Editorโs note: Chef Eli Haddix passed away in May 2021. Eli contributed several recipes to Evansville Living over the years, and we continue to share his work as a tribute to this beloved friend of the magazine.
I was raised to not be wasteful. โLeftoversโ were the next dayโs lunch. When dealing with extra food, a bit of creativity is necessary in order to achieve the same culinary delight as the first time โ especially with Thanksgiving.
In this biscuit sandwich recipe, Iโve taken the salty/savory side of a turkey dinner and paired it with the delightfully sweet tang of fresh cranberry sauce and richness of a southern-style biscuit. For the biscuit, any southern-style recipe or canned biscuits will do. I leave the stuffing and gravy to your discretion.
Pour one full bag of cranberries into a saucepot. Add zest of one large orange, 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, and enough orange juice to come to the level of half the cranberries. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the cranberries begin to release their juices, macerate them fully with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until sauce has come to desired consistency.
To achieve mashed potato perfection, boiling your potatoes is key. Smaller potato pieces cook faster. Plan for 1 to 1 1/2 potatoes per person and boil in salted water. When fork tender, strain and place them in a large bowl. Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, sour cream, milk/cream, and plenty of butter; use a stand or hand mixer to combine.
Stack reheated ingredients in the following order from bottom to top: biscuit, mashed potato, gravy, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and biscuit. The result is a combo of savory and sweet delights that truly perform as well as their individual counterparts.
