My Gramma is one of the most amazing women I have ever known. The women in our family are a group of loud, passionate, poop-talking, sometimes out right rude ladies, and I love them all. I once asked my Gramma why she uses the “S” word so much and she said, “oh shit? It’s my favourite word.”
Back when I had my cooking date with Gramma in December she told me to keep all of the trimmings from the veggies we were cooking with. Everything she said. Absolutely everything. Carrot peels, onion skins, garlic stems, potato skins, celery bottoms, tomato tops…you get the point. We filled up a produce bag full of scraps that normally I would throw right into the garbage and threw it in the freezer. She said this way when I want to make, chicken, beef, fish or even turkey stock I’ll already have the flavor base ready to go. No need to go to the grocery store, no need to waste precious veggie flavor and nutrients. She also said any time you cook meat on the bone to save the bones and freeze them too. You can roast them and get some nice browning flavor before throwing them into the pot with the veggies. Oh Gramma, you’re so smart.
A delicious habit Evan and I have gotten into is freezing the left over juices from roasting meats. The run off has so much flavor and we use them to add that slow cooked flavor to soups and stews. We have also frozen left over roasted veggies to add to our stock base. It all paid off when I made a giant turkey and saved all the bones, meat, run off juices and roasting veggies. The bones, roasting veggies and my bag of frozen veggie trimmings went into a pot filled with water and simmered for about 4 hours. The strained stock along with the turkey meat and some fresh veggies became one of the most delicious turkey soups I’ve ever made. Evan said it tasted like Gramma made it which is the ultimate compliment.
What did I do with the new veggie trimmings from the soup? Well I froze them of course. It’s kind of a gift that keeps on giving. One meal can help make another meal. And another, and another and another.
Evan has a sleeve tattoo with some pretty naked angels on it and he told Gramma that one of them was her. She replied with, “no, that’s not me!” Evan then said, “yes it is! Look!” and my witty and lovely Gramma said, “nah, tits aren’t big enough.” Oh Gramma, how we all love you.