Mini Meal Plans use the leftover main ingredient from one night's dinner to make an entirely different dinner one other night that week. The Mini Meal Plan provides you the tools to formulate a personalized meal plan that works for you and your family. You get not one, but two delicious dinners from the effort of one night's cooking. Visit the more than 40 other great Mini Meal Plan recipes at Mini Meal Plan: Cook Once.... Eat Twice.
What's great about a Mini Meal Plan like this one for Roasted Turkey and Jambalaya, is that you not only get two fabulous dinners for the effort of one, but two entirely different dining experiences. Like the Holiday Brisket Mini Meal Plan, the Roasted Turkey Mini Meal Plan is the perfect solution for out of town holiday guests. You can use the leftover turkey to make a completely different dinner AND dinner experience for your guests, and they won't believe the magic you could work with "leftovers".
Seasoning a turkey with vegetable stock base adds a brothy flavor to the turkey's natural juices. And the citrus fruit and onion on the inside bring a zesty light flavor. You will be delighted at the brightness and ease of this delicious dish.
Meal 1: Roasted Turkey
Ingredients
- 1- 10 lb. turkey
- 1 onion
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Vegeta or other dry vegetable stock base
- Seasoning salt
Rub turkey with olive oil, vegetable seasonings and seasoning salt.
Cut onion, lemon and orange in half and place inside bird cavity. Place turkey in large roasting pan and cook uncovered in 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 3 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (85 degrees C).
Meal 2: Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 1 lb. leftover holiday turkey, cubed
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 3 - 6 cloves garlic, minced (amount to taste; I like lots)
- 4 ribs celery, chopped
- 2 small cans tomato paste
- 1 28-oz. can tomatoes
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
- 4 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked
In a sauté or frying pan, sautee diced turkey meat in salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper until just warmed through. In a large pot, sauté the onions, garlic, peppers and celery in oil until onions begin to turn transparent. In the same pot, add the tomato paste and let it brown a little.
Once the vegetables are translucent deglaze the pan with the about 2 cups of the stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to mix up any browned bits, and stir until smooth, making sure the sautéed vegetables, paste and stock are combined thoroughly.
Add the remaining seasonings, tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook over low-medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the turkey and cook another 10 minutes.
Add the rest of the stock, and stir in the rice, combining thoroughly. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is cooked through. Turn the heat down to low-medium and let the sauce thicken up a bit, with the pot uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
