Thanksgiving is about gratitude, of course, and I love hosting for many reasons. But, I do have one selfish reason for wanting to host: I want the leftover turkey. I love to use it in sandwiches, hand pies and turkey soup. This year, though, my Thanksgiving leftovers are going into this cheese-loaded Costco-style turkey bake recipe! Why not ride the indulgence train right on into December?
I was a synchronized swimmer for seven years. What that means is that for a while, I ate SO MANY carbs. I usually needed carbs that could be consumed quickly before 3-hour swim practices. Therefore, I ate a LOT of Costco chicken bakes. Thanksgiving leftovers are a perfect match for this comforting bake!
Ingredients
- Leftover Thanksgiving turkey: You could also use cooked, shredded chicken if your hungry Thanksgiving guests ate all the turkey.
- Bacon: Cooked in the oven as it warms, or on the stove top.
- So much cheese: Cream cheese, shredded mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese
- Leftover roasted vegetables: After Thanksgiving, I usually have roasted veggies leftover! Think broccoli or Brussels sprouts.
- Caesar dressing: You can make it yourself, or just use a good store-bought kind.
- Store bought pizza dough: Pro tip! You can also ask your favorite pizza place to sell you some of theirs.
How To Make
- Combine the filling ingredients: Turkey, bacon, green onions, cream cheese, mozzarella, parmesan cheese, vegetables, pepper, Caesar dressing.
- Divide the dough into six pieces.
- Roll each piece into a rectangle, about ¼-inch thick.
- Brush the inside of the dough with Caesar dressing.
- Divide the filling between the dough pieces.
- Roll and seal each one.
- Bake, seam-sides down, for 25 minutes.
Tips For Success
- Take care when rolling out the dough. You don’t want it too thin or it will tear. Too thick and it’ll take ages to cook. Aim for about the same thickness as pie dough.
- Don’t overfill the pizza dough rectangles. When you divide the filling, remember to leave a border around the edge so that you’ll be able to close and seal the pocket entirely.
- Freshly grated mozzarella is best, but store-bought shredded mozzarella is OK in this case, too.
Store + Freeze
These are best enjoyed fresh from the oven, however you can store any leftovers for up to three days in the fridge. You can also freeze the prepared turkey bake before baking. I’d freeze them on the sheet pan overnight, and then transfer to a freezer safe container for easy grab-and-go.
More Thanksgiving Leftover Recipe Ideas
What To Cook Next?
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