Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Turkey Bone and Dumpling soup

My Favorite Thanksgiving tradition, in fact I almost look forward to this meal more than Thanksgiving!


Put Turkey Bones in large pot ( You can take off some of the skin, but other than that you can just throw the whole thing in!). Add some salt and pepper and some leftover dressing for flavoring. Fully cover Turkey in water and boil for several hours until meat is falling off bones. (We did it for over 6 hours, but I bet you can do it in 3-4 hours.)


Once the meat is falling off the bones, pull out big bones with tongs and then strain the rest of the meat keeping the broth for the soup (keep all and take out 1/4 cup-1/2 cup for dumplings). Once the meat is a little cooled sort through it getting all the bones out as much as possible. We sifted through it 3 times and still had some when we ate it, so just be a careful.

1. Put broth back in pot.

2. Make Dumplings (see recipe below) and drop them in pot in small balls (they don't have to be round, just drop in).
3. Cut up 2 cups of carrots and 2 cups of potatoes put into broth and boil.

4. While boiling put in dumplings it takes 10 minutes for them to set up.
5. Once dumplings are going, add 1 cup of chopped celery and any left over peas/corn from Thanksgiving dinner. ( I just added a can of corn. It kinda gets lost in the soup so you could add more if making it for a large group)

6. Put in a package or two of Top Ramen noddles (not the flavoring)

7. You may need to add a can of chicken broth for more liquid

8. Add Turkey meat back in and heat through

9. ENJOY!!

Recipe for Dumplings (our family likes to double this and we have a LOT of dumplings)

1 egg beaten
3 TBSP sugar
1/4 cup half and half cream
1/4 cup soup stalk
1/4 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
Mix above ingredients then add flour a little at a time, mix with fork, keep adding until your fingers don't stick to dough. (When doubling it I probably added 3-4 cups of flour when all was said and done).

This recipe FILLED my largest pot it could serve 12-15 people! I plan to freeze some of the leftovers for later. ( I haven't tried it before, but I am pretty sure it will work).

Mr. Turkey and the stuff that goes inside

I have notes jotted down from last Thanksgiving from many phone calls to my mom to be able to make our first Turkey and stuffing. Here are my mom's recipes ( I hope I can piece it all together)

STUFFING (The YUMMIEST recipe ever!)

4-5 large carrots -peel and grind
4-5 stalks of celery -chop fine
2-3 medium size onions (depending on your preference)- grind

1/2 cube butter (about 4 TBSP)

Add altogether in saucepan and cook until soft (about 10 minutes)

Add stuffing and about 1/2 cube of butter ( don't you love how my mom cooks- just add a little of this a little of that)

You can do this the night before to help make the day a little easier.

TURKEY

Wash the whole turkey inside and out (pull out those yucky gizzards)
Salt inside and out of the Turkey including the legs

Stuff from both ends and stuff as full as you can

Use skewers to close and pulls skin of both sides

Put in pan -coat with butter

Put foil over each leg and wing to prevent from burning

Put 1 big piece of foil over the whole turkey
(It will brown well with foil)

1/2 way through cooking - baste

If not brown towards the end take off big foil

Cook Turkey for 20 minutes per pound @ 325 degrees

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Hot Sausage Dip

Since we're right in the middle of football season I thought I'd share one of my favorite chip dips. It's delicious.

1 Jimmy Dean hot sausage
1 pkg cream cheese
16 oz. sour cream
1 large tomato
1 medium green pepper
1/2 of a large onion
1 can green chilies

Brown sausage and chop into small pieces. Chop tomatos, green peppers, onion and green chilies. Mix all is a crockpot on low until warm and cream chesse is melted. Serve warm with tortilla chips.