I love getting something for nothing! Or at least something for almost nothing. I like coupons (free money!), Picking apples and grapes from my yard (free food), and I LOVE the library (free books!).
It is especially nice when the free stuff is better than the costly equivalent. Compost, for example, is absolutely free to make. You can make it as complicated as you like, measure its temperature and so on, or you can just dump plant-type stuff in a pile on the ground and let it rot. Either way you get “black gold”, which will improve your garden soil immensely, especially if you live here on the Anoka sand plain.
Homemade stock is better than store-bought, too. Store-bought is too salty, and has less body. To make stock, take that turkey carcass and boil it for a while with some vegetables. Maybe you saved the carcass (isn’t that a good word?) from Thanksgiving? To my mind, Christmas is a beef holiday, but I know many people eat turkey for Christmas dinner.
Just like compost, you can make this complicated if you want to, buying high quality carrots, adding leeks, browning the bones just so, but I like simple. I like using the ends of carrots, celery and onions that otherwise go to waste (not really, they go to compost). I throw in herbs if I have any, or vegetables that are wilty, like green onions. I don’t use stuff that is rotten, just a little past its prime. I save it in the freezer until I have enough for a batch of stock. I do the same with the turkey, or chicken part of it. Bones, wings, skin, necks and gizzards, these are all good. The more you save, the stronger your stock will be. When you are done, freeze the stock in the amounts you want. Extra points for re-using sour cream or cool-whip containers (free Tupperware!).
Well, after you boil your turkey and fish out the bones, save the breast bone. It makes a great Santa sleigh! You may think I’m joking, but this was one of my favorite Christmas decorations as a child. It looks better if you spray paint it gold. Those of you who know my mother may now giggle.
Just so you know, my children are still rolling on the floor after seeing this breastbone sleigh.
Turkey Stock
Put turkey and/or chicken bones and skin in a big pot. Add vegetables, cut into chunks. Celery, carrots and onions are required, potato peelings, asparagus bits a little squishy tomato are all good additions. Stinky things like broccoli and turnips are not so great. Add water to cover the bones and boil for at least an hour. Put it in a crock-pot if you have things to do. Cool it, strain it, remove fat from the top, freeze it. If it gels when cool, that is a good sign. Discard the boiled bones and vegys. Not in the compost, it may attract rats! Don't add salt until you are ready to eat whatever you are making with this. It will need salt, but not until then.
