Turkey Day Leftover Solution!

If you’re still wondering what to do with some of your leftovers from Thanksgiving, why not make some soup! Today I took the last of my turkey leftovers and made a pot of Creamy Turkey and Rice soup.

I saved the breast carcass, put it in a pot with some water, celery, onions, carrot, and a splash of white wine. Seasoned with salt, pepper, and thyme, then simmered it for about an hour and a half.

When my stock was finished I strained it of all the veggies, picked the meat off the bone, and also added in some breast meat I had put away in a container. Then in another pot, I sauteed in butter, some celery, carrots, onions, and crimini mushrooms, mixed in 1/2 cup of flour, let that cook till it was all blended, then ladle, by ladle I whisked in the stock and after it thickened up, I threw in some cooked brown rice, and then finished it off with a little half and half for color. Garnish with some parsley.

The salad was just pears, arugula, red onion, blue cheese and walnuts, tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette.

It was perfect for a cold and snowy day we had here today! Yes, it snowed a little already! Yuck!

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Caramel Wannabe’s!!!

It’s Daring Baker time again, and for this months challenge we had the option of making a caramel cake, or caramel candy. I opted for the candy, since I thought it would be a nice gift to give away, and because I never used a candy thermometer, nor have I ever made candy! The recipe… Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels… comes from Alice Medrich’s Pure Dessert.

Well let me tell you, candy making is definitely NOT my forte!!! Yes, I posted my photo with my little caramels all nice and snug in a pretty tin, studded with hazelnuts and pistachio’s, but looks can be very deceiving!!

I got off to a good start, I stuck my new thermometer on my pan and waited for my sugar and syrup to boil, my heated cream was waiting in the wings to be incorporated. Everything was at the correct temperature according to the recipe.

When it was time to pour it all into my pan, my house smelled like a fancy candy shop on Michigan Ave.!! I thought it was the right color, but maybe in reality it was a little to dark, what do you think?

Here is the picture of how my caramels really turned out, like shards of cut glass! TOTALLY INEDIBLE! The first photo above, I practically had to take a sledgehammer to cut them, I had caramel shards flying all over my kitchen floor!
In conclusion, I noticed my candy thermometer said caramels to be done at 240F, but the recipe said 260F. I went with 260F . Maybe that was my problem!

A big “Thanks” goes out to our host Dolores, of Chronicles of Culinary Curiosity, where you will find this recipe, along with her assistants, Alex, of the Blondie and Brownie duo, and Jenny, of Foray into Food, and Natalie, of Gluten-a-go-go.
Be sure to click on the Daring Baker link above to see how the caramels were really suppose to turn out, and to check out all those good looking cakes.
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I’m Thankful for…

Having my dinner turn out scrumptious good, hanging out with family all day,

And the fact that I don’t have to cook today because there’s plenty of leftovers!!!
Hope you’re enjoying all of yours too!
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