Hosting an intimate, low key Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving? Ditch the whole bird for this elegant Mushroom and Turkey Risotto instead. Also great as a way to use day-after leftovers.
Thanksgiving is almost here. Can you believe it? Are you stressed yet? I am. We spent the whole weekend battling the crowds, shopping for groceries, new linens, dishes, etc. Damn you, Pinterest, and your wonderful ideas that have me doing a whole different table setting every year! 😂 It is also Rebecca’s first Thanksgiving. Granted, she won’t remember any of it, but I need it to be special. So we are going all in! The big turkey, all the classic sides, appetizers, yadda, yadda, yadda. And that’s why this past Saturday – when we had a few friends over for Friendsgiving dinner (as they won’t be in town for the T-day) – I just didn’t have the energy to do the whole shenanigans. After all, we are all gonna eat the traditional feast on Thursday, so I didn’t want to overdo it!
However, I felt that turkey needed to be involved, since Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving is not the same without it! So I made this luscious Mushroom and Turkey Risotto instead. BEST IDEA EVER! ❤️❤️❤️ Turkey, checked. Elegant enough for a dinner party, checked. Impressive, as risottos always are, checked. And on top of all that, super creamy and delicious? That’s what I call a major win! I was second guessing hosting Friendsgiving this year, since I’m already hosting Thanksgiving on Thursday and we all know how overwhelming that can be. But I’m very surprised with how everything turned out! I had fun, I was able to eat and drink with my friends without busting my butt in the kitchen and the night ended on a “we should definitely do this again” note.
Not roasting a whole bird definitely helped! I am really serious about my Thanksgiving bird, so that takes a whole chunk of my time and overall energy for the day. The solution? Jennie-O Oven Ready Boneless Turkey Breast! Oh so moist, oh so tender. Not only it comes pre-seasoned and with a gravy packet, but it is completely oven ready, meaning no thawing necessary. Y’all know I’m a Jennie-O ambassador, so I know I risk sounding biased. But I gotta tell you anyway: there’s no turkey like this turkey! And I made this turkey breast in the slow cooker. SAY WHAAAAT? Yep. Completely hands and stress free and incredible results! Makes me wonder why I am roasting a whole turkey for Thanksgiving every year…
Moral of the story? This Mushroom and Turkey Risotto is turkeylicious enough to be the main dish of your intimate Thanksgiving dinner. But if you absolutely must have traditional Thanksgiving food, it is the perfect dish for using leftover turkey (and gravy) the next day! And if you end up with a lot of leftover turkey, make sure to also check my Turkey and Mashed Potatoes Casserole and my Fricassee Leftover Turkey Sandwiches. That will keep you fed til Christmas! 😜
