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Turkey Enchiladas

2011 November 28
tags: , , ,
by admin

I’m usually pretty good at turning meals with meat in them into fully satisfying vegetarian meals.  I can really only remember one time when I was disappointed with the result.

I tried to turn a recipe designed as a clever repurposing of Thanksgiving leftovers into a vegetarian dish.  I should have known – the recipe was developed for turkey and cranberries left from Thanksgiving.  Those two are like peas and carrots and no amount of beans would ever approximate that.  And my disappointment was definitely because of user error.

This year, though, I bookmarked the recipe again so that I could try that meal as it was intended: to reuse turkey from Thanksgiving.
turkeyenchiladas2

The Omnivore asked if we were ‘having turkey for dinner <groan> again’ and I cheerily said, “Yep!”

After he took his first bite he shouted, “I LOVE it when you make these!”  And I looked at him and said, “I’ve never made these.”  He hadn’t even eaten the original flop from 2010 since we weren’t living together at the time.  I think he was thinking of these black bean and pineapple enchiladas which are a family favorite.
turkeyenchiladas

This meal has similar components of that old favorite: spicy sweet perfectness.  The salsa and whole cranberries are a perfect match for the turkey and black bean filling and I *really* hope you froze some leftover turkey and you’ll pick up a bag of cranberries (or a jar of cranberry sauce) and make this before next Thanksgiving!

Turkey Cranchiladas (enchiladas) (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, adapted from Pink Parlsey)

Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray
2-2 1/2 cups shredded turkey or chicken
2 cups whole-berry cranberry sauce (or 1 16-oz can)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained, rinsed, and slightly mashed
1 1/2 cups medium salsa, divided
3/4 cups shredded Pepperjack cheese
3-4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup lightly-packed chopped cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
10 (6-inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 tsp bottled hot sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, 1 cup of the cranberry sauce, the beans, 1/2 cup of the salsa, green onions, cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper.
  3. Spoon about 1/3 cup filling into each tortilla, and roll tightly. Place seam-side down in the baking dish.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining cranberry sauce, 1 cup of salsa, and the hot sauce. Stir to combine and pour over the enchiladas.
  5. Cover the dish with foil, and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil, and sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese pepperjack cheese.
  6. Continue to bake, uncovered, an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
  7. Sprinkle with additional cilantro and scallions, and serve.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 1 hour(s)

from → beans, main dish, Mexican/Hispanic/Latin, Omnivores add: Chicken

  • http://www.deliciousmeliscious.com Melissa

    I wish we had made our own turkey this year – we have no leftovers!!  I’ll have to keep this in mind the next time I pick up some turkey – looks awesome!

  • Kate

    The only problem with having Thanksgiving at my mom’s house is that there are no leftovers to repurpose.

  • http://www.pink-parsley.com Josie

    Sorry that the veg version didn’t work out – as soon as I read your write-up I remembered you saying last year that you wanted to try one.  But I’m glad you liked the carnivorous ones.  I sometimes make them w/a rotisserie chicken in the off-season.