RIP "Bruh Bird"

So I've been telling you all week, "don't throw out the carcass...don't throw out the carcass!!!"

And you thought I forgot about it, didn't you?

I didn't! And the waiting was intentional. Because the week after Thanksgiving there is a time honored tradition that happens in American refrigerators that goes a little something like this:



Yeah...except that we now now the dangers of leaving food uncovered like that for long periods of time. But remember back in the good old days when we didn't know that these things could kill us? (Sighs) S'anyway if your bird looks like my bird it is looking  a little something like this now:

Skin and bones. And fat meat. My kids loathe fat meat. And this really is an instance where we should follow our kid's lead.

Step One: Throw out anything on the turkey you don't want to eat. The fat meat, the skin, etc. For some of you the skin might already be long gone!

Step Two: Once you are down to the bones and meat you need to get as much meat off the bones as possible. Some of it just isn't going to budge. That's ok! We'll handle that. But as much as you can get off, put it in a bowl and start creating with it! You can make turkey salad for sandwiches, turkey pot pies, turkey tertrizini (did I spell that right), turkey a la king, turkey a la Nik (oh dear...now I'm gettin f flashbacks of Forrest Gump...ack!)

Step Three: Haul out your biggest stock pot. This may require you nagging your hubby to go retrieve it from wherever you keep it because I am convinced only the the very wealthy have enough cupboard space to actually keep their big stock pot in the kitchen. Anyhoo...once you've got your stock pot, you want to follow the instructions in the BF Basics: Making Stock.

Stock is good for so many things. It is the base of soups, gravies, sauces and more. ONce you have a good batch of stock, you can freeze it (I like to use this to help ensure longevity) or can it if you know how (true fact: Nik is afraid to can. I keep worrying that I'll do it wrong and give us all a strange disease! I'm working it out in therapy).

But from your one turkey carcass you can get several good cans of stock to put up for the winter and then when it comes time to make some chili, or some soup with quinoa or WHATEVER you wanna make, you have delicious homemade stock to start out with. Plus...it sound pretty cool to say you made your own stock, doesn't it?

And that tender meat that came off the bone in the stock pot? Ohhhh...that is a treat because it's all soft and tender. TOTALLY appropriate for a pouch, sleeve or...whatever you happen to call your digestive apparatus.

Here is the world's simplest thing to do with it.

Nik's Quickie Turkey "Stuff"

1 c. shredded turkey
1 can (12 oz.) low-fat cream of chicken soup (Aldi has a good one for cheap!)
1 can of mixed veggies (or peas and carrots if you want to avoid the potatoes, drained)
1/2 c. water
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder to taste
Optional, a few tablespoons of bread crumbs for topping

Directions

Combine everything except breadcrumbs in a small pot and warm through. Serve in a little bowl or a ramekin.

Top with bread crumbs (or, if you are Nik...paremesan cheese!).

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