During Thanksgiving last year, I created a few recipes for my turkey leftovers. Among those creations, the Turkey-Turkey Meat Loaf was the most unforgettable. It helped clean out every bit of turkey meat left on the bones, and it was, by far, the ultimate meat loaf I have yet created. The turkey flavor is greatly intensified by this recipe. It is also very useful since you can slice it up for sandwiches or simply reheat it for lunch. Last year, I believed that the recipe could make you think that “You may never make turkey meat loaf the same old way”. I have decided to make it again since it is one of the best ways to prepare leftovers for cyber Monday.

Let’s begin…

Group 1

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup leftover turkey stock
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

Saute onion with thyme until translucent.  Add salt, pepper, turkey stock to deglaze the pan. Add Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Stir until mixture incorporates. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Group 2

• 1 pound leftover turkey meat (de-bone both legs and wings, skin and all, and the breast), finely chopped
• 1 pound new ground turkey
• 1 ½ cups plain dry bread crumbs
• 2 extra-large eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, mix group 1 and everything in group 2 by hand until firm. Shape the meat mixture in a loaf shape on a baking sheet or shallow baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake the meat loaf until the meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 180F.  Place in an extra shallow baking pan with water underneath the meatloaf to retain moisture during baking.

To have it for lunch, you can pair it up with a Mediterranean salad. Top with any leftover turkey gravy.

To pack for lunch this cyber Monday, slice the meat loaf, and make a sandwich. Bring some salad or Leek and Potato Turkey Soup along.

Speaking of making sandwiches, if you want to dig into more exciting sandwich recipes, you should totally order this book and start having fun making sandwiches for your spouse and kids, The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches: Recipes, History, and Trivia for Everything Between Sliced Bread. For ordering information, click here.

Also click here to learn about my Leek and Potato Turkey Soup

At the end, the intense roasted turkey flavor may change your mind about the best way to make turkey meatloaf from now on. You may wish you could always have those turkey leftovers around.

~Lunch on and Happy Thanksgiving!