala king served over toasted bread.

Just a few ideas, good luck and enjoy.


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## YT2095 (Nov 25, 2006)

Think Chicken here, forget it`s Turkey, what would you do if it were Chicken?

maybe a fried rice? a Curry? wrap then in smoked ham with a slice of chili inside and oven bake? batter and deep fry? make Kievs?

Or buy a Cat, they always know what to do with it


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## velochic (Nov 25, 2006)

auntdot said:
			
		

> Don't fully understand your restrictions, but we love to make a turkey pot pie.



The restrictions are what is available (we don't have canned soups) and what I will cook with (we don't do processed food... which isn't much available here anyway).  The US is all about canned, boxed, frozen, processed food.  I'm just looking for scratch recipes.


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## velochic (Nov 25, 2006)

YT2095 said:
			
		

> Think Chicken here, forget it`s Turkey, what would you do if it were Chicken?
> 
> maybe a fried rice? a Curry? wrap then in smoked ham with a slice of chili inside and oven bake? batter and deep fry? make Kievs?
> 
> Or buy a Cat, they always know what to do with it



Good words!  I like the Kiev idea.  I'll have to try that.


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## AllenOK (Nov 26, 2006)

Turkey Parmesan?  Although, that would be a bit of a effort.


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## Constance (Nov 26, 2006)

Make turkey cutlets...they'll fly off the plate. Pound them out, dip in seasoned flour, then beaten egg & milk, then back in the flour and panfry. 

Or just dip them in flour, brown in butter, and deglaze pan with Marsala wine, for Turkey Marsala.


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## CharlieD (Nov 26, 2006)

You could ground the meat and and make humburgers.


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## Barbara L (Nov 26, 2006)

velochic said:
			
		

> ...The US is all about canned, boxed, frozen, processed food. I'm just looking for scratch recipes.


As an American I would take exception to this, but unfortunately it is way too true for many Americans!  Many of us do cook from scratch (I'll admit I do add canned mushroom soup or other things now and then, and I use a lot of canned tomatoes since I do not have my own garden yet and produce is very expensive in this area), but cooking is becoming a dying art in the U.S.  We need to get it back!

 Barbara


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## velochic (Nov 27, 2006)

Barbara L said:
			
		

> As an American I would take exception to this


I'm an American, too.


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## shpj4 (Nov 27, 2006)

I think you are making good use of your Turkey parts and I wish I had them because I just love the parts of the Turkey.


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## Barbara L (Nov 27, 2006)

velochic said:
			
		

> I'm an American, too.


So you know firsthand.     The funny thing is, some of the processed foods that are supposed to make things faster and easier really don't.  Someone gave me a box of Hamburger Helper once.  It was more of a pain to make it than cooking from scratch would have been!  And it was full of salt.

 Barbara


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## AllenOK (Nov 28, 2006)

Lately, I've had nothing but horrible experiences with hamburger helper.  Tastes like salty glue.  Bleck!  Invariably gets burned on the bottom of the pan.

Not to mention, the only version of the stuff that PeppA buys is Beef Strongonoff, and since it contains dehydrated dairy products, sets my lactose intolerance off like there's no tomorrow.

I can make two versions of Beef Strogonoff, a quick one using just cream of mushroom soup, and one "from scratch".  The "from scratch" version takes a little longer, tastes about the same as the version with cream of mushroom soup, but is satisfying to know EXACTLY what went into it.  Also, it doesn't set my lactose intolerance off as badly.

This is probably half of the big difference between my style of cooking, and PeppA's style of cooking.  I'm a "from scratch" type person, mainly because I'm concerned about salt content, and PeppA is a "out of the box/can/mix" type person.


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## velochic (Nov 28, 2006)

Barbara L said:
			
		

> So you know firsthand.     The funny thing is, some of the processed foods that are supposed to make things faster and easier really don't.  Someone gave me a box of Hamburger Helper once.  It was more of a pain to make it than cooking from scratch would have been!  And it was full of salt.
> 
> Barbara



You said it sister!  I wonder sometimes if the overload on salt in these pre-packaged items lead to children not liking freshly made food.  (I have a niece with children that will eat only McD's and boxed food.)


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## velochic (Nov 28, 2006)

AllenOK said:
			
		

> Lately, I've had nothing but horrible experiences with hamburger helper.  Tastes like salty glue.  Bleck!  Invariably gets burned on the bottom of the pan.
> 
> Not to mention, the only version of the stuff that PeppA buys is Beef Strongonoff, and since it contains dehydrated dairy products, sets my lactose intolerance off like there's no tomorrow.
> 
> ...



Like I said above, the salt content alone (not to mention other processed ingredients made from various plastics) is something to be concerned about.  Who is PeppA?  Your spouse/significant other?


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## letscook (Nov 28, 2006)

Fried turkey
Love to take thin slices of turkey dip in flour and then in a batter and deep fry it
yum


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## Gretchen (Nov 28, 2006)

I haven't read all the posts but I would poach what is left and use it in cooked dishes like pot pie, shepherd's pie, tetrazini, etc.


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## kungfueats (Nov 30, 2006)

Turkey Tacos, but I'm partial to Mexican food.


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## velochic (Dec 1, 2006)

Thanks for all the replies.  The turkey is now (thankfully)... gone.


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