Turkey Carcass Rendering

Did you know most folks trow away the carcass of the thanks giving turkey. Well after I carve mine and set it out on the platter, I refrigerate the carcass for the next day to get the rest of the meat off of it. You will be surprised how much meat is still on there. Your hard earned dollars down the trash. A birds short lived life thrown out without the full appreciation of all that it has to give to sustain you and your family.

After the carcass is well cooled I begin my work.
Begin by removing the thighs, and slicing the meat off of it.
then remove all the waste (skin and marble of fat)
Now as you remove the easy to get to meats put the bones that have all the meat adhering to them in a big pot.
Fill your pot with good water. Boil it for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The meat will just fall off easy. Save the liquid this is a soup makers gold.

At this point I have around 5 cups of good meat for stove top meals and sliced for sandwiches as well. Put this meat up in the refer for now. (later at the end of the stock process it is a good idea to cover the meat in broth before freezing. Great soup starters or enchiladas etc.

While this is cooking cut up any left over root veggies you have. The butt from the celery (wash it) These veggies are just for flavoring and supplementing your stock. They will be tossed at the end of process. This is a basic soup stock starter. No need to peal the carrots. I have a very large white onion, 1 leek, some left over raw broccoli, the celery butt from my stuffing and an entire head of garlic heads. I take the skin off my garlic just because it makes it easier for me later.

Now I bag all this washed and coarse cut roots and such.

Put it in the ice box for later.

Cover with water as needed for it will evaporate.

See how rich it is already!

Next process. Using a slotted spoon if you have one or a tongs first for the big bones remove the bones, pull of the meat as you go if it comes easy. Set meaty bones aside. Now strain out all the meat from the broth, set aside to cool a little . (or a lot if you have tender hands). Clean off all the meat from your bones. Toss the bones in the baggie that the veggies were in. This is good practice and recycling too. As I put the meat into a plastic storage container I remove any skin, bone or blood form the meat. (I do not eat blood).

All the while now the veggies are boiling. Tomorrow I will strain out all the veggies. I will then have a very rich soup stock to use as a base for the soup that Dash requested for supper tomorrow night. I will continue the lesson then.

I rendered about 6 cups meat off the boil
and about another 5 cups meat off the slice
That is 11 cups ladies, that was not tossed out as so many do. Yes, It is a bit of work but so is driving to the office each day earning the money no one wants to throw away.
The 24 (apx) pound bird fed 23 and that is with seconds and thirds for a few. We had another 8 plates off of it too. We also made turkey enchiladas tonight with left overs. I paid $12. I think for the bird @ .49cent a pound

Oh The things we do for love...
I feel honored to have the foods set before me to prepare. When I was a child we were not so fortunate. Taken for granted are the things before us. It is often in desperation that folks stop to realize what they can do with what they have.
Why wait, stave off desperation with being a grateful partaker of all that is good. Even if it might require a little more effort. I'll tell you what, The food scientist have devised ways to offer these flavors to restaurant customers.Taste great but it is like eating poison. This is how we old school girls do it. Generation to generation.

It smells so good in here!

Tagged by Tiff

Tiff form "three peas in a pod" tagged me yesterday for seven random things about me.


1. My favorite color is purple. It is the color of the robes that were used in the old testament tabernacle. I think of it with the pomegranates on the fringe and it is so royal but in the form of worship and service. I think those two character traits are royal. My Mothers favorite color was purple too. The children often make note of it. Just this week I led the Purple group at the field trip I went on with Beauty.

2. I love Silver on me rather than gold. It really stands out on my olive completion. Copper is pretty to. I have studied color extensively. I know how to do color analysis for wardrobe and make-up. In the color pallet seasons I am a Summer with the need for mid range tones.

3. I ware very little make up. Mascara and skin tone eye shadow with a vanilla color at the brow. A little gel blush and powder foundation compact. Thats it. A little gloss with a neutral lip liner.

