Baked Turkey-Cranberry Sliders

Recipe at a glance

Baked Turkey-Cranberry Sliders gives holiday food a distinct second meal instead of simply reheating the original plate. Food Network’s collection of post-Thanksgiving ideas shows how turkey, stuffing, potatoes, vegetables and cranberry sauce can move into casseroles, sandwiches, soups, snacks and other formats; this version is an original formulation built around 2 1/2 cups turkey and 3/4 cup cranberry sauce. ^[1]

Yield: 12 sliders. Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 20 minutes. Use leftovers that were refrigerated promptly. FoodSafety.gov lists cooked meat and poultry leftovers at three to four days in a refrigerator kept at 40°F or below. ^[2]

Ingredients

1. 12 connected dinner rolls 2. 2 1/2 cups sliced turkey 3. 3/4 cup cranberry sauce 4. 8 slices provolone or Swiss cheese 5. 3 tablespoons melted butter 6. 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 7. 1/2 teaspoon dried sage 8. 1 teaspoon sesame seeds ^[1]

How to make baked turkey-cranberry sliders

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a small sheet pan. 2. Slice the slab of rolls horizontally without separating individual rolls. 3. Layer the bottom with turkey, cranberry sauce and cheese; replace the roll tops. ^[1]

4. Mix butter, mustard and sage, brush over the rolls and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 5. Cover and bake 12 minutes, then uncover for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and the filling reaches 165°F. ^{[1] [2]}

Make-ahead, storage and useful substitutions

Keep cranberry sauce away from the outer edges to prevent scorching. A serrated knife cuts the baked slab cleanly into individual sliders. Brie or cheddar can replace provolone. Add a thin stuffing layer when you have extra. ^[1]

Refrigerate baked turkey-cranberry sliders within two hours in shallow covered containers. Count storage time from when the original Thanksgiving food was first refrigerated, not from when it was transformed into this recipe. Eat refrigerated cooked turkey and other perishable leftovers within three to four days, or freeze sooner. Reheat hot portions to 165°F and discard food that has spent too long at room temperature. ^[2]