In early December of 1977, food editor Laurin Stamm began a weekly recipe column titled “From the Kitchen of The Cypress House.” The column ran continuously through November of 2000, featuring one or two recipes each week, and totaling more than 1,150 recipes over the 23 years.

Checkout, a current weekly column that features various food stories, events and recipes, looks back at some of the most popular recipes from The Kitchen of the Cypress House, and perhaps a newly discovered one every now and then.

From The Kitchen of The Cypress House, March 22, 1978:

It doesn’t have to be Thanksgiving or Easter Sunday for us to bake a turkey in the Kitchen of The Cypress. It’s a regular treat — first go ’round and leftover after leftover after leftover.

If you’re one of many, however, serving the handsome bird for Easter dinner, count your blessings. When the feast is over, you’ll have leftover turkey to prepare a delicious casserole we call Turkey Mornay.

Now “dump dishes” are not our specialty, and we steer clear of most “easy casserole recipes.” But today’s combination of turkey and broccoli served in a sauce sparked with Swiss cheese, grated Parmesan and sherry is glamorous and delicious.

The recipe is similar to one Holy Trinity women made popular several years ago called Chicken Divan. We just made a few changes for the tasty, economical turkey’s return engagement.

Turkey Mornay

1 large bunch fresh broccoli or 2 boxes frozen broccoli spears

1 pound or more sliced cooked turkey meat

1/4 pound thinly-sliced proscuitto

1/4 cup butter or oleo

1/4 cup flour

1 cup turkey or chicken broth

1 cup milk or cream

Leftover turkey gravy (up to 1/2 cup)

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons Swiss cheese

1/4 cup additional grated Parmesan

Salt and white pepper to taste

Dash of cayenne

Cook the broccoli in a small amount of salted water until tender. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Drain. Arrange the broccoli in a baking dish. Cover with the proscuitto and then the turkey.

Melt the butter and blend in the flour. Stir in the stock and milk, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick. Add the gravy. Stir in 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan, grated Swiss, sherry, and salt and pepper. Heat until the cheese is melted.

Pour the sauce over the turkey; sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350º until the sauce is hot and the cheese is lightly brown and bubbly, about 30 to 40 minutes.

P.S. Once I forgot to buy the proscuitto. The recipe was almost as good. To take the proscuitto’s place, I think I sautéed a few green onions and a small bit of chopped green pepper in the butter before adding flour. Still good. Happy leftovers!