TIGHTIGHTWAD TUESDAY - Don't Toss Those Turkey Bones!

Turkey Carcass Soup

That wonderful, Thankfulness filled, Turkey Day is almost upon us... just two more days. All over the USA, more turkeys than I could possibly count are sitting in the bottom of refrigerators thawing out, waiting to be deliciously smoked - roasted - fried - or cooked any number of other interesting ways.

When that anxiously awaited Thanksgiving meal time arrives, that multitude of turkeys all gets carved and the serving platters filled. As those platters of sliced turkey empty, the remainder of the turkey is pulled off of the bone and served as guests continue to stuff their already bulging tummies with even more tasty turkey.

But what happens next in most households is downright sinful! Most people toss that empty carcass and those bones away! Ugh! What a waste! Those bones may 'look' empty, but there is still far more to them than the average person would think.

Place all of those bones into a large kettle and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for at least an hour or so. With a slotted spoon, remove bones to another pan or tray to cool. When you examine those bones, you will be amazed to learn that there was still quite a bit of turkey left on them. It easily turns loose after it has been simmered for awhile. What is left in the pot is a wonderfully large amount of turkey soup stock that can be used in a multitude of ways.

My favorite thing to do with all of this is to make soup. I remove all of that turkey that turned loose of the bone during simmering and add it back into the stock pot with a mix of vegetables  and spices - whatever yo have on hand.... simmer some more, add cooked noodles, and it is the most wonderful soup! At this point, the bones can finally be sent to the compost pile.

That turkey broth can be used for so many other things, too. It can be used to make gravy, mashed potatoes, rice .... the possibilities are endless! Can you believe people throw all that yummy food-still-to-come away after the turkey has been taken off the bone? What an enormous loss of some very delicious, nearly 'free' food. By adding your own homegrown vegetables, it could very well be a free pot of soup from something that is ordinarily tossed out. It is a great place to use up all those veggies that are beginning to get bad spots in them and need to be cut up into something. You know, there is only one of this kind, and one of that kind.... not enough of each kind to really do anything with? But by tossing them all into the turkey bone broth pot, they all blend together wonderfully!

If you have any additional good uses for turkey bones after all of the turkey has been pulled off of them, we would love to hear them! Just leave your suggestions, ideas and uses in the comments below.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

PHARMACY FRIDAY - Mullein for Bronchitis

For many, MANY years now, I have dealt with chronic bronchitis. This time of year is when it really begins to flair up. I have had to take many synthetic medications over the years for it and I have really started worrying about their side effects and what they might be doing to my body.  And then sometimes they still don't work and I end up with a bout of pneumonia. No fun!

So I have started looking more and more into natural bronchitis remedies. When I learned that this beautiful plant growing wild in my yard was a great remedy for bronchitis, I got excited! I love these plants. They are absolutely beautiful! And I love to run my hands over the soft, fuzzy leaves. It was also interesting to learn that there are several ways that it can be used. Dave and I have each tried a different way, each with great results.

Once upon a time, Mullein was extensively used throughout North America and the European countries to relieve respiratory ailments. It really bothers me that, as I read about herbal remedies, I consistently read things like "they were once widely used" ... meaning we have now gotten lax and want to simply pop a synthetic pill because it is so much easier. It certainly isn't better for our bodies, though.

The flowers and the leaves of the Mullein plant are both used, either fresh or dried. (Do not use the seeds as they are toxic in some Mullein varieties.) One very effective way (the one I have tried) is to simmer some Mullein in a pot of water, then cover your head with a clean towel, lean over the steaming pot and breathe in. Be very careful so as not to burn yourself! For me, this really opened me up.

Another method claimed to be very effective for bronchitis, is to dry the Mullein leaves, then smoke them as you would tobacco to open the bronchial tubes. I have never smoked, so I have not tried this, but sometimes, when I get so congested, the consideration crosses my mind.

One more great method is to make a tea to drink. This is done by pouring boiling water over fresh or dried Mullein leaves. MAKE SURE YOU STRAIN IT thoroughly through a fine strainer before you drink it! The tiny fibers on the Mullein leaves are very irritating. It tastes good, too, but sweetening with a little honey makes it taste even better and may even add to its effectiveness.

Here is some more great information at Livestrong on using Mullein one of the above ways.

