Potato Crusted Turkey Pie

This past Thanksgiving our store had a special deal on frozen turkeys and we picked one up despite the fact that we were going up to Massachusetts for the holiday and spending it with our son. Well we pulled that almost 16 pound bird out and cooked it up this week. I never shy away from cooking turkey throughout the year and perish the thought of having it only once a year as some others do. Turkey is just one of those down home comfort foods I love.

I am one who does not like to freeze proteins for any great length of time however my exception is with an already frozen turkey. I do believe turkey freezes well and you don't loose flavor over the life in the freezer.  This turkey was downright delicious. What I did a little differently this time around was to add a fresh herb that I have grown very fond of: thyme.

When I make a turkey, I stuff the cavity with onion, celery and carrot and lay the neck bone and gizzards in the pan with more celery, onion and carrot. That is what helps lend flavor to the gravy. This time I added fresh thyme in the cavity of the bird and in the roasting pan. It lent such a subtle and beautiful flavor to the gravy.

And using a sharp longer knife (filet) go under the skin and cut through the silver skin so you create a pocket and place pats of butter which helps in the browning of the skin. In the roasting pan I add some turkey or chicken broth that when combined with the turkey's own natural juices and those of the vegetables makes for one heck of a gravy.

Be sure to make plenty of mashed potatoes and gravy as you can create this Thanksgiving in a bowl Potato Crusted Turkey Pie. It's easy and it's delicious. And most of all it costs next to nothing to make. The buttery and a little bit crispy crust of the potato followed by a mouthful of bits of turkey, vegetables and gravy sends a happy shudder to your taste buds.

In this recipe I used liquid measuring cups not dry measure.

• 3 cups of turkey - cut into cubes
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
• 1 cup pre-made gravy
• 3 cups left-over mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup or so melted butter

1. First cut your turkey into bite sized pieces and remove any skin. Add the turkey to a large bowl.
2. Microwave the gravy for a couple of minutes to loosen it up if necessary or do it on top of the stove.
3. Add the gravy to the turkey along with the frozen vegetables and mix well.
4. Pour that mixture into your baking dish and top with an even layer of mashed potatoes.
5. Melt some butter and sprinkle over the top.
6. Bake in a 350° oven for about 30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Use the broiler to finish browning in the last five minutes if need be to get a nice golden crust.

Once you get the potatoes in there like in the above picture you can smooth and then make a design with the back of the fork. Then when you melt the butter you sprinkle it over the top and it comes out beautiful.

 Make it casserole style for a larger family or in individual crocks like I did. These crocks are just the right size for individuals servings.