Why we didn't let Carly out of her room all day and how to eat for a week on 14 lbs of smoked turkey.....

Well, the $7.50 we spent on that after Thanksgiving bird was money well spent. We ate smoked turkey for a week!

Day one:  Steaming smoked turkey with baked potatoes and green beans

Day two: We made  Grandma Lowe rolls which took a few hours but was so worth it when we  used them to make turkey sandwiches for diner.

Day Three: We made "Cream soup".  Easy and delicious.

   3 chicken breasts: boiled and chopped.  (I usually use my stock of cooked, shredded chicken/turkey in the freezer.) Save broth from boiling chicken and add 4 cans broth.  (I just  mix up chicken bouillon/water to fill my pot.  I never measure it.)

1 box white/wild rice pilaf mix. Cook according to package directions. (I use rice a roni)

1 16 oz package frozen mixed veggies (preferable the one w/o the lima beans. uggh)

3 ribs thin sliced celery

1 onion, chopped fine.

garlic, optional. (not in original recipe but I like it in mine. I use a teaspoon or two of the bottled minced garlic

1 small container cream

1.  Sautee celery/onion in small amount butter or pam.

2. Add broth, meat, rice & garlic and simmer 20 minutes.  

3.  Add cream just before serving

Day 4: Chicken enchiladas salsa verde style

I just sauté 1-2 green peppers and 2 onions.  I add one small can diced green chilies and a lot of chopped, cooked turkey/chicken. (2-3 cups I'm guessing here) Stir together on md. to meld the flavors a bit and fry the meat a little.

I then roll the meat mixture w/a little cheese in corn tortillas that have been softened by spraying them with pam and heating in my toaster oven on low or on a skillet just til they are pliable.  I dont' like the dipping them in hot oil method.  Too much oil and too much popping oil on my tender skin!

I mix one large can of green enchilada sauce with one 12 oz can evap milk and pour over.  It usally is enough sauce to make one 13x9 pan and one smaller pan that must be around an 8/11 or something.  I do put a little sauce on the bottom of the pan before placing my rolled enchiladas in them.  Then pour the rest over the top.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20-30 min.  If you like them saucier shorter time, if you like them crunchier go longer.

Day's 5-7: Leftover soup and enchiladas for lunches/afterschool snacks and nobody's cooking nights.  Carly/Rachel/Jacob had turkey sandwiches in their lunches mon-Thurs.  You remember Samantha does not like sandwiches.  "They just taste old"

And in answer to your question Amanda.....

We didn't REALLY keep Carly in her room all day.  It was just a joke for my family.  When Carly was a little girl, probably about 6 yrs old, we were in Wyoming for my Grandpa's funeral.  My whole family (my parents, my sisters, nephew, etc) was divided amongst a few hotel rooms.  Mark wasn't able to come with me because of work.  One night Jacob who was about a year old then wouldn't give it up and go to sleep.  I was sharing my room with my sister and my big girls.  I didn't think it right to keep them all awake so I took Jacob out to my van and sat with him in there with the motor idling so I could run the heater and listen to Harry Potter on tape in the stereo.   In the morning, as early as I thought people would be up, I hauled Jacob back up to the room.  Passing through the lobby, I observed their "continental breakfast" offering.  When I got back to the rooms I mentioned to the family who were awake that there was not much of a continental breakfast, that it looked like old doughnuts and coffee was the extent of it".  Carly placed her hands on her hips and stared me down.  

"MOM!"

"What Carly?"

"I don't think you should be talking like that!!!"

I was in no mood to be chastised and said very impatiently "Talking like what Carly!!!!???"

"Well when you talk like that it makes me think you're gonna smoke a coffee!!!!!"

I could not see the humor at that moment and said "Carly you don't smoke a coffee, you drink it.  You SMOKE a cigarette!"  

in a slightly smaller voice "oh"

She's never lived it down, however, as my family is quite fond of using it in conversations whenever it seems to apply.  She is a bit chagrined when we bring it up which happens to be quite OFTEN.  She was even more chagrined when she discovered that Auntie Emily who is married to my brother has introduced the phrase to her side of the family and they use it quite regularly as well.  

ahhh... out of the mouths of babes!