Runner Up Turkey Recipe is still a Winner.

Back in February 2011 I posted my recipe for Four Cheese Chicken Pasta Bake which is a decadent blend of cheeses baked with penne pasta and chicken. Later on in the year, Taste of Home magazine was running a recipe contest featuring leftover turkey. Since my recipe featured poultry already, changing from chicken to turkey wasn't a big step. I submitted my recipe with the change and under the name "Four Cheese Turkey Pasta Bake".

While it did not win, it is being featured as a Runner Up recipe in Taste of Home's November 2011 issue; their photo is on page 71 while the recipe is on page 72. This recipe is a good example of comfort food and is versatile as it can feature not just poultry, but beef or seafood as well.

Taste of Home only made a couple of minor adjustments, but primarily kept my recipe as I submitted it. It's not available for viewing online yet, so I'm posting the recipe as I wrote it and with my photo.










Four Cheese Turkey Pasta Bake
(Runner Up Recipe, Taste of Home November 2011 issue, page 72.)

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp butter

1 small onion diced

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 (10 ¾ oz) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (4 oz) can or jar sliced mushrooms cut mushrooms in half

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese

½ cup each of shredded parmesan mozzarella and Swiss cheese

1 cup each heavy whipping cream and warmed milk

¼ tsp each ground black pepper and nutmeg

2 cups cooked turkey breast ( ½” cubes)

½ lb cooked penne ziti or small rigatoni

½ cup Italian seasoned dried bread crumbs

3 Tbsp melted butter

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 2 qt casserole dish with nonstick spray.

In a small skillet, on medium heat, sauté onion in butter till softened; add garlic and cook for 5 minutes more.

In a large bowl, mix together thoroughly the soup, mushrooms, all cheeses, cream, milk, black pepper, nutmeg, turkey, pasta and the onion-garlic mix. Spread evenly into the casserole dish.

In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and butter completely; spread over the mixture in casserole dish.

Bake for 30 minutes, covered with aluminum foil. Uncover and bake for additional 15 minutes, or until topping is golden brown. 

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour