Happy New Year!!!
All the best to all my loyal readers for 2015.
I know it has been a crazy long time since I posted, but in my defense (such as it is), I was hogtied to the stove, the retail shopping cart and Christmas hoopla for the last 3 weeks of December.
It is now January and I have been on an organizational/cleaning spree the past couple weeks as we are getting the house ready for the market. Don’t worry, this is not the Northern Homestead going up for sale (banish the thought!), but the Southern one. There is simply too much property/things to look after here and with the *kids* now grown and gone, what the heck to do we need a large home for? If I stay here any longer, I may just fill it up with more looms…..much to hubby’s dismay.
Anyway, that is what I have been doing and hence why no recent posts. Until today. Yay!
So yesterday I was looking for an empty tupperware container in my *tupperware cupboard* (everyone has one of those) and I realized either a) someone was stealing my containers or b) there were way too many in use at the moment and I needed to do something about it. So, I went through the fridge/freezer pulling out all kinds of containers that were filled with various things in varying amounts. Next I pulled out the crockpot.
Crockpots are great, you dump ingredients in, set it to low or high depending on what it is, pop the lid on and walk away. 4-6 hours later, dinner is done! They are also great for experimenting with….like my meal today.
Leftovers Turkey Tortilla Soup
4 cups of homemade turkey stock (made from Christmas turkey carcass), this freed up 2 containers!
3 cups cooked brown and wild rice (again, 2 containers returned to the cupboard)
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (one container emptied)
1 1/2 cups cooked and shredded turkey breast
1 cup frozen corn kernels (that were just starting to show evidence of being in the freezer too long)
2 cups home-canned crushed tomatoes with chiles
3 Tbsp tomato paste
3/4 of an orange bell pepper, diced
1/4 of a large white onion, diced
2 very small poblano peppers (frozen whole from the summer), de-seeded and diced
1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce, diced
2 Tbsp dried cilantro (had no fresh on hand)
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chipotle chile powder
salt and pepper to taste
Stir to combine and let sit for 4-6 hours for the flavours to get happy. Garnish with tortilla strips and avocado slices.
This is one of those completely customizable recipes, toss in whatever you have in the fridge or freezer and mix up your spices to suit your chosen protein.
A very hearty, low-fat meal with the bonus of my tupperware cupboard being restocked.
Enjoy!
Deborah
Happy New Year, Chica! Nice to “see” you again! Love the freezer diving to free up containers and make good use of leftovers! Best of luck selling the southern homestead!
Muchas gracias Dana! Hope sunny Naples is treating you well 🙂 Good to *see* you too!
Yay. Good luck selling your city home.
That leftovers-freezer-cleanout-crockpot -soup sounds great. We just defrosted our freezer so there isn’t much in there except packaged food, plus home-made dog food, (we’re doggie sitting again), but I’ll use that idea to make supper after a few more leftovers accumulate. Thanks Deb!
PS: I have a small model of a different style spinning wheel for you. It works but is only for show, I think, unless you can use your thumb to work the treadle.
Hi Lydia! Thanks for the good luck wishes 🙂 ok.. I am intrigued on the model spinning wheel.. Can’t wait to see it!