Gratitude Monday -- Leftover Edition

We finally had our Christmas turkey dinner on Friday.  My MIL supplied the turkey and it was a big one, 5-7 kg (11 lb. to 15.4 lb. in the old tongue). She also brought cranberry sauce and I had made some, too.
The deal was I'd cook and Mike's mom and sister would have dinner with us.
That seems more than fair.
However, they don't eat much.  I convinced SIL to take some turkey home and stuffed as much as I could in a  container said to hold a kilogram.
I convinced MIL to take some of the bones for soup.
On Saturday Mike and I had shepherd's pie courtesy the leftover veggies I'd cooked with the bird, and of course the bird itself.
Last night we had the rest of the veggies augmented by a few Brussels sprouts that I'd been craving as well as more turkey.
I have a pot on the back burner making stock from some bones and skin. I started it yesterday and may leave it until tomorrow.
There's a good chance we'll have turkey again tonight.
I am grateful for all of it.

Gratitude Monday--Thanksgiving Edition

Today is Thanksgiving in Canada. I am grateful for the holiday, but I think it is important to be thankful all the time, not just once a year, or even once a week as it seems by my blog.

We had our Thanksgiving meal on Saturday for convenience reasons and I am grateful that we had a turkey and all which goes with it. And that brings me to my gratitude this week.

Squash.

We get squashes from Mike's parents. They are tasty enough and I am happy to have them, but as a veggie goes, they are adequate in my view. I've found a few ways to prepare them and that's all good, but on Saturday, I found the best way ever.
When I roast a turkey I put all the veggies in with the bird so all the flavours can get to know one another, exchange essences, and strive toward the greater good. On Saturday I threw in cubed squash.
I am so very grateful that I did because squash roasted in turkey juices is about the best thing ever.

Simmering the Cold Away

Turkey Soup. The creamy look is from blenderized potatoes.

Yesterday was soup day. Husband has a cold, I am considering one myself, and I wanted to warm up the house. Soup does that, literally and psychologically.
The carcass went in the pot before 9 a.m. and I let it simmer until mid-afternoon. Good stock takes patience.
We had some leftover boiled potatoes in the fridge. Rather than just chop and toss I decided to sic the immersion blender on them.
I'm glad I did. It made the soup thick and creamy.
Soup is a way to get shed of veggies and whatnot that may be wearing out their welcome. I was able to give a good home to a turnip who ran into a bit of bad luck and wound up in the freezer.
It was mushy and had to be used up quickly, but I think the freezing made it sweeter than it was originally.
The gentle simmer, the soothing, enticing smell, and the knowledge that the evening meal was taken care of helped me write, too.
It was a good day. Even the impending cold didn't seem so bad.

 

Gratitude Monday - Christmas Is When You Make It

We celebrated Christmas this past weekend.
We drove to Edmonton to see our friends, the Webjeks. (The name is a compilation of their surnames, and a damned fine one.)
We’ve had Christmas together each year for several years now, more than a dozen.
We get to it when we can. It’s often well after Christmas proper. We’ve observed it later in March at least once, but we usually get to it during winter.
What matters is getting to spend the time with friends. The food, the gifts, activities, they’re all great, but the point is being together and spending time in one another’s company.
That is what matters. It is what makes it Christmas no matter what the date may be.