A great family Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving my sister and I hosted 13 people ranging in ages from 7 – 80 at our little two bedroom/1 bath cabin in Mississippi.   The table where we gathered for our meal dates back to the 1800’s and came from our family farm.  When growing up, our mama cooked, and we shared many a meal with family and friends around this old table.   Mama would have been pleased to see a new generation gathered around her table sharing great food and building new memories.

Old fashioned family fun

After filling up on Thanksgiving fare, we spent the evening in rousing family games of Gestures and Catch Phrase, then pulled pillows and blankets from Mama’s old cedar chest and bedded the crew down on wall to wall cots and pallets.  Being at the cabin is like stepping back in time, and I don’t think anyone missed their football games.  Family cabin rule #1, no television, and the cell phone service isn’t so great either.  I just love the chatter and laughter of cousin bonding without the roar of television in the background or I Phones glued to their hands.

Who gets the turkey carcass?

When it came time to divvy up the leftovers, I was the only one with my hat in the ring for the turkey carcass and the ham bone.  So, I brought them both home.   Yeah for me!  I didn’t have time to make my broth when I first got home, so everything went in the freezer until I could deal with them.

Edamame in place of beans!  Really?

When I was ready, the turkey carcass was first on my agenda, and I remembered Mama’s old Turkey Carcass Soup.  The name was not my favorite, but the soup was always delicious.  Since I didn’t have the recipe, I had to go by memory.  I could remember the main ingredients with one being white beans.  I wanted a low carb soup, and so I needed a substitute for the beans.  In my research, I stumbled upon the suggestion of using frozen shelled Edamame.  Hmmm.  Really?  I’m also a sausage fan and thought that would be a good ingredient to add.  I used Country Pleasin Original Smoked Sausage.  You could use a turkey sausage if you wanted to go really low fat, but the way I do my sausage, there’s not much fat that goes in the soup so I use what I like best.

Turkey, Sausage, and Edamame Soup

The new recipe was written and named Turkey, Sausage, and Edamame Soup.  Oh my goodness, this soup was amazing!  Even my husband, Jeff, loved it, so I thought I’d share it with you.  If you already used your Thanksgiving carcass or heaven forbid, threw it away, never fear, there’s always Christmas.  And, by the way, a couple of meaty chicken carcasses will do just as well for this recipe.  Before you go any further though, please read my recipe on how to make a great Homemade Chicken Stock.

Turkey carcass today–ham bone tomorrow

Tomorrow, I’ll work on the ham bone.  What to do?  What to do?  Stay tuned, and I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Yours truly,

Karen

For more information about No Time 2 Cook’s owner/founder, Karen Kurr,  click here.

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