Thursday: early evening

I've been home for a while now and, thankfully, am sorting out the last remains of the wonderful, delicious Kellybronze turkey.

After a whole lot of umming and ahing I went for the simpler options and the results are:

Nine portions of Christmas crumble - this was so tasty when I made it last year and these portions are a bit smaller, but there's more of it altogether.
Four portions of turkey 'balti'. I put balti in inverted commas because it isn't really, of course, but it's a simply wonderful recipe and I will use it regularly. It's flexible and adaptable and just scrummy
Five portions of sliced turkey in gravy with stuffing (as previously mentioned)
Six portions of turkey and ham hotpot - it's still simmering on the hob so I won't know exactly until it's separated into portions
Four portions of reduced turkey stock, which will be a great base for soup or a chicken dish.

OK, so . . . working out exactly how many portions this turkey provided . . . (cos I'm 'frugal')
five huge portions on Christmas day (plus seconds)
four huge portions on Boxing day (plus seconds)
at least three good portions for Brother from Scotland
at least four good portions for parents
slices for teas - say six portions altogether
the leftovers as above, so that's another twenty four meals
AND
three or four portions for DD's nursing cat who seemed to have lost her appetite, the kitties were not gaining weight and who hasn't looked backward since being spoilt with wonderful turkey!

OK, still not cheap, but a darn sight better value than it seems at first sight and, considering the quality, damn good value. Kelly's of Danbury will certainly have my custom again next year and I would gladly recommend them to all my readers.

As an afterthought, how can anyone throw away a turkey carcass? I just cannot understand it - what a waste of flavour and money!

OK, end of turkey rant. The rest of today has been calm, gentle and easy going. I cannot believe that there's just four days left until term starts again. I guess that I ought to start thinking about it all tomorrow. Maybe!

The other thing I did today was for DD's moggy-mum. I was intending to get some reduced turkey thingies, but when I got there the shelves were absolutely bare, so I got some value chicken instead. Now, this rather goes against my principles. Goodness knows what sort of life those poor chickens had but sometimes needs must. Anyway, at home it all got boiled up until the meat was falling off the bones, then the stock was reduced down to a jelly and poured over the meat (the bones were then chucked out). Tomorrow, I will mix it all up and portion into little bags for DD's freezer, with some to use immediately for moggy-mum and, maybe, for the others too. This, with her normal and proper food, should keep her appetite going so that she has plenty of milk for her darling little babes.

It's nice to feel a part of it all.