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It’s November, meaning many of us will soon be stuffing our face with turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and, well, stuffing. 

If you’re anything like me, you spend each Thanksgiving dreaming up new and inventive ways to utilize leftovers. In this edition of Farmville the Magazine, I’ll be showing you how to take leftover turkey and stuffing mix and turn it into an out-of-this-world fettuccine alfredo, complete with a side of garlicky green beans that will absolutely melt in your mouth. If you’re not trying to get rid of any leftovers but this recipe sounds equally enticing, I’ll also tell you how to make this dish from scratch. 

You may be wondering why you’d ever feel like eating something as rich and calorific as fettuccine alfredo just after celebrating the most fattening holiday of the year. All I can tell you is that there are four days each year when calories don’t count -Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and your birthday- so you might as well take this opportunity to enjoy a dish that’s extra delicious! 

Thanksgiving fettuccine alfredo with crispy stuffing breadcrumbs and garlic green beans 

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Cook time: 30 minutes 

Total time: 45 minutes 

Servings: 6 

Ingredients: 

For the pasta 

• 1 lb. leftover Thanksgiving turkey or 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast 

• 16 oz. fettuccine noodles 

• 1 cup unsalted butter 

• 1/2 cup heavy cream 

• 1/2 cup half and half 

• 5 oz parmesan cheese 

• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning 

• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced 

• Salt and pepper, to taste 

• Optional: thyme sprigs for garnishing 

For the green beans 

• 16 oz. fresh green beans 

• 1 tbs. Olive oil 

• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced 

• 1 tsp. Onion powder 

• Salt and pepper, to taste 

For the breadcrumb topping 

• 1 cup uncooked Stove Top brand stuffing mix 

• 2 tbs. Salted butter 

Recipe: 

This recipe is an ideal way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey and vegetables such as green beans or brussel sprouts, but you can also make this dish any day of the year using fresh ingredients. If you don’t have any leftovers hanging around, you’ll want to begin by preparing your meat and veggies for the oven. 

First, preheat your oven to 450 degrees. If opting to use fresh chicken breasts in place of leftover Turkey, season your chicken breasts generously using olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, garlic powder and a bit of brown sugar. Place the chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook it in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165o. 

On another foil-lined baking sheet, place your fresh green beans. Toss with olive oil, minced garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper. Place the green beans in the oven to cook for 12-15 minutes or until cooked to desired level of crispiness. 

If you’re using leftover turkey, no need to place the bird back in the oven. You can reheat your leftovers in the microwave just before serving. 

To make the fettuccine alfredo, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add in your fettuccine noodles. Boil the pasta according to the package instructions, draining the fettuccine just one minute before becoming al dente. Our pasta will finish cooking in the alfredo sauce. 

As the pasta is cooking, prepare the alfredo sauce by melting your half cup of butter in a pan over medium heat. Add in your minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and slowly add in your heavy cream, half and half, salt, pepper and italian seasoning. Allow this mixture to simmer for two minutes before stirring in your parmesan cheese. Once the cheese is added, whisk the sauce until everything is incorporated and the cheese has fully melted. Add the cooked fettuccine noodles to the sauce and stir for another 1-2 minutes to allow the noodles to finish cooking. 

To make the crispy breadcrumb topping, melt two tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium-high heat and add in one cup of uncooked Stove Top brand stuffing mix. Toss the breadcrumbs in the butter until crispy, golden and delicious. Hint: if you have some leftover cooked stuffing/ dressing you also need to use up, you can turn cooked stuffing into breadcrumbs by placing a thin layer of the stuffing on a baking sheet and baking at 375o for about 20-30 minutes or until all moisture has evaporated from the stuffing. Make sure to flip the stuffing once or twice as it bakes to allow the breadcrumbs to dry out properly. 

Finally, assemble your dish by using tongs to nestle the fettuccine alfredo into a wide bowl. Add your reheated turkey or cooked chicken breast and top with your stuffing breadcrumbs and an optional sprig of thyme. You can serve your fresh green beans on the side topped with french fried onions or mix leftover green beans directly into the noodles before serving. 

I recommend following this delicious dinner with a slice of pumpkin pie and a nap so long you will wake up two hours later wondering what day it is.