Turkey Vegetable Soup

TURKEY VEGETABLE SOUP

1 1/4 pound ground turkey
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
6 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes with juice – 14-16 ounces
1/3 cup white rice, uncooked
1/4 cup ketchup
1 T. instant bouillon – chicken or beef
1/2 T. dried basil
1/8 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf

Crumble ground turkey into a Dutch oven. Stir in onion, carrots and celery. Cook and stir over medium high heat about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Drain.

Return to kettle and add the water, tomatoes, rice, ketchup, bouillon, basil, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 25 – 30 minutes or until vegetables and rice are tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Yield: 6 servings 1- 1/2 cups each.

This one calls for ground turkey, but if you had turkey leftovers, you could just chip it up into bite-size pieces and use that instead. This is easy and you don’t have to make stock for it.

Turkey Leftovers

Jane Brody’s Chicken Stock

2 pounds (approximately) chicken scraps
Cold water to cover (at least 2 quarts)
1 large onion, peeled and stuck with 3-4 cloves
1 large clove garlic, peeled
1 to 2 ribs celery, halved crosswise
1 to 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 bay leaf
2 or more sprigs parsley OR 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp dillweed
Salt to taste (optional)
12 peppercorns OR 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place all the ingredients in a large pot. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer the stock for at least 1 hour. The longer the stock cooks, the richer it will become; but don’t cook it so long that that broth boils away.

If time permits, let the stock cool before pouring it through a fine strainer or sieve into a fat-skimming measuring cup, a bowl, or other suitable container. Press on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. ( I always use cheesecloth to strain the soup, too!)

If using the fat skimmer, decant the fat-free broth into containers for storage; otherwise refrigerate the broth until the fat hardens on the broth’s surface for easy removal. (Depending on the amount of gelatinous protein in the chicken scraps, the broth may gel at refrigerator temperatures.)


I usually refrigerate the stock overnight and remove the fat the next day. Then I add the veggies (carrots, celery and onion usually), and add a teaspoon or two of many different spices: oregano, basil, dillweed, marjoram, sage, thyme, and lots of pepper. I try to watch my salt, when I do cook at home, so I really don’t add very much, if at all. If I get enough other herbs in there, I really don’t miss it! I know I made this once for my church’s Lenten soup suppers and it disappeared quickly.

Anyways, I cook the veggies until tender, throw in 2 cups of cooked chicken, make a cup or so of noodles (dry) and then add those, too. I usually cook the noodles separately.

We sometimes have a whole chicken for supper. Immediately after supper, I cut the chicken from the bones and put all the scraps in my stock pot. I strain the soup and put it in the fridge before I go to bed. If I don’t make the stock right away, it just doesn’t happen!

After you make stock, you can make Turkey Chowder! I might do this with our turkey leftovers.

Turkey Chowder

1 lg onion, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
3 T. butter or margarine
3 T. flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 qts. turkey broth**
2 potatoes, cubed
2 carrots, chopped
2 zucchini, sliced
1 10-oz pkg. frozen whole kernel corn
1 cup Sauterne or Chablis wine
2 cups cooked turkey, chopped
2 T. chopped parsley

In a large kettle, saute onion and celery in butter until just tender-crisp; remove from heat. Blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Gradually stir in turkey broth. Heat, stirring, until mixture comes to a boil. Add potatoes and carrots. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, until vegetables are just barely tender. Add zucchini, corn, wine and turkey. Continue simmering 15 minutes. Add parsley.

Serves 8

**To make turkey broth, break up turkey carcass to fit into a large kettle. Add 1 quart water, 1 sliced onion and a handful of celery tops. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Strain broth. Add enough water (or chicken broth) to make 2 quarts. (another way to make stock.)

Or you can just make a turkey noodle soup just like chicken soup if you like.

Fall Continues

The schools made it 27 days before they started closing down due to Covid. First two elementary schools for 2 weeks and then a few days later it was the whole school district. November 6 was the new start-up date, which came and went because they decided to keep the schools closed for two more weeks. The next tentative startup date is November 16. Covid is still crazy in Sheboygan, though.

Also, we are waiting to find out who will be the President of the USA. Many of us voted absentee, so we wouldn’t have to go in person, but it’s bogging down the ballot count. We just patiently wait. It’s all we can do.

My zinnias are done. They were so pretty while they lasted. I’m so glad Emily planted the seeds in June.

The picture on the left is a red zinnia with a few pink ones around it. The picture on the right is a dead yellow zinnia with a dusting of snow on it! We had just a little dusting of snow a while back. It’s long gone now. The last two days have been in the 70s.

2020 Coronavirus and Covid-19

Good grief. Things were going fine this year. We went to Chicago in January to see Hamilton one more time before it closed, and went to the Garfield Park Conservatory. It was so fun. We visited some bookstores, too.

Then the rest of January was fine. On February 14, I started working in the lunchroom at Pigeon River School. I mostly worked with kindergartners. They were adorable. A few weeks later, everyone started losing their insanity over Coronavirus which was traveling all over the globe. We started having to wear masks at school. Then March 16 was our last day of school. We all had to stay home and only go out for necessities. This eventually led to us wearing masks at the store or when we are around people. I haven’t done so much cooking as I have done since March. For a while the restaurants were closed except for drive-thru and curbside pickup. Then they though it was getting better, so the Republicans in Madison and the WI Supreme court thought things should open up again. So, they did that in May. Now the numbers keep going up and up and up. Crazy. We are all still healthy and Sarah hasn’t been home since the weekend before March 23rd. We went into lockdown on March 24th. That’s the day she went home. So, this is our new normal.