4. I do not like perfume because I have asthma and allergies. I can not use hairspray either for the same reason. All my products are unscented. I do however enjoy some natural essence oils.

5. For breakfast I either have a bowl of flax and whet free grains or 1 egg and green tea or ginger tea.

6. I really enjoy the quiet. I almost lost my hearing many years ago. At Mayo Clinic i was one of the first patients to under go a procedure where they took my ear off surgically and built a ear drum out of my own tissue. I had the hearing restored to my right ear. It is not real good but I am able to hear out of it. I look sign language (ASL) because I thought I might become deaf. I was left however with nerve damage and so the volume of my children physically hurts me. I will sometimes use an ear plug to stop the pain of the noise. I really enjoy how it feels in the quiet. Sometimes I cry about it a little because I really love the sounds of life they echo.

7. I really love being organized but I have to let others in my home be who they are. It is so frustrating to fix up a room only to see it undone. I have to just walk away. It takes a lot for me to face these places in my home when I know it will be so short lived for such hard work. Kids bedrooms :)

So Tiff there you have it a few more tidd-bits about me. Thanks for asking. Feel free to inquire any time.

I need to tag others... I will get back to this.

Tackle It Tuesday

Finished it! wahoo!

I got the lunch fo my beloved made the dogs fed and now it is time to wake the kids up to begin the day. I have therapy for my knee this morning for 2 hours or so. I do a good exercise work out.(The office was very slow so I was able to do my work there quickly. I had the good news that my knee ,though fatigued handled the stress well. The swelling was down and I proved I can work it and recover well. This is good news!) Lord help me I need to find a little energy today. :) (I promised a fellow knee patient that I would just stop at the store to get the only things I needed and go home and nap. Well I laid down and fell asleep hard, 10 minutes later the phone rang and no one left a message by then I was up in the kichen trying to find a hand set. I was awake... So I crafted and sewed)

First things first. I have been indulging in Avoids and so I have worked myself into a b=very bad allergic headache. That and I hit my head so hard on the bus yesterday that the teacher heard my neck crack. (I gave myself whiplash says the therapist they treated my neck with a heat pack and told me to ice at the base of my skull, can you believe it!) I have been up in pain most the night. So I got the antihistamine the immunologist gave me on board too.

Christmas is fast approching so I have aprons and many other projects in the cue.

Clothing and Christmas jammies are on the list.

for fun this little tree for table top It is a soft sculpture.

I was able to cut out and search out several projects to work on this week and next.
I will post some of them.

I have to clear this up (DONE)and redo the dining table linens. To wash ,Iron and reset the table.(Done)

I'll do a different display I think

I traded out some of the other decerations

I wanted to do it differently and with a smaller party I was able to use a larger center piece.
The pumpkin soft sculpture I made some years ago. It was a fund raiser where you meet with a group and everyone makes two and keeps one. We then sold the others to fund raise for a local adoption agency.

Not having a big buffet this arrangement fills this space with much enjoyed color!

Yet to do.

My fine flat ware is suffering too I need to tend to it.

“I am thankful to be a Christian because“

Group Writing Project

by Hopeful Spirit

Announcing the first-ever group writing project sponsored by On the Horizon, The Next Step, and Proverbs 31 Woman Wanna Be:

“I am thankful to be a Christian because . . . “

Write a post with that title and submit it no later than Tuesday, November 20, 2007, at midnight (Pacific time) by clicking here.

All entries will be collected and the link to each published at On the Horizon, The Next Step, and Proverbs 31 Woman Wanna Be on Wednesday, November 21, 2007, just in time for Thanksgiving.

One post per blog, please, but you may submit a post that you write specifically for this group project or one that you have previously published on your site. There is no minimum or maximum number of words required and, in fact, you may feel free to submit a post containing a video presentation, artwork, or other media so long as it is consistent with the theme, i.e., conveys to the reader the basis and rationale for your belief that Jesus Christ is the One true son of God and died for your sins in order that you might have eternal life. This project is open to members of any and all or no specific church or denomination. (No vulgarity, profanity or hate speech, please. The owners of the individual host sites will have discretion and the final authority regarding the appropriateness of posts to which they will link from their blogs.)

