This economical yet delicious soup utilizes leftover turkey stuffing to make perfect dumplings.

Turkey and Dumpling Soup

by Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime

Saving money at mealtime is something I enjoy and I doubt that anyone would disagree. Sure, we all like to splurge on the nicer things, but it is always nice to be able to save a few dollars here and there.

And when asked to come up with budget friendly recipe ideas, I already knew with Thanksgiving coming up I would be full of ideas. Pound for pound, turkey is about the biggest value for meat in the market, especially with holiday sales.

I like to make my turkey dollar go a very  long way, often buying an extra bird to cut up  into a breast with other pieces separated out. I can grind the meat off the thighs for use in recipes such as these:

Turkey Meat Loaf

Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers

Bacon Cheddar Turkey Burgers with Cranberry Chipotle Mayo

The breast I can make several ways:

Brined Mesquite Grilled Turkey Breast

Brined Oven Roasted Turkey breast

Things like wings and drumsticks hit the smoker, and afterwards I freeze them and will use them later to season recipes such as these:

Crock Pot Collard Greens

Easy Crockpot Beans with Ham

Aren’t these smoked drummies and wings absolutely scrummy?
And I shouldn’t have to say that I got my whole turkey for what I could have paid for just those two smoked wings at the market. 😉

The bones, of course, I break apart and toss them in a stockpot with mirepoix (carrots, celery and onions) and bay leaves to cook all the goodness out of the bones, reduce the liquid to a manageable amount, and freeze it for later.

And after every Thanksgiving dinner, there is usually leftover stuffing in every single home, And  this one might be the hardest one to use up, unless you want a turkey plate repeat, or putting it in a turkey sandwich, or one of those leftover turkey casseroles. Last year, I had tried someone’s recipe for using it in a dumpling soup. It was a big Pinterest fail. The dumplings simply dissolved in the broth. But since then I thought about where their recipe went wrong and fixed all that. My recipe here does work as it has a good binder. And the dumplings are better and more flavorful than I could ever have hoped for, so much that you will want to do this on purpose (even when you have no Thanksgiving leftovers)

So you might want to stock up on these recipes:

Herb Seasoned Stuffing Mix

Corn Bread Stuffing Mix

Both of those I make often, and will use all sorts of leftover stale bread or corn bread, as these dry to being shelf stable and keep a good long time. It is all part and parcel of being frugal. You know how it is.

But I hope this recipe is one you enjoy. And be sure to check out the other budget friendly recipes from SSM bloggers. The more we save, the more we can spend on other, perhaps more essential things.

Budget Friendly Meals

This week is about budget friendly  meals!

How do you stay economical and frugal in the kitchen?

As part of the Sunday Supper Movement, I and a host of other food bloggers are pleased to present to you some of our favorite recipes for saving money while still putting a quality meal on our tables.
Be sure to check these recipes out below, and be sure to pin your favorites! Sunday Supper bloggers love being pinned!

Save-Your-Pennies Soups:
Bean and Bacon Soup by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Mexican Turkey Bean Soup by What Smells So Good?
Pasta e Fagioli by The Food Hunter’s Guide to Cuisine
Turkey and Dumpling Soup by Palatable Pastime
Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup by Pancake Warriors

Budget-Savvy Bread and Salads:
Mom’s Buttermilk Biscuits by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
Turkey Salad by Food Done Light

Money-Saving Mains:
Black Bean and Bell Pepper Quesadillas by My San Francisco Kitchen
Cajun Blackened Chicken Thighs by Feeding Big
Chicken Enchilada Casserole by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
Chicken Enchiladas by The Freshman Cook
Chicken Piccata by Monica’s Table
Chicken Tetrazzini by Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
Chimichurri Chicken Thighs by Life Tastes Good
Easy Cheesy Egg Breakfast Bake with Potatoes and Sausage by From Gate to Plate [or breakfast]
Easy Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
Egyptian Rice and Lentils by Wholistic Woman
French Onion Soup Twice Baked Potato by Sew You Think You Can Cook
Gnocchi with Fennel and Pork by Caroline’s Cooking
Italian Baked Chicken by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Orzo with Leftover Turkey and Sweet Potatoes by Cooking Chat
Sauteed Vegetables by Party Food and Entertaining
Turkey Sausage and Pasta by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Twice Baked Sweet Potato Bar by Momma’s Meals
Yakisoba (Japanese Stir Fried Noodles) by Curious Cuisinere

Don’t-break-the-bank Desserts:
Apple Pecan Bread Pudding by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Marshmallow Popcorn Balls by Pies and Plots
Slow Cooker Apple Gingerbread Crumble by The Crumby Cupcake

 

You might also like:

Old-Fashioned Bread and Celery Dressing or Stuffing

Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Palatable Pantry’s Pumpkin Pie Spice