Still trying to eat up the last of your Thanksgiving spread? While turkey sandwiches are well and good, with a few extra ingredients and a little prep work, you can transform your leftovers into a fresh and filling meal. Read on for a lesson in Bestovers 101, a collaboration with Pottery Barn.
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 and fruit – like Brussels sprouts and butternut squash
- Leftover cranberry sauce
- Leftover candied pecans
- Apple smoked bacon, eggs, 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.
- ¾ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 strips apple smoked bacon
- 3 eggs
- 10 cups spring mix
- 1 turkey breast, cut into ½" cubes
- 2-3 cups roasted Brussels sprouts
- 2-3 cups roasted butternut squash
- 1 large avocado, cut in half lengthwise and then crosswise into ¼"-thick pieces
- 1 cup candied pecans, roughly chopped
- 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.
- 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 the oven and pour off bacon grease. Bake for an additional 3-8 minutes until crisp. Remove the bacon from the oven and transfer strips to a paper-lined platter to drain and finish crisping. Cut strips into 1" pieces. 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 ¼"-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.
- 1 French baguette (homemade or store-bought), cut diagonally into ½"-thick pieces
- cooking spray
- double cream brie
- cranberry sauce
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Lightly coat both sides of baguette slices with cooking spray and arrange in a single layer 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.