Around here, Mullein grows very well in the spring, then dies out in the summer. Then again in the Fall it often comes back up. I seem to have a good supply of it growing right now. I hope our recent freezing temps haven't harmed it, as I would like to put some away for use throughout the winter.

You can find more great information for using Mullein as a natural bronchitis remedy at the following links:

Healthy Online

Another Livestrong page

Herbal Remedies

Obsessive Gardener

Now, to figure out if I can use it on this congested, snoring cat sitting here by me as I type. If you have every used Mullein as an herbal remedy, we would love to hear about your experience!

Disclaimer: Please remember, these posts are for informative purposes, only and the opinions expressed are our own. The information here is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease or illness. It is always a good idea to check with your health care provider before beginning any kind of new remedy/treatment.

Wordless Wednesday - 11/14

Followed Blogs Disappearing

I realized today that some of the blogs that we follow and have listed/linked to on our site, have disappeared. I know one was due to it having been moved to another platform, but still, I don't think the address changed so it should have still been up. As for the rest, I have no idea what happened. WE HAVE NOT REMOVED ANY BLOGS FROM OUR FOLLOWING LIST!

In my hustle and bustle of late, jumping on here for a quick few minutes (when I have them) and back off, I had wondered why I hadn't seen any posts from a couple of people in awhile. I had just assumed that they, too, had gotten pretty busy. But today I had a few minutes to catch up just a little on some blog reading and that is when I noticed that they weren't there at all. I am now trying to re-add everyone, so if you knew that your blog had been listed at the bottom of our page as blogs that we follow, or that we signed up to follow on your site and you aren't there now, PLEASE LET US KNOW!  I truly hope that I don't miss getting anyone back on here. Thank you soooo much for your patience, and I hope whatever 'glitch' caused this never happens again.

Have A Great Day! 

TIGHTWAD TUESDAY - Nearly Free Dog Treats

 I like to spoil my dogs, and give them treats when they are being really good. I also give them treats to train them with, to encourage them to be good, and just because I love them and enjoy watching them enjoy their treats so much. But with the number of dogs I have ended up with, and the majority of them are large, buying that many dog treats on a regular basis just isn't possible. Plus, many of those store bought dog treats have stuff in them that I don't want to feed my dogs.

You can make some pretty tasty dog treats simply out of stale bread and a little of that frying grease that you were getting ready to toss out. Any kind of old bread will do (so long as it is just stale and isn't molded). Our local discount bread store often has what they call "feed bread" for sale. It is bread that is outdated far enough that they aren't allowed to sell it for human consumption, but it isn't molded yet. A bag of it usually has from 4 to 6 loaves of bread in it for $1. Lately they have had a big surplus of it and most of it has had 6 loaves in it.  Let me tell you, you can get a LOT of dog treats out of 6 loaves of bread!

You can also use slices of homemade bread if you actually have any that has dried out beyond use. Stale hamburger buns, old biscuits,donuts, hot rolls, anything of the like can be used.

You will also need some 'tasty' fat. The best thing to use (for your little fur ball's favorite flavor) is that grease you have been frying your meat in and you just don't dare use it again but really don't want to throw it away. You can also use butter (a little more costly), fat that you have skimmed off of soup, or any kind of meat drippings.

Preheat your oven to about 350 F. Lay your bread slices out on a cookie sheet. If you are using burger buns, hot dog buns, rolls, etc, cut them in half and lay them out flat. If your fat is solid and not liquid, melt it in a small pan before your next step. With a basting brush, lightly brush the top of each bread slice with the fat of your choice. A little garlic powder can also be sprinkled on at this time if you (or your dog) likes, but that is optional. Cut each bread slice into the right sizes for your dog to eat. My dogs like them cut into long strips. Spread them out evenly around on the cookie sheet, making sure there is air space around each one.

Place the pan of bread slices in the preheated oven. Bake for about 5 minutes, to get them started drying, then turn the oven down to about 250 F. Bake until they are completely dry and no moisture is left. Be sure and check on them often to prevent burning. When I think they are done. I turn the oven off and let they stay until all is cool to be sure no moisture is left in them. When completely cooled, store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Feed to your dog as a treat as desired. Mine love them! They not only like the flavor, but they love the type of crunch these treats provide. Oh, and my cats love them, too!

Anytime you have a little bit of grease/fat that you would normally toss out, put it in a container and into the freezer to save for when you also have some old bread and then time to make your pet some tasty, and nearly free, treats!