Questions? Concerns? Drop an e-mail to admin at hopefulspirit dot com!

Tami, Shalene, and I look forward to reading your wonderful thoughts about being thankful!

November 16, 2007 Update: If you have submitted a post, we apologize but must ask you to resubmit via email to hopefulspirit at comcast dot net. It appears that there is a problem with the submission form and notifications are not being received. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.

“I am thankful to be a Christian because . . . “

...Because I can draw distinctions between religions and the gospel that Jesus preached. John 7:24 making right judgments about Jesus plus nothing ; Galation 1:6-9
Faith in Jesus Christ and nothing else. No law of man or rule of condemnation.

I am so thankful for a relationship that is a friendship with God. I am so very thankful to be free from the Law and have become a law unto myself through the will (God placed within me) to do what is right from within me. Freedom. Psalm 91 tells me that because "I have placed my love on Him that this is my destiny..." I have lived this for 26+ years now with a covering that has guarded me from the most fierce storms any human can encounter. My gratitude extends to the woman who years ago left an open Bible on my teller desk. The other woman who saw me the day I was selling all my belongings to go live on the street and die. It was she who opened a Bible after she fed my starving body.
It was in the spin the whirlwind of a battle over my soul that God won! Yet I know that even in my childhood He would one day set me free to live on this plane of existence. That there was more than existence but life awaiting me.
Witnessing lives dropping at my side year after year in my recovery years, it was his love reciprocal that sustained me.
Being a Christian is become a title shamed by those who live under Jesus Plus...you name it...
More wounding more rejections more condemnations and more souls left to not want to cast their love for him out of mis information grieve my heart.
The term "Christian" has been defamed defaced and a ridicule among the nations.

Jesus plus nothing. Choosing to believe that he was and is and will return to be... A hope and a love that draws the hearts to choose to pursue HIM. The soul that longs for and desired , sets their love upon him... It is they who the love of God is drawn into intimacy with. Not those who simply relate to a set of laws,rules and expectation.
Being a Christian is about loving Him, intimately relating to Him. To all of his examples and all of His ways and compassions. Being in covenant with Him and this is Love to Love Him, I can't help but love all of you.

It is Jesus plus nothing only but to love one another as he has loved us. I am thankful that it is so simply as to melt away into one simple yet profoundly disciplined act of loving my brother/sister as he has loved me. Keeping myself unstained Jesus plus nothing pulls our hearts into everything he longs for us to be.
By Donetta

Menu Plan Monday

You know it is not that easy! :)
Feast (#2 in a 6 day window) OOObaby!
What a wonderful day I have planned for Thursday.
Beauty said It has to just be perfect!:)
We love you Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Jim

Thanksgiving Menu: #2

Turkey baked
corn bread stuffing
gravy
mashed russets with soy milk and lots of butter and chicken broth
corn (with butter)
green beens (with butter)
yams with orange juice,and real maple syrup (miniture march mellows)
cranberries sauce
coleslaw (MILove makes a great one)
rolls (BILove brings from a bakery )
Lemon meringue pie (MILove makes the pest!)

Arizona Rock and Mneral Museum

8 am calls to the road to school...two tired kids who need more rest...One very tired mom who is not at her best.

After dropping the kids off just before the tardy bell , I came home to see about washing my hair in the kitchen sink. Thank my sweet husband NO Dishes in the sink. Flying out the door at 8:50am I arrive to sign in at the school office to find out that the field trip is loading the bus at 9 not 9:30 as was thought! All of the third grade classes are loading as I open the door to find Beauty's Teacher unaware! She Thanks the Almighty for my arrival and tells the children to follow me...
She did a head count that I repeat moments later as we are on the buss all 23 of the children and I. She brings up the rear and we double checked the head count!
YEE Haa!
Once on the but we all breath. She gives me the forms for the treasure hunt and I copied the Answer Key. We smile at each other. The other parent helper missed the bus. It will be a very long drive for her to the city but she will have quiet. You know the thing that is unheard of on a bus with 50 children total and three brave women. (Make that 4 including the amazing driver)

Now and I, being the sage room mother of many years before my own children...Had EARPLUGS! :)
I had grabbed a baggie of Dum-Dum suckers as a happy incentive to busy mouths, however they are not allowed on the bus. The kids really had my attention and were very grateful.
We arrived without a hitch.

