Come to our General Meeting to look, listen, and learn! November 19th @ 4 PM

Sierra Wildlife Rescue will come and speak to us about our beautiful partners in Integrated Pest Management at our upcoming General Meeting. I'm sure happy when I see them on our place, carrying off those small, but powerfully effective destructors of my garden. The volunteers from Sierra Wildlife Rescue will be bringing birds (at least one!) with them, so you'll have a chance to get up close and personal.  How can we partner with these effective predators? 

MAKE AHEAD REAL TURKEY GRAVY! While on the subject of birds, and in time for Thanksgiving Dinner... I had promised to get Heidi Napier this excellent recipe for Turkey Gravy in time for the Newsletter, but failed.  It is from one of our Master Food Preservers, Jane Stanley, and got rave reviews last year.  Make ahead and freeze, if you wish.  Just reheat for the holiday dinner!

Purchase a package of turkey wings, cut each wing into three pieces.  (They'll fit into the pan better.)  Brown wing pieces on both sides in a bit of oil until a very deep golden brown.  Add 1+ cup water; cover and cook until wing pieces are cooked through.  Add water as needed.  Scrape pieces of browned skin, etc from bottom of pan.  Leave these in the pan.  Remove wing pieces and put aside to cool.

To the pan with the browned bits, add 3-4 cans reduced fat/reduced sodium chicken broth.  Three cans will make a total of 5 1/2 cus gravy when everything else is added.  1/4 cup brandy, more or less to suit your taste, onions (dehydrated work best), garlic... and anything else you want to add.  Simmer until onions are cooked and flavors have blended together.  While this is cooking, remove turkey meat from wing bones and chop meat in a food processor.  Thicken gravy with cornstarch or flour and half and half, or milk.  Add kitchen bouquet for coloring, if you wish.  When it is the thickness and color you like, add chopped turkey meat and stir to blend.