What to do with your leftover turkey

Do you still have turkey leftover in your refrigerator from Thanksgiving dinner? If so, it's time to get creative and think of new ways to present that bird to your family. Anyway that's what my mother would do. There were seven kids in our family so no food was thrown away.

Mom would always boil down those bones until it was easy to pull the last little bits of turkey meat off the carcass. That includes the long turkey neck, back and wings. And then, what to do with all that brown and white tender turkey? Make turkey enchiladas!

My sister Bonnie gave me the favorite family recipe. Combine in a large bowl: 3 cups shredded turkey meat, one-half of a large can green enchilada sauce, one-half can of cream of mushroom soup, 3 cups shredded jack/cheddar cheese, one large onion (chopped small), little bit of cilantro and mix well.

Warm eight small flour tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then fill each with mixture, roll up, place in a lasagna pan. Mix remainder of cream of mushroom soup and green enchilada sauce in a small bowl, pour on top of enchiladas. Top with some more cheese and a sprinkle of cilantro. Bake in 350 degree oven for 38 minutes. Serve with a tablespoon of sour cream on top. ("If Aunt Kathy is coming to dinner, omit all Cilantro. If Gary is coming to dinner, add sliced olives to the top.")

Next, what do we do with all the turkey broth? You can "gourmet it." You know, add a bay leaf, parsley, a little thyme, marjoram, celery leaves and a chopped-up onion. You have to simmer it for three or four hours. Cool after straining and then lift off the fat. Leave just a little fat for flavor. Add the turkey meat, some potatoes and carrots, then get the broth boiling and drop dumplings on top according to the directions on the Bisquick box. Umm, good.

Christmas lights: Christmas is a whole month away but residents have started decorating their homes already. I think the first house we've seen to light up here in Fish Springs happened on Nov. 17. It was a very dark Friday night but we could see the Christmas lights from half-mile away. That was the week before Thanksgiving. Heck, we haven't taken down all our fall and Thanksgiving decorations yet, or even raked up all the leaves. Is autumn still here?

Population soaring? There's been lots of news about the rising population in the fastest growing state, Nevada, and particularly here in Douglas County. We all know it's a wonderful place to live and that's why we stay here. Now the whole country is talking about what a great area to live in. A relative in San Diego sent us a story from the San Diego Union-Tribune (and written by Randal C. Archibold of the New York Times) about housing developments buying out the ranches in Carson Valley.

It said, "The population has soared 70 percent in the last 15 years ... many ranchers - formerly land-rich but cash-poor - have sold outright or subdivided large parcels."

The 10 year revision of the master plan for Douglas County has been studied for the past year and the problems with growth management continue to escalate. If you're concerned about these statistics, talk to your county commissioners.

n Linda Monohan can be reached at 782-5802.