This is a Vera Bradley mask and I also have a Hamilton mask!

Then they told us about murder hornets, which like to kill bees and are 2 inches long. I don’t think they are in WI, thank goodness. It’s just been one thing after another.

We don’t get together with friends. We watch church at home and get communion delivered to our homes periodically. Occasionally we have book discussion with videochat software. Edie and I did an escape froom thing one day with our phones on a video chat, while we both sat at our computers. That was fun. We can also watch Hamilton now, on Disney Plus with the originial Broadway cast. So, there has been entertainment. But not movies, sadly. In the Heights will have to wait until next year.

http://budgetbytes.com has been a great site to get meal ideas from. There are so many different recipes. http://iowagirleats.com also has yummy recipes. We sometimes use http://twopeasandtheirpod.com too.

Blustery May Day

It only got up to 43 today, and it was crazy windy in the morning. Also pretty cloudy all day. Since it was Mother’s Day, we had a zoom with my sisters and parents. It was nice to see them for a half-hour. I was wearing a cowl that I made last year. It’s not much of a thing, but it keeps me so warm. It’s the Caracol Cowl pattern. Yarn is from Malabrigo and the colorway is Solis 809. My mom noticed me wearing it. I realized I didn’t remember the yarn or the pattern. I looked on Ravelry. Argh, I had never added it as a project. Emily remembered the yarn. Then I found the pattern. It’s up on Ravelry now.

Caracol Cowl
Caracol Cowl
Caracol Cowl

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Maple Mustard Brussels Sprouts (Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon) PBS

An elegant Brussels Sprouts with bacon recipe.

Ingredients

4T maple syrup
1T cider vinegar
2t dijon mustard
2t soy sauce
1/4t cayenne pepper
6 slices thick bacon
1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, stems cut and cut in half
salt
pepper

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk 3 tablespoons maple syrup, cider vinegar, mustard, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.

Cut raw bacon in small bits. Fry the bacon in a large skillet on medium high heat until done. Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Soak up all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease with a paper towel using tongs and discard.

Cook the Brussels sprouts in the bacon grease on medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add the maple vinaigrette and toss the vegetables in the sauce for 2-3 minutes until the Brussels sprouts are cooked through. Turn off the heat and drizzle one tablespoon of maple syrup and add the bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir the dish for a few seconds before transferring to serving bowl.

http://www.pbs.org/parents/kitchenexplorers/2011/11/17/brussel-sprouts-with-bacon-maple-vinaigrette/

This is so delicious! Maybe we need to buy some Brussels sprouts.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Dawn’s Spaghetti and Meatballs

Sauce:
3/4 C chopped onion
3 T. oil
2 1-lb cans tomatoes (4 cups)
2 6-oz cans (1-1/3 cups) tomato paste
1 T. sugar
1-1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 bay leaf
1-1/2 t. oregano
1 cup water

Cooked chopped onion in hot oil until tender. Add next 7 ingredients, along with 1 cup water. Simmer 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf. After mixing and baking meatballs, add them to sauce and simmer another 30 minutes.

Meatballs:
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1 lb. ground beef
2 eggs
2 T. chopped parsley (or 2 t. dried parsley)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. crushed oregano
1 t. salt
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix ingredients together thoroughly. Form into 1-inch balls. Bake in broiler pan for 20 minutes. Add to sauce.

Spaghetti at supper tonight.

Blueberry French Toast

The 1830 Admiral’s Quarter Famous Recipe For
“Blueberry French Toast With Blueberry Sauce”

Ingredients:
16 slices of day old Bread. (white with crusts removed)
1 1/2 cup – Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
12 – Eggs
1 cup – Half & Half (or White Milk)
1/3 cup – Maple Syrup
1 pint – Hazelnut Coffee Creamer
1 teaspoon – Cinnamon
1 – 8 oz. pkg of Cream Cheese

Method:
Cube Bread, place half in a greased 9 X 13 baking dish. Cut Cream Cheese into cubes, place over Bread. Top with Blueberries and remaining bread. Beat Eggs, add Half & Half, Hazelnut Coffee Creamer, and Maple Syrup. Beat together. Pour over Bread mixture. Sprinkle with Cinnamon. Cover and chill over night. Remove from refrigerator 1/2 hour before baking. Bake at 350° covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for another 30 minutes. (Till center is set.) Serve with Blueberry Sauce

“Blueberry Sauce”

Ingredients:
1 cup – Sugar
2 cups – Blueberries
2 tablespoons – Corn Starch
1 tablespoon – Butter
1 cup – Water
1 tablespoon – Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon – Cinnamon

Method:
Combine Sugar and Corn Starch, add Water, Butter, Lemon Juice. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Stir constantly. Stir in Blueberries. You may add 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon.

We have this every Christmas morning. When my older daughter was in 5th grade, she had to do a report on the state of Maine. We found out that blueberries are a big crop in Maine. We found this recipe on a bed and breakfast website and have been having it for Christmas morning since then. She was 10 in 5th grade and now she’s 30! We’ve been making just a half recipe for the 4 of us, in a square cake pan, but now we end up bringing it to Christmas Eve morning brunch, so now we make a 13 by 9 pan, so we have enough for our Christmas morning the next day.

Our temps lately have been in the 40s, so we currently have no snow. The header image is from a different year, but it is what the flower garden would look like if there was snow. It gets cold, the river freezes, but then it warms up again and the ice melts.

The dog picture is from 2013. That February, we got a lot of snow and it took Gary forever to blow the snow on the driveway. I was glad no one had to go anywhere that day, because our cars weren’t going anywhere.