Sunday, December 25, 2011

Post-Christmas-dinner recovery in progress


*Urp*

Miss D. and I had fun preparing Christmas dinner together. We enjoyed a decent-size turkey, roasted in an oven bag (which kept the meat wonderfully moist - it literally fell off the bones as we tried to carve the bird), accompanied by red cabbage cooked in German sweet-and-sour style, garlic mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. That was followed by three different sorts of fridge cake from friends, a tray of home-made shortbread-and-fruit-preserve cookies, and a large tin of chocolate-covered European-style cookies. I daresay we won't need to eat much for the next twenty-four hours or so!

Oleg and two other friends came over to help us eat everything. Multiple helpings later, we adjourned to the living-room for conversation and shared laughter, although more than one participant appeared on the verge of falling asleep in their chairs due to gustatory overload. They took their leave a short while ago, and Miss D. and I are presently winding down. I've put all the leftovers into the fridge and/or freezer. The washing up can wait until the morning! (I've already put the turkey carcass and all the bones into the slow cooker, plus the juices left over from its roasting, the leftover gravy, an onion, a couple of carrots, some celery, and plenty of water. It can all cook together until lunchtime tomorrow, after which I'll strain it into containers. I should end up with about twelve cups of delicious, rich, thick turkey stock for use in future soups and stews.)

(Edited to add: 14 cups!!! Smells delicious, too!)

I hope your Christmas was blessed and happy, too. Normal blogging will resume tomorrow.

Peter

6 comments:

Skip said...

To you and yours, from me and mine.

Anonymous said...

Our turkey carcass etc. went into the soup kettle yesterday after rough-carving the easy meat off it. Cooked while we watched 'It's a Wonderful Life,' cooled a bit, then into the fridge. Later today I will strain the stock and pick lots of the uncarved meat off and toss back into the stock. Then empty all the partial bags of leftover veggies from the freezer, old root veggies from the drawer, etc., season and cook what sometimes is the world's best turkey soup (and it's never the same, due to the inconsistent ingredient list and lack of recipe.)

Christina RN LMT said...

Merry Christmas, Peter and Wing! I'm glad you had a good (and delicious!) one. :)

Oleg Volk said...

The food was superb and the company was even better. Thank you for the hospitality!

Lissa said...

Merry Christmas, sir, and Rajah asks where his portion is :)

phlegmfatale said...

Sounds like your Christmas was grand. We wish you all the best in the coming year, and we hope we get to see you soon. Love to you both!