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

Turkey Burgers with Mustard Sauce

Oh turkey burgers! I love them! I think I've already posted another one of my favorite turkey burger recipes but this one is fabulous too. You really should try them both. Recipe comes from BHG.

4 kaiser rolls or hamburger buns (I use toasted hamburger buns)
1 lb. ground raw turkey
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp. honey mustard
1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive or cooking oil
1/3 cup light may
1 medium tomato
1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 cup bread crumbs


In large bowl combine turkey, egg, bread crumbs, 1 Tbsp. of honey mustard, and the salt and pepper. Shape turkey mixture into four patties.

In an extra-large nonstick skillet cook turkey patties in hot oil over medium heat for 12 minutes, turning once, or until no longer pink.

For mustard sauce, in small bowl combine mayo and remaining 2 Tbsp. honey mustard. Layer buns, burgers, tomato, avocado, sauce.

*I usually make about 6 burgers out of this recipe. Last night I just made the turkey burgers and ate them without buns. I skipped the rest of this recipe and topped the burgers with the coleslaw recipe from this recipe. So delicious and you skip out on those all those bun calories.

Curried Turkey Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Walnuts

Another recipe from my R.S. dinner

Curried Turkey Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Walnuts

(i substituted the turkey with either potatoes or chicken)
4 cups cooked and chopped turkey
1/2 cup diced apple (pref. granny smith)
1/3 cup chopped sweetened dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts

*Curry Dressing (recipe below)In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well. Serve on yourfavorite bread as a sandwich or on a bed of greens as a salad. Servesfour to six.

Dressing:1/2 cup thick yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons curry powder**
1 tablespoon honeygenerous pinch of saltfresh ground black pepper
Whisk all ingredients until well combined.Recipe Notes: *To toast walnuts, spread a handful of walnuts on abaking sheet. Toast in a preheated 350 degree oven for about fiveminutes or until they are fragrant. Don’t leave them in too long!Allow to cool slightly before chopping and adding to salad.

**If you prefer less spice in your salad, start with one tablespoon of currypowder then taste dressing and add more if desired. I used a full twotablespoons. For the turkey, I used a roasted half turkey breast fromthe deli section of the grocery store, but this would be perfect ifyou have lots of turkey left over from the holidays!

SaladTOSSED SALAD WITH POPPY SEED DRESSINGRomaine lettuceIceberg lettuceParsley sprigsCelery, choppedGreen onions, choppedMandarin orangesWalnutsDRESSING:3/ 4 c. sugar1 tsp. dry mustard1 tsp. salt1/3 c. wine vinegar1 c. salad oil1 tsp. poppy seedTear lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Toss ingredients and chill. Pourdressing over tossed salad just before serving.Dressing: Combine sugar, mustard, salt and vinegar. Add oil slowly,beating constantly with electric or rotary beater. Stir in poppy seedslast.