More Thrifty Cooking

I just heard on the news that we can look forward to rising grocery costs during the year. Demand is down so the farmers have announced they plan to produce less—voila!

There is definitely a way to create a hedge against food price inflation that I just can’t say enough about—a large freezer. Depending on how you use it, it can save you time and/or money and stress. Of course, it does require a certain investment apart from the initial price (which, by the way, is not too great.) In order to get the most of your purchase, you must do some planning and do some work. However, if the price of food is of concern to you, it really is the answer.

In the last two weeks I have created thirty-two meals (single servings) from one 10-pound turkey priced at Wal-Mart two weeks ago for $.89/pound. This particular brand included a gravy packet. That comes out to just over $.30 per serving. Here’s a breakdown of how I did it.

Original meal: roast stuffed turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, pureed sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry-orange relish. From the leftovers, I prepared 6 full meals in divided Styrofoam trays with approximately 4 ounces of turkey meat in each. Basically, it is just as easy to divide up the leftovers into the trays as it is to put everything away in refrigerator dishes for leftovers that must be used in the next few days and therefore less appealing than when the dinner shows up again at least a week later. Cover the trays with a sheet of parchment and then cover over with aluminum foil, sealing tightly. Label and date. (Do not omit this last step or you’ll be sorry).

I put the roaster with the rest of the turkey out on our back porch (colder than refrigerator right now) until I had more time and energy. After a turkey sandwich lunch the next day, I took off all the meat that came off easily and set aside (meat # 1 for later reference); then I put the carcass into a large soup kettle with some onion, celery and garlic and set it to simmer.

When the turkey meat has fallen off the bones (about 2 hours), I let it cool overnight (you can refrigerate it for 3 hours), and picked all the meat off the bones and set it aside (meat #2). Put the remaining bones into a colander set over a large bowl and pour 4 cups of boiling water over them. After straining the liquid left in the kettle, add this liquid back to the kettle. This should equal about 12 cups. If not, add water to make 12 cups.

Pour out 4 cups of soup (without meat) and set aside. Add meat #2 back to kettle and simmer for 1 hour—do not boil hard. Cool and divide (according to your family size) into rigid freezer-proof containers (such as Tupperware) to make 8 generous main course servings.

With meat #1 and remaining stock make the following recipes:

Turkey Russe in Toast Cups

2 cups cooked turkey, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup diced celery
1/3 cup chopped onions
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
3 Tbsp. flour
1 ½ cups turkey stock
1 small (4-oz) can mushrooms, undrained
2 lightly beaten egg yolks
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. dry white wine
½ cup sour cream

Spray large skillet with Pam. Add olive oil and sauté gently the celery, onions and green pepper. When lightly browned, sprinkle the flour over the top. Stir in and cook for 3 minutes. Stir together the eggs, mushrooms with their liquid and the stock. Add to pan, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened. Add wine and cook over low heat until sauce thickens slightly. Stir in sour cream and cook until just heated. Makes 6 servings

Fill toast cups with turkey mixture and serve.

Toast cups: Trim crusts from 6 slices day-old bread and press carefully into jumbo muffin pan cups. Spray bread with Pam. Bake in 250 degree oven for 30 minutes or until crispy. Remove from pans.

To freeze: Put Turkey Russe into Tupperware-type containers, as per family size. Freeze toast cups separately in freezer zippered plastic bag. Force out air before “zipping.” Let defrost and come to room temperature when ready to use. You can warm slightly in oven, if you wish.

Turkey Loaf

1 ½ Tbsp grated onion
1 Tbsp. butter
2 cups diced cooked turkey
¾ tsp. Salt
1 cup cracker crumbs
¾ cup Turkey stock
½ cup milk
2 beaten eggs
½ cup finely chopped celery

Mix all ingredients well and put in greased loaf pan. Set in a pan of hot water and bake for 1 hour at 350. Serve with leftover gravy. Makes 6 servings.

For the remaining two servings, I made a Creole dish called “Dirty Rice,” using the giblets and liver. Although it has a terrible name, if you like giblets, you would enjoy it.

Online recipe:

Dirty Rice
Serves 3-4

½ pound giblets, coarsely chopped
1 medium-sized onion, coarsely chopped
½ large green pepper, stemmed, seeded, deribbed and coarsely chopped
¼ cup coarsely chopped celery
1 Tbsp olive oil
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
½ cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 cup water
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Put the giblets, onions, green pepper and celery through fine blade of a food grinder (or chop very finely, or use food processor.) Heat oil in heavy casserole. Add ground turkey mixture, stir in salt and pepper and reduce to low. Cook, uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook rice. Fluff and add to casserole. Taste for seasoning and stir in the parsley.