Thanksgiving Dinner Shepherd's Pie

One of the challenges each year after Thanksgiving Day is to figure out which recipes I can make with all the leftovers. We’re just about all souped out at this house so turkey soup was out of the question. We thought about doing hot turkey sandwiches but there wasn’t enough gravy for all six of us to enjoy a smothered sandwich. So yesterday after reading a post on fellow foodie’s blog … I got remember that I made a Shepherd’s Pie last year with the leftovers. It was OK. But this year I had better leftovers and a ton of them too. What’s more perfect than a big casserole dish to throw them all together in?

The first layer: Shredded/diced turkey mixed with the stuffing and cranberry sauce.
The second layer: Gravy
The third layer: green bean casserole – with soggy frech-fried onions included.
The fourth layer: squash casserole.
The fifth layer: more gravy.
And the topper: mashed potatoes.

I was a little nervous about how it would be received with the squash casserole in there, especially since we had it still because it wasn’t as popular. However, it got top ratings! All of the kids, including the toddler, chowed down. We had extra because I had made so much but it’s so tasty that the toddler and I ate more of it for lunch today. This one is definitely a keeper for the books.

Thanksgiving Dinner Shepherd's Pie
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

What you need: (basically anything leftover from Thanksgiving Dinner)
Turkey
Gravy
Stuffing
Mashed potatoes
Any veggie side dishes
Cranberry sauce

Directions:
1. Shred or dice your leftover turkey. Combine it with your leftover stuffing and spread out on the bottom of your baking dish.

2. Dot this layer with the cranberry sauce. Then lightly toss together. You want the cranberry sauce to still be a bit chunky.

3. Spread gravy over this layer. Remember you need another layer of gravy on top so don’t use it all. You can always make more if you need too.

4. Start layering your veggie side dishes. Each dish can be a layer or you can combine vegetables with a casserole if it’s easier or more convenient for space concerns.

5. Spread another layer of gravy on top.

6. Spread mashed potatoes on the top. You can do it lightly so that the gravy bubbles through the cracks.

7. Bake in the oven uncovered for about 40-45 minutes. The potatoes will have a slight crisp to them when it is done.

The serving size depends on how much you use to make it. I made a ton.