You realize it is less than two weeks away, right? Where has this year gone???

Thankfully, we will be guests this year. Daughter Krystal, and her husband D, that have the *huge* garden and the 24 turkeys running around their yard, have graciously insisted on hosting! How am I to argue with that idea? I think it is brilliant!!

But that doesn’t let us off the hook. We’ll be bringing some sides, but the first thing that must happen is to make stock. You can not make dressing, or gravy, for that matter with out homemade stock, can you??? Okay, I suppose you can, but this year that is the one thing I am on top of.

Perusing the grocery store yesterday, I just realized that they have turkey wings, backs, and all the different parts, cut up and at bargain prices, this week. Even the organic parts. I mean, how many people really want a turkey back? I realize many will be buying the breasts and even the drumsticks. Well, they have to get rid of the other parts somehow. Care for a turkey neck???  Okay, that doesn’t sound very appetizing.

But…. they make great stock. And at bargain prices, this week!!

Along with some onions, celery, carrots, parsnips, a head of garlic, whatever you have. Anything but potatoes and tomatoes.  Add in some bay leaves, parsley, dill, peppercorns, thyme…  Whatever sounds good and lots of it.  Add water to barely cover.  Now just a small splash of cider vinegar. This will help to leach the calcium, out of the bones, to make this an even healthier broth than usual. And we can all use that. Right?!

This is also a fine way to use up odd bits of chicken in the freezer or rotisserie carcasses. We always save those, in the freezer, for making stock. Simmer it all for several hours, half the day, or more, until you can no longer stand it.  At this point the meat will not really be fit to eat.  The flavor will be gone. It’s purpose has been served.  Stock.  Mighty fine stock. I do not add salt. I will wait until I use it to salt the final dish.

I then scoop out all the solids, as best I can, and strain it all through a fine strainer, letting it drain and then pressing the veggies with the back of a wooden spoon, to get all the golden juices out.

I then let this goodness cool, then pour into containers and refrigerate overnight. After it’s chilled the fat rises and will lift off the top.

I then scoop it up into Ziplocs to freeze. I say scoop because the gelatin from the bones gelatinizes the broth and it is definitely a scooping process!

I ended up with 10 12oz bags.

One step closer to being ready for Thanksgiving!

How about you? Are you getting ready??? Do you make your own stock?

On the sewing front, I read through all the suggestions you had for creating smoother free motion quilting. For one thing, I went out this morning and picked up fresh needles. Though that was a fresh needle, it was a 14. All I had in the house…… Now I have a variety!

Did you know that Joann’s fabric store has an app, with coupons, right there on your phone? I didn’t! I also didn’t have any of their coupons. I had one for 40% off from Hobby Lobby that I knew they would honor, but that was it. While waiting in the line, that was way too long, one of the friendly ladies, also waiting, asked if I knew about this app. And of course, I didn’t and quickly downloaded it, coming up with an additional 60% off and 40% off one item, coupons!! Great deal, since needles were not on sale this week and that is all I went in for! Cha-ching!! I should never complain about long lines again!

But yesterday, as I was reading all the suggestions and couldn’t get out, I threw together a quilt top that I had been thinking about for quite a while. Everyone else seems to have made a star quilt, except me! Well, I am now the proud owner of a baby sized, Starry, Starry Night finished quilt top! I hacked and whacked and even did a little math. Mostly I just made blocks and then added strips as needed to make them line up square! All from inventory, mostly from scraps, including the navy! It’s about 38″ square. Even have batting and backing for it, how about that?!!

So…. Now that I have *two* projects to quilt, I am off to try all the different suggestions for FMQ and hope to figure out something that works. Wish me luck!!

Linking up with Amanda Jean over at crazymomquilts for Finish it up Fridays!