The Holiday Encore Bake – Leftover Recipe

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• 2 cups Cooked Turkey, cubed or shredded
• 1 cup Cooked Ham, cubed
• 2 cups Dried Pasta (Any short shape: Macaroni, Penne, or Rotini are Rabba staples)
• 1 tbsp Cooking Oil or Butter
• 1/2 cup Onion, chopped
• 1 can (approx. 284ml) Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken Soup (The condensed type)
• 1/2 cup Milk (Any percentage)
• 1 cup Chicken or Vegetable Broth (Carton or made from a bouillon cube)
• 1 tsp Dried Thyme or Italian Seasoning
• Salt & Pepper (Ham is salty, season carefully!)
• 1 cup Frozen Peas (or a mix of peas/carrots/corn)
• 1 cup Shredded Cheese (Cheddar, Mozza, or Marble blend)
• 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs (or crushed Rabba crackers/croutons)

Procedure

Prep the Foundation

1) Cook Pasta: Preheat your oven to 375F/190C. 3 Cook the pasta according to the package directions, but remove it about 2 minutes early (it should be very al dente). Drain and set aside.

2) Sauté: In a large saucepan, heat the oil/butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3-5 minutes until soft.

Build the Cream Sauce

3) Whisk: In the saucepan with the onions, whisk in the condensed soup and the milk until smooth.

4) Simmer: Gradually whisk in the broth until the sauce is smooth and slightly runny. Stir in the dried thyme/seasoning, and a pinch of black pepper (hold the salt, ham is salty!). Bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes.

5) Combine Meats: Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cubed turkey, ham, and frozen peas.

6) Add Pasta & Cheese: Add the cooked, drained pasta to the saucepan. Stir in about 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese, mixing well until everything is coated in the creamy sauce.

Bake to Perfection

7) Transfer: Pour the entire mixture into a greased 9×13 inch casserole dish (or any 2-3 quart baking dish).

8) Make Topping: In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese with the breadcrumbs/crushed crackers.

9) Top & Bake: Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the casserole. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly around the edges and the topping is golden brown and crunchy.

10) Cool: Let the casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving—this helps it set.