At first he had them contained :)
Good kids in a scoop!

We had our orientation and then we were off on our treasure hut. Mapping our way through the museum. The kids had tho find the case that held the clue and then write the answer down when they figured it out. I kept my group as a team and no one went an until the whole team had the answer written down. I had children all varying levels of abilities. Most of the kids did real well at helping each other. The stones were beautiful!

They all found the answers and took turns leading the group

Sedimentary rocks.

This was my group I took out into the museum. Beauty is in the pink. Good kids all.
They are standing behind the picket fence. A Rock and mineral table set before them. Everything is stone on the table.

Did you know the difference between a rock and a minersl.
A mineral is a single substance, a rock is made up of more than one substance.
crystals are 6 sides minerals.

Head counts to bus loading that was a lot of fun!

Oh the joy of another day with children.

Oh the joy!
When we went through the tunnel on the freeway I called out "tunnel" and all of our kids held their breath until we cleared the tunnel the whole back half of the bus was silent. Teacher and I got a real kick out of it.
The other teacher and parent helper was in the front of the bus great ladies!

One last head count Yep all there. Didn't loose a one! :)
I got home at noon. read my e-mail had a plate of left overs and slept until 2:50 when I awoke to fly out the door, pause a few moments to clear the webs and picked the kids up at the curb in perfect time.

I just finished cutting this out while I awaited the down load of all the images.
I still have the stars to cut out.
This stands up, rick rack (thank you Carrie the white you gave me in that box is perfect for it) on the back side is sandwiched between two trees and then they all all sewn together and accordion like fold up. I found this this summer when that fabric store closed down.
Christmas is fast approaching!

Monday begins with....

These several aprons I cut out. They are so cute.Two of them will be teacher gifts.

Last night Dash asked if I could get some jars and paints down for him. He said" I want to play scientist and see what happens when I mix the colors.

I awoke to this cute set up. Water 5 cents, I emptied all the glasses and put pennies = amount due. Dad had put a quarter in before he left.

The aftermath. Most of the dishes are washed thank you sweet Husband. I have a few tasks like the good flatware. I do not put it through the dishwasher.

Sunday Smiles

Today we went to our new church. It is the second time we went. It was the 50th year anniversary there. We had a lovely time. A very long celebration of testimony and praise and history expressed by the elders and a missionary. He told a joke a rather inappropriate one demeaned a native American in it that was shame. I over looked it yet it bugs me to hear..."I shouldn't say this but..." Good clue for us not too. :)
There was a brunch and the kids were starving for it. Kids, they know foods there and it consumes the mind. It was so wonderful to sit by my Beloved and feel his touch upon me. When his eyes are taking me in and I happen to look up to notice I am so consumed in his pleasure over me. I am humbled in it and yet exalted as a queen upon a throne.
I am resting this day and fell fast asleep between 5-7 pm to be awaken by Beauty screaming over a rift with brother. Beloved became angry knowing I would be awaken and that I so needed to rest. He covers me and protects me and fights in his spirit for me.
Yesterday he took that marathon right beside me. He kept every thing in order and entertained right along side me. Pulling the young men into pleasure of masculine computer games, keeping an extra eye on the kids. Dishes and tasks were in his hand all day willingly. They young men were so different there was a wive embittered at the arrogance and lack of respect her husband showed her. The young men are not being taught.
Dash is his fathers son. Yet a little to quick to anger. I hope he is a good husband one day to his wife. I want it to go well for the future of our Daughter as well I hope that she will be a joy and delight to a honorable man who will pursue her heart for all of the days of life they have together.

Bloggers With Integrity

Denise and Jaye have gifted me with "bloggerw with Integrity" award.
What a pretty Award and so thoughtful
Read about the award over at Mama Pajama: If you go over there go to her left side bar and click on awards, and it takes you where this originated from.After looking, reading and watching many many Blogs and bloggers I decided to issue some recognition to those fellow bloggers I feel maintain integrity in their Blogs. All these bloggers incorporate within their wonderful sites, an integrity not always seen. They share terrific stories, topics, discussions and images. All Well worth a look.

Denise Wrote
I'm now passing the award on to five other bloggers, in the five specified categories:
For Creativity:Donetta , she is the true definition of creativity, she always keeps busy doing projects for her children, she is a very creative person.

Jaye Wrote:
I have to go with Donetta ..donetta she is so creative with everything she does.. AND HAVE YOU SEEN HER THANKSGIVING STUFF,,,,

Thank you My Dear Friends

13 Random things about me tag

"Little Hearts from God" Tagged me to 13 Random things about me.

1. I own enough fabric to open a small store.
2. I stopped biting may nails after a lifetime (I had bitten from childhood) of self disdain expressed through the destruction of my hands. I no longer take my anger out on my self,nor no I disdain myself. I like who I am now and who I have been.
3. I would rather eat my mashed potato with made with soy milk with gravy than any desert.
4. Sitting here today with my left over gravy on our plates is worth the long hour of everyone asking me why its taking me so long to make my reduction of gravy.
5. I love to be embraced by my husband. When I am cooking for him he holds me from behind and I just melt into his heart.
6. I have more ear rings than a whole dorm of college girls. I have made most of them but the collection of them grew over our many years marriage.
7. Every time I stopped biting my nails I gave myself a costume ring to remind myself that I love having pretty hands. I have several (it took me a long time to stop taking my feeling out on my hands)
8. When I was awaiting adoption of my daughter, I had been very involved in a prayer ministry in a large church. I was the youngest woman and almost all of the other ladies were senors. They helped me achieve three very large boxes of humanitarian aide to take to the orphanage. Then when I returned they took up contributions and hired a sitter so that I could continue to come to our prayer meeting. When I moved there were maybe 20 of us. I visited them a few years ago and there were maybe 75 for the young women could come due to child care being available. I loved seeing that.
9. I have lived so much that I find it hard to remember many of the events of my life. I have a significant memory loss problem that gives me grief. It will take great courage to enter into a womens ministry again. I can keep hold on the blog because I see your names and can find a reference and see the history on your blogs of our interactions. It saves face :) Out there in the world at large it is just too humbling and embarrassing and painful when someone is hurt when they take it personally. I am so real that it is painful to me to pretend like I know who they are and if I forget commitments it breaks my heart and offends. That is why I have spent a couple years away from womens ministry. I think however it is time to stop hiding out.
10. I have been praying for a vision of seeing myself and a Grandmother. I do not want to be incoherent and burden my family in that way. I have a battle with fear of dementia. I am praying for a sound mind and a long life. I am making efforts (except the gravy and taters) to sustain my health.:) and improve it!
11. I thrive on collecting fabric and notions, Beads and findings too. I am like a little kid in an old general store staring at the jars of candy. How every one looks so amazing you want to just run you fingers in and just absorb the colors and texture. Did I say I love COLOR! Oh texture and value, depth of tones and contrasts. Making complimentary and triads too. Oh Oh so much fun. I love my color wheel too.
12. I am a stickler to have the best tools that I can afford, never spend good money on lousy tools it is better to save up for it and buy it once. I was married 16 years before I had a microwave because I wanted to save for the one I wanted. Same with my kitchen aid appliances. I Happily use my 40 year old oven until it had to be replaced then I got the one I really wanted. We put new gaskets in the old house oven and everything before we had used it gone. I really hate owing any man except to love him.Our home is our only debt. It is killing me to not be able to pay off extra on the principle. This has been the first time in our 25+ years that we are not able to do so.
13. My husband is developing a web page for me in the evenings after he finishes story time. It is slow going. He is doing such a nice job. I now have a domain name. I will do the work of creating and crafting, packaging and mailing as long as he does the work on the computer. I am hoping to find favor in the market. I don't want my personal blog to ever come off as if my hands are in my readers pockets. This is my personal space of trust and relationships.

