Turkey Chow Mein Casserole

Let me take this opportunity to wish all our 'south-of-the-border' friends and family a most blessed Thanksgiving!  May your celebrations be filled with peace, love and joy...and may your thankful spirit go with you into the days to come.

Today I am thankful for my husband's sister, Anne...who I only got to know when I married into the family.  She was the oldest of the siblings...the tiniest...and the bubbliest.  She was a wonderful sister-in-law and became a favorite aunt to my children.  She was also a very good cook...and I have many recipes in my file in her perfect handwriting printing.  She passed away suddenly eight years ago...and now I treasure all those things which came from her.  We celebrated our Canadian Thanksgiving last month and I cooked up a whopping big turkey (33 pounds)...which guaranteed lots of turkey leftovers!  I pulled Anne's Turkey Wonder recipe from the file...and took it with me to the grocery store to be sure I had all the necessary ingredients.  I came home with a bag of celery, onions, chow mein noodles, soup and water chestnuts...but had somehow left the recipe card at Safeway.  It never showed up...so I made the dish as I best recalled...and we enjoyed it just fine.  I am documenting what I did right here on MGCC...so that Anne's Turkey Wonder recipe will  live on!  If you are looking for a simple and delicious way to use up your leftover turkey in the coming days...try making turkey chow mein. 

Ingredients:

•  2 cups chow mein noodles
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups cooked turkey, cubed
• 1/4 cup chopped onion (red onion adds a little colour)
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 small can sliced water chestnuts, drained

 Topping:  Crushed potato chips, sliced almonds or chopped cashews.

Method:

1. Put chow mein noodles in the bottom of a greased 2-quart casserole.
2. Combine all remaining ingredients and spread over the noodles.
3. Bake uncovered at 350° F for 30 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and add desired topping.  Bake for 10 minutes longer.

I remember my sis-in-law serving this dish with crunchy crushed potato chips on top...so I have always done the same.  I'm sure cashews would be an excellent addition though!