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Something Light: What to do with dem bones

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Written by Mickey McLean

November 27, 10:51 AM

After you’ve torn through your turkey and all is left is Tom’s carcass, what do you do with the bones? You could drop them off at Janet Haddad’s house. The Bangor, Pa., high school teacher, who’s known around town as “The Bone Lady,” routinely dismantles and cleans up turkey and other animal skeletons and then transforms them into toys, jewelry, and decorations. The Wall Street Journal reports:

With a little paint, vertebrae become place-card holders. Dyed neck bones adorned with tiny plastic eyes are transformed into quirky dragonlike creatures.

“Most people have the turkey to eat, and that’s it,” says Mrs. Haddad, a 51-year-old with spiky blonde hair. “When I sit down to Thanksgiving dinner, I see so much more.”

Go here to see some of her bony creations.

Topic: Just for Fun, WorldMagBlog

Keywords: bones, Thanksgiving, Turkey

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back to top10 Comments to “Something Light: What to do with dem bones”

BY mumsee 11.27.08 AT 11:02 AM

Boil them up for some nice broth for us and the dogs, then escort the remnants out to the chickens and there is nothing left for jewelry or place holders or anything but compost and garden fertilizer. No imagination here I guess.
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BY michelle 11.27.08 AT 11:38 AM

I guess you have to have an artistic eye . . . I always boil down the carcass, throw in chopped onions, celery and carrots with noodles and serve it up. No one in my family ever really likes it, but I try every year.
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BY kBells 11.27.08 AT 11:48 AM

My husband makes a really good Turkey gumbo with the leftovers.
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BY KI 11.27.08 AT 7:33 PM

I also use the bones to make broth. I also add celery, onions, carrots while I boil them. I discard these vegies, which are cut in big pieces. I either make it up, if we have a crowd or I freeze it in meal-size portions. I then have something to throw on quickly. I can add potatoes, celery and carrots etc. or rice or noodles. A little thyme is wonderful in there too. It is just too good to waste in my opinion, even if it isn’t our most favorite thing to eat.
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BY Frank in Spokane 11.28.08 AT 3:55 AM

“What to do with Dem bones?”

Why, bury ‘em right along with the Republican ones.

[Ba-da-BOOMP ... ]
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BY hopesprings 11.28.08 AT 9:00 AM

I find Janet Haddad’s creations a little creepy. You have to give her an “A” for originality, though.
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BY Scroop Moth 11.28.08 AT 12:59 PM

Simmer down, folks. Broth mustn’t be boiled at all, and the veggies simmered only for 30 minutes (45 tops) before you draw off the liquid (and toss the solids).

Simmer with mushroom stems, tomato skins, meat scraps, peppercorns, and cloves, but save the thyme until the last minute. I wouldn’t use potatoes unless I was making vichyssoise.

Turkey broth isn’t nearly as satisfactory as chicken broth, but it makes O.K. minestrone soup (with its involvng medley of chickpeas, red beans, pasta, celery, and tomatoes) and is a good substrate for hard hunks of parmesan, simmered until rubbery. Otherwise, the only way I like turkey broth is Mexicano, with limes.
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BY Chas 11.28.08 AT 3:32 PM

Janet does it with bones. A lady spoke to our old folks group last week. She is an artist and does it with leaves. I can’t imagine how she can pass through woods and find “a beautiful leaf”. But she makes good art of it.
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BY Chas 11.28.08 AT 3:36 PM

Like the rest of you, our bones become soup as long as some chicken is on it.
In Annandale, several years ago, by wife was talking to a lady and mentioned using a ham bone to make soup. The lady said, “I’ve never heard of that!”
Elvera said, “Well, what do you do with the bone?”
She said, “I just throw it out.”
Elvera said, “I’ve never heard of that!”
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BY TRS 11.28.08 AT 4:16 PM

We have always thrown out the bones. I can’t imagine doing anything with them. Yuck!

But, for those of you penny pinchers out there, or more creative than I, more power to you.
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