This is hands-down my favorite way to use leftover turkey. It morphs leftover turkey into a meal worthy of entertaining, hosting a luncheon or taking to a potluck. Although perfect for fall and Thanksgiving leftovers, these delicious pockets can be served year-round in my humble opinion.
You can simplify this recipe by using store-purchased crescent roll dough, but for a little extra time and effort you can make this homemade crescent roll dough recipe that really is easy.
Turkey Cranberry Pockets
Ingredients:
1 recipe of this crescent roll dough (or two 8 ounce packages of refrigerated crescent roll dough)
1/2 cup sour cream (most of you know that I don't care for mayonaise so I sub sour cream or homemade Alfredo sauce here but feel free to use mayo)
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups cooked turkey, chopped (about 12 ounces - you can also use deli turkey)
1/2 cup celery, chopped
Optional, 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup (4 ounces) grated cheddar cheese (you can also use Swiss cheese)
Optional, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Butter or egg white to brush on dough
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Separate crescent dough into 16 triangles.
2. Mix sour cream, mustard and pepper in a bowl. Add turkey, celery, parsley, and cranberries. Grate cheese and add to filling mixture.
3. Using a scoop, scoop 1/4 cup of filling into center of crescent dough. Sprinkle walnuts over filling. 4. Brush butter (or egg white) over dough and bake 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees until golden brown.
Yields: 10 servings
For a variation, this recipe can be made into an impressive-looking wreath shape. With wide ends of triangles towards the center, arrange 8 triangles in a circle on a large stoneware circle or pizza pan. The corners of the wide ends will touch and the points will hand 1 inch beyond the stone. Arrange remaining 8 triangles in center, matching wide ends. Seal seams by rolling or pressing together.
Points will overlap in center but do not seal these in the center.
Using a scoop, scoop 1/4 cup of filling into center of crescent dough. Sprinkle walnuts over filling. Beginning in the center, lift one dough triangle across mixture. Continue alternating with outer triangles, slightly overlapping to form wreath. Tuck last end under first.
Bake as directed above.