All things are Possible...to those who...

10 P. M., Day is done! My last guest left about an hour ago...Dash is out like a light, Beauty is just of t of the shower, story time is over.
A cup of peppermint tea in one hand Ice on my knee and my back I rest.

The Birthday/ Thanksgiving Celibration went off well.

This is the pre-meal buffet. I place the serving dishes out with labels of what goes in them the mashed russets and stuffing baked while the Turkey rested and was sliced. We did not get any photos of the turkey (it was a 24 pound bird) I baked it in a cooking bag in just under 4hours. I also baked a few potatoes for a guest who was allergic to soy milk. I put it in the mashed potatoes. The yams were baked in the microwave then finished in the oven once the turkey was out. I also place all serving spoons out per dish. By using a box and an inverted pan under the runners elevation added interest. The flowers are from the .15 cent stems I picked up last week. By slipping in leaves and flowers around your runners you can add depth to the display.

Beauty and I made butter slivers/curls with a cheese cutter. By setting out all you'll need, delegation of tasks is made easy, and your not digging in drawers with a full kitchen.

I did not have the Sterno burners I needed so I boiled water in the micro wave to keep the pans warm once they came out of the oven

I cooked the gravy for almost an hour and made a gallon of it. With the veggies on the stove. I use care to make corn (traditional ) and a green veggie for those who do not like corn. I am a purest so I keep it simple no heavy sauces in the beans. Being allergic to cow mile my son and I were able to eat anything we wanted except two deserts that were brought. In the oven were the baked potatoes the two mettle flats of stuffing and mashed potato and in a paper bag with a wet paper towel the rolls.

Last night at midnight I thought I should try to move the table over to the other and make on very long one. I am disappointed that I did not. It was strange us three elders sat on the other table. I got my numbers off and so it was strange. That is what I get for setting the tables at midnight. However I know there were many unseen guest :)

I had the parents serve the children first. When we all were seated DASH, then another young boy and then a third offered the grace and prayer. Hearing three boys under 7 years of age bless our meal was astounding "Daddy Man" was speechless! her said' I think that covers it, thank you boys...Lets eat!" that was so COOL!
After the kid ate we excused them to go play.

We all had our meals and seconds and gradually moved the sitting circle into the kitchen/sewing studio.


One couple left for a photography appointment and then much later returned, another was able to come very late in the afternoon tho join in (they had been out of town and made great efforts to attend)

A nephew had a birthday, He and his son blew out the candles.

I am and Elder now. This generation does not have the same ideas of Elders and it shows. My Sister does not like to think of herself as an Elder. My husband honors me, showing me such great respect and we are one as a team. Washing the dishes as we went throughout the day his hands and heart were never idle. He set the young men up on computers to play interactive games, the men were in paradise. The children played all day 11-8:30!

I pulled them in around 7:30 and called them to circle had a story time. I wonderful book I had read earlier to Dash. His library book the spider and the fly. It was a cautionary tail of not listening to evil counsel. It was marvelous! I had them do the HEAR NO EVIL-SPEAK NO EVIL- AN SEE NO EVIL, covering the ears,mouth and eyes. OH it was so fun!
Then I had Daddy Man put on a DVD and we pulled the couch over for them to calm down and have some smarties (a candy). Then they had carrots (they were watching BUGS BUNNY)

Uncle, niece and grand nephew too cute!
10:45 Good night.
Thank you for your prayers
Donetta