HOMECOOKINGCHRONICLES
Left overs to make your mouth water
A hearty recipe for ‘Day After
Thanksgiving Turkey Casserole’
BY BRIAN MEDFORD
My friend Jay is a professional chef. He’s
the kindest man you’ll ever meet, however
when I’m in the kitchen with him, I feel a
little nervous.
Even on my best days, my knife skills
create a sense of high alert in the kitchen.
Jay watches me cut vegetables like he’s a
meerkat scouting for imminent danger.
Jay and I both teach cooking classes at
The Pantry in Seattle, which I’m convinced
is sometimes shocking to him. We often
joke that we should co-teach a class high-
lighting our culinary viewpoints. The work-
ing title of the class is “The South of France
vs. The South.” I’m a North Carolina native,
to make it clear which part I am in that
scenario.
The only match up that I know I’d
emerge victorious is the side dish battle.
Specifi cally, gratin vs. casserole. Jay would
top a nuanced French-style gratin with made
from scratch buttery breadcrumbs, and I’d
top a squash casserole with crushed up
Lay’s Classic Potato Chips.
I like to imagine that upon seeing me
open the bag of chips, Jay would quit on the
spot, knowing he had been bested.
Casseroles are classic comfort food.
Whether for bereavement or celebration,
they are warming, economical and they
freeze beautifully.
Casseroles are a national treasure for
transforming Thanksgiving leftovers into
something new. It reminds me of old NBC
commercials before streaming platforms
became dominant. Re run shows during the
summer were advertised as “If you haven’t
seen it, it’s new to you.” The same applies
to next day Thanksgiving casserole. “If you
transform it, it’s new to you.”
Call it a casserole or a gratin, but don’t
forget the crowning glory of crunchy top-
ping. Use dressing (stuffi ng is cooked inside
the bird, dressing is cooked outside the
bird), Ritz C rackers, potato chips or but-
tery breadcrumbs. I remember one time my
grandmother topped a casserole with Chee-
tos because that’s all she had on hand.
That once-in-a-lifetime casserole is still
my favorite. Both Jay and I would wear
the silver medal with our heads held high
against that one. Grandma wins the gold.
My casserole recipe uses left over tur-
key and Ritz Crackers. Can you add potato
chips? Absolutely! Feel free to throw in a
cup of peas, green beans or leftover cooked
broccoli to make this casserole your own.
Day After Thanksgiving Turkey
Casserole
Serves 4 to 6 people
Ingredients:
• One sleeve of Ritz Crackers
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
and divided in half
• One can condensed cream of chicken
soup (I am not ashamed of this; you
shouldn’t be either!)
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 1/2 cup turkey or chicken broth, low
sodium
• 1 ½ pounds cooked and diced turkey
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs
(parsley, thyme, tarragon)
Brian Medford
Brian Meford’s casserole is topped with a
fresh sleeve of Ritz Crackers.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly but-
ter a 2-quart casserole dish with 2 table-
spoons of melted butter.
In a bowl, combine the condensed soup,
sour cream, broth, diced turkey and fresh
herbs. This is where you can incorporate
your vegetable additions.
Spoon the mixture in the bottom of the
casserole dish.
Crush the sleeve of Ritz Crackers and
toss them in a bowl with the remaining
melted butter. Sprinkle the buttered cracker
crumbs over the chicken mixture.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until hot and
bubbly.
Brian Medford is the owner of Idlewild
Biscuits and Bakes in Astoria. He teaches
cooking classes at The Pantry in Seattle.
Contact him at blmedford@gmail.com
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