Turkey at it's (not so) finest - but good leftovers!

Gobble gobble - no this isn't a post about Easter dinner, it's actually a post about the dinner we had on Good Friday.  No, it wasn't a religious dinner.  I didn't just think that you could only eat turkey legs and forego the rest of the bird.  Although in hindsight (ha ha) I wish that I had the rest of the bird.



Looks - can be deceiving!



There's a reason turkey legs are cheap but I'm trying to understand their allure.  For those of you who have visited the states, esp the southern areas (I'm no expert, I'm just talking about my experience in Florida) Turkey legs, namely, smoked BBQ ones are a HIT.  Why?  Dear heavens, WHY?  Maybe because they're salty and full of sauce and people just dig stuff they can pick up.  Or maybe it's for macho people thinking 'no drumsticks for me thanks, I want TURKEY LEGS!'

Anyway, turkey legs are cheap, and you know this wasn't terrible it's just not that awesome of a meat without the whole bird (although I would HIGHLY recommend this method of prep for breast meat) and I did redeem it at the end of it's life :)

I took this on like I have turkey breasts of the past, and chickens of the past, and turkeys of the past.  It didn't work out but it looked good!

TURKEY LEGS in LEMON THYME

(no, I don't mean 3/4 or 4/4 time, oh that joke sucks I know)

Preheat oven to 350
INGREDIENTS:
2 large cloves of garlic minced
1 T fresh (or 1t dried) thyme

2T of unsalted butter melted

salt and pepper
3 turkey legs
6-8 thin to moderate slices of lemon cut in half

METHOD

Slice your lemon

Melt butter, add garlic, thyme, and a few grounds of salt and pepper.

Lift skin off legs (the fattest part), keeping the bottom part on.  Brush about 3/4 of this mix lightly over the meat on all 3 legs

Stuff a third of the lemon slices between the flesh and the skin for each leg
Replace the skin over the legs
Brush the remainder of your garlic/thyme mix over the outside of the legs
Roast in a roasting pan for about an hour and 15 minutes.

I tried slicing and taking the meat off of these, don't do that - serve it whole.


With the leftovers I made a GREAT turkey salad sandwich.  Here it is:

LEFTOVER TURKEY THYME SALAD
3oz leftover cooked turkey drumsticks, chopped into manageable pieces
2T miracle whip light
1T plain yogurt
1t of fresh thyme leaves
2T chopped dried cranberries
a small stalk of celery chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste
Small squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Mix all ingredients, serve on bread - easy.  If you want it more or less creamy, modify the miracle whip and yogurt.  No picture, it's turkey salad people :)