#ThanksgivingLeftovers ~ Turkey Pot Pie

We made it past Thanksgiving!! This was an extra special one at our house - we celebrated a 3-in-1. Thanksgiving Day, my son's 19th birthday, and my dad flew out from WA state and it was his 66th birthday as well! We have enjoyed having dad here the past week, he heads back home today and with the Thanksgiving holiday over we return to our regularly scheduled programming (and preparing for - GASP - Christmas?!!) 

This year is truly flying by. I have so much to be grateful for this year. There have been plenty of lows among the highs, but just so many good moments to hold on to and cherish the past year. I am grateful for the love of family and friends most of all, that sustaining power no matter how rough the days may get. That shoulder to lean on and talk things through when you're just not sure what the right move to make is. That reassurance that all really will be well and some days you just need to have a little extra faith. It is a beautiful messy life. 

If your refrigerator is stuffed full of delicious Thanksgiving leftovers like mine is right now - I hope you'll take a moment to look through all the delicious recipes shared today by this group of #ThanksgivingLeftovers bloggers - bringing you lots of tasty ways to reuse some of those Thanksgiving day components. I used the fresh batch of turkey broth I had just made from the turkey carcass, leftover green bean casserole, and some leftover turkey in mine. Not to mention several ingredients I had bought and had extras of (carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, mushrooms). So for me - this recipe was a definite win. The flavor was warm, cozy, and comforting, and I was able to use up a few leftovers and have a whole new meal without that much effort either. And hey, it was the the 4th pie crust I'd whipped up in a matter of a few days - starting to feel like I almost know what I'm doing! I hope you had a wonderful holiday with your family this year!

See all the delicious #ThanksgivingLeftovers ideas for that remains of your holiday feast:

• Cranberry-Orange Brie Bites by Books n' Cooks
• Cranberry-Topped Baked Brie by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• (Leftover) Turkey and Cranberry BBQ Sauce Pizza by Kate's Recipe Box
• Prosciutto & Asiago Stuffed Mushrooms by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Spicy Turkey Quesadillas by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Turkey Croquettes by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Turkey and Sausage Gumbo by Palatable Pastime
• Turkey Pot Pie by Making Miracles

(Leftover) Turkey Pot Pie adapted from Food Network

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup diced mushrooms
4 tablespoons flour
3 cups turkey stock
2 small / medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups shredded turkey
2 cups leftover green bean casserole
2 tablespoons chopped dried parsley
1 tsp salt (more / less to taste)
1 tsp black pepper (more / less to taste)
1 egg, lightly beaten

Pie Crust
1/2 cup butter flavored vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 - 1/3 cup cold water

Directions

1. Melt butter in a pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add in the diced onion, carrots, celery, and mushroom. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until vegetables are beginning to become tender, and butter is darkening. Stir the flour into the vegetables until absorbed. Add in the turkey stock and stir to combine. Add in the diced potatoes.
2. Bring mixture to a boil, boil about 10 minutes or until potatoes become tender.
3. Add the leftover green bean casserole, shredded turkey, parsley, and salt and pepper to your taste preference. 
4. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and fill with pot pie mixture.
5. Follow instructions below to assemble pie crust and lay that over the top, crimping around the edge of the dish to seal. 
6. Prick dough with a fork in several places. Brush beaten egg lightly over the surface.
7. Bake in preheated oven 30-45 minutes, or until pie crust is golden brown and mixture is bubbling. Place a baking sheet under the pot pie to catch any leaks.

Pie Crust Directions

1. Mix shortening, flour, and salt together with a fork or a pastry blender until very crumbly. Add ONLY as much water as needed to hold together, and mix lightly with a fork.
2. Roll gently on a lightly floured surface to about an inch larger than pie plate. Fold carefully in half, lift to pie plate, and unfold. Press over pot pie filling.