black friday breakfast turkey stack

This faux benny breakfast will keep you full through the big morning of shopping or an evening of watching movies with the kids. It works most easily if you have leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, and cheese sauce, but is pretty adaptable, too. Do skip the cheese sauce or muffins if you like, for instance. Sliced fresh tomatoes can fill in for the potato cakes, though the cakes are a fun addition to your cooking repertoire if you haven’t made them before. I include a recipe for a small pan of cheese sauce just in case you ate all of yours on Thursday. Have a big flat griddle? Very useful for this!

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Turkey

Servings: 2 servings +/-

Ingredients

Cheese sauce recipe below
4 slices bacon
1 cup leftover cold mashed potatoes
Wondra or all purpose unbleached flour
Fresh ground black pepper
4 small slices turkey
1 Dinner roll, split in half, buttered, and warmed or substitute split and toasted English muffin
2 eggs cooked over-easy or as you like them
Extra cheese for garnish
Cranberry sauce for serving If your sauce is really sweet, add a little crushed red pepper and/or a squeeze of lemon juice.

Instructions

Make cheese sauce (recipe below or use your own) and cover to keep warm.
Fry bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove to paper towel lined plate. In the meantime, make two mashed potato cakes by dividing potatoes in half and patting each half into an approximately 1/3-inch by 3-inch firm patty with even edges. Sprinkle with pepper. Sprinkle each patty on one side with a pinch of Wondra or regular flour.
Carefully pour out all but a tablespoon or two of the bacon grease from the skillet. Reheat skillet over medium - medium high flame. Using a spatula or your hands, carefully move the potato cakes into the skillet at least 2 inches apart. Add the slices of turkey between and/or around the cakes. Let cook until everything is quite brown on one side; turn. Sprinkle other side of potato cakes with a bit more of the Wondra or regular flour and cook until everything is browned and crispy.
In the meantime, grill/brown rolls in skillet or on griddle or toast and butter the English muffins. After everything is done, cook the eggs as you like them.
ASSEMBLY: For each breakfast stack, place a half buttered grilled roll or English muffin on a dinner plate. Top with a potato cake. Lay two pieces of bacon crosswise on the cake making an “X”. Add two pieces of the turkey, top with an egg, and drizzle with warm cheese sauce. Garnish with extra grated cheese and a last grind or two of black pepper. Serve with a small ladle of cranberry sauce. If you like, serve the remainder of the cheese sauce in a small pitcher at the table.

Notes

CHEESE SAUCE:

1 tablespoon salted butter

1 tablespoon all purpose, unbleached flour

Pinch each kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

½ -2/3 cup warm milk (use ½ cup, may need a little more to thin the sauce later)

Drop of hot sauce

½ cup (2 ounces) grated extra sharp Cheddar cheese

In a small heavy saucepan, heat butter over medium flame until bubbly. Whisk in flour for 1 -2 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Whisk in ½ cup warm milk quickly until smooth. Add hot sauce. Continue whisking, letting mixture simmer until sauce has thickened. Turn down heat to low. Stir in cheese and let melt. Stir again; taste and adjust seasonings. Cover to keep warm. If too thick, whisk in a little more milk. Serve hot or warm.