Carolina Christmas, Part Deux :cD

This could get to be a habit....of wanting to sleep in in the morning, rather than get up at the crack of dawn to deal with FTP programs and hoping that I get everything uploaded right before the crowds start emailing saying WHERE IS IT?!!

So...tada! You can find part 2 here!

It's also linked at the bottom of part 1.....

Remember it's not a race! So you don't have to feel bad if you aren't ready to move on yet. The mystery will be left up until June 1st, so there is time.

Today was a lovely easy day. I went into the gym about 10:30...did my thang...came home, showered, worked on website stuff, finished making the turkey soup that is my MUST HAVE post Thanksgiving. (or any holiday involving turkey!) I love the smell of it simmering in the crockpot. It's just comfort food for me! Warms me right through.

Here is my basic recipe.....tho I think I've posted it before:

Turkey Soup

* carcass from cooked 15-18 lb turkey
* 3-4 quarts water
* 2 tsp celery salt
* 1/2 tsp black pepper
* 2 chicken boullion cubes (optional)
* minced garlic to taste (1 to 2 cloves)
* 1 tsp poultry seasoning
* 1 dried bay leaf
* 1 cup uncooked pearl barley
* 2 cups carrots, peeled, sliced (about 3 medium carrots)
* 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped (about 1 medium onion)
* 2 cups celery. chopped, (about 3 medium stalks celery)
* 4 cups cut-up cooked turkey
* 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped if desired


Directions

1. Break up turkey carcass (wings and all) to fit large crock pot. (I remove as much skin as possible before putting it into the pot.)
2. Add water, salt,pepper, garlic, poultry seasoning and bay leaf. Simmer on high for a few hours, until meat falls off the bones and carcass falls apart. Skim off any residue that rises to the surface.
3. Pour contents into a large colander placed over a large bowl or pot so the broth flows through, separating the meat/bones from the broth.
4. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and cut or tear into bite-size pieces; set aside. Discard bones and bay leaf. (Watch for itty bitty bones...they like to hide!)
5. Keep the broth over night in the refrigerator. The following day, skim fat from broth; Return to crock pot, beginning to heat on low. Add de-boned turkey meat to broth; stir in barley. Heat to simmer.
6. Stir in carrots, onion, celery. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and barley are tender. I've also added things like zucchini, potatoes, turnips, whatever other veggies or dried beans (small white beans are good..or lentils?) you want to add to it. For extra color you can also add mixed frozen veggies..you know the ones with diced carrots, peas, corn, limas, etc?
7. You can make it more fiesta style by adding a can of rotel tomatoes....
8. Oh yeah....if you have left over gravy from thanksgiving dinner, stir that in too...it thickens things nicely. :c)
9. Stir in parsley in desired

YUMMY! Make some corn bread to serve on the side....honey butter is sticky good. :c)