Mock Turtle Stoup

It’s funny how the mind wanders in the past. Especially when something out of the blue triggers the event. Case in point. “I Break for Turtles”. I really need this as a bumper sticker so that when another car drives past me slowly with crossed eyes they will understand that my emergency lights are on for a good reason.

As our summer ended and the coolness arrived to the Carolina’s the turtles were noted to be in abundance. Often one could be seen crossing the road in a “I have the rest of my life to make it to the other side” type attitude.

You and I both know that without a “Do Gooder” me, to stop and assist this reptile across the road it would more than likely wind up as road kill. I know, I know what about the dreaded disease that can be transmitted such as salmonella? I do keep hand sanitizer in the car at all times.

In the past I have always stopped for this extremely slow oddity crossing the road. After many such events I one day came across a tiny little turtle not much bigger than my cell phone. It had at least another 2 hours to cross the road at the rate it’s tiny feet were going. My OCD went into action. I knew I had to "Save the Turtle, Save the World".

I stopped my car and put on the emergency light. As I came closer to this infant reptile his tiny feet tried to pick up speed as in comparison to an ant running a 5k. I bent down to wrap my hand around it’s outer shell when that little sucker bit down on my index finger and would not let go! I yowled and attempted to run across the road trying to shake this little ingrate off my finger. Who would have thought it had teeth?

With one final swing I managed to send this creature soaring through the air and into the woods. My eyes were bulging as I looked at the jagged tear to my index finger and the dripping of blood onto my nurse uniform. Using the hand sanitizer sent an excruciating pain throughout my finger and up my arm. I wrapped my finger in a Kleenex and proceeded to the nearest Urgent Care just knowing I had contracted Rabies. Why would this have crossed my mind? Surely this turtle had to be rabid if it could not of it’s own teeny tiny brain figure out I was only trying to keep it from becoming road-kill.

I ran in screaming for assistance at the clinic saying that I was attacked by a monster turtle. I was told to sign in. I indicated in both sign language and speech that this monster had bit my writing hand. A receptionist quickly took me to a single room and wrote down all the information.

Several minutes later the P.A. came in. I looked a wreck. I had been crying because I knew that I was going to get those Rabie shots in my stomach. My finger was hurting and now swollen. Maybe amputation was needed! P.A. Kelly looked at the wrangled finger, cleaned it with peroxide and put a bandaid on it. He then proceeded to tell