Friday, November 28, 2014

Here's what you do with leftover turkey -- Turkey Gumbo!





This starts with simmering the carcass for a few hours. 


 Throw in some onion and left over veggies if you like.  When it’s done just put the whole pot in the fridge.  Or if there is no room and if you live where I live, by the basement door where it’s cold.  You can skip this step but I think it adds richness to the stock.

The next morning, take the carcass out of the pot and pick off the meat.  I’m a terrible carver so there’s always plenty left on the carcass but there’s always something.  You can also use leftover turkey you carved.  Save that for later.  Strain the liquid and save that.  Freeze it in quart bags.   Keep a pint out. It should be very gelatinous.






What makes a gumbo is the roux.  



It’s all about the roux.  This takes time. You need to stand by the pan and watch and stir your roux.  You don’t want it to burn.

A roux is equal parts fat and flour.  I had fried up a bunch of bacon for loaded mashed potatoes so I used a quarter cup bacon fat and a quarter cup flour.  You can use butter, olive oil, lard, any fat.   


Melt the fat, and add the flour and mix it well.  Then cook on low heat until it is a dark caramel color. It takes about 40-45 minutes.  Don’t rush it.  Stir it and don’t let it stick to the pan.





Then add 1 chopped onion and one chopped red bell pepper, a few cloves garlic, chopped and stir it up so that it is all covered in the roux.  








This is when I add the spices. 



 Salt, pepper. You can add cayenne pepper if you like heat.  I use Penzey’s Cajun mixture.  And sage, since sage is good with turkey.  Stir it up and cook low for about 5 minutes.  





Add about a half cup wine.  Red wine, white wine, whatever.  It will become a big sticky glob.  That’s what you want.  Cook that on low for about 10 minutes.  





Add your pint of turkey stock.  Depending on how thick and rich that stock is, you can add water (or wine) to thin it to your taste.  I like it thick.  I also add about a tablespoon of brown sugar.


Add the turkey.  You could add some carrots. Turn up the heat and bring that to a slow boil. Then dump it in the slow cooker (or turn heat down again) and cook it for about two hours. Eat it with rice.  It’s rich and tasty. 






You will want to make sure you have enough left over turkey to make this every year.





Sunday, November 23, 2014

Enough with the Black Friday Shaming Already!


Hey remember me?? 

I used to blog.  For myself.  Now I blog for the Northeastern Iowa Synod.

But I got something to say about Black Friday shaming. 


 I think we should stop it.  

Because while you think it’s all about fighting anti-consumerism and commercialism and everything that is wrong with our economic system, it’s not.  

It’s just making people who like to shop on Good Friday feel bad.  And making you feel superior because you don’t do it. 

This is the thing.  We have a crazy economic system that depends on people buying stuff.  I don’t think that is a good thing.  I don’t even understand how it can be sustainable. 

And you don’t have to tell me about how bad people in retail are paid and treated.  


Hello??? I worked at Staples last summer.  I went 5 hours on my feet without any breaks.  I was expected to be kind of smart about figuring out stuff, be fast on the cash register, know where to find the blue #3 sharpie, smile and take grief all for a little over minimum wage. 

I get it.  There is something wrong with our economic system. 


But we ALL participate in it.  Some of us benefit from it more than others; some of us suffer from it more than others.  But nobody gets a pass.  

You don’t get to be all superior for not shopping on Black Friday. 

Disclaimer:  Yes I have shopped on Black Friday.  

Got up early, took my kids, got some deals, went to lunch, and came home and took a nap.  We did this even at the evil capitalistic center – Mall of America.  

Nobody died.  Nobody even got punched.  Or trampled . Most people were very pleasant.   

But then again I never tried to buy a Plasma TV for $5. 

Frankly I’m tired of seeing memes comparing Black Friday to the Hunger Games.  And people trying to make me feel like I’m more greedy and consumerist than those who shop on say, Monday.  

And if I’m tired of it, trust me; the folks in the pews are tired of it.


And you know who else is tired of it?  The good people in your pews who own stores.  

They are tired of being made to feel like they are responsible for taking Jesus out of Christmas cuz they sell stuff in December.  

So let’s just stop it.


I don’t know how to fix our broken economic system.  I don’t know how to make the world a more just, fair and kind place.  I just know that making people feel bad about going shopping is not working.

So if you are looking for a deal this Friday – Sin boldly!  AND remember the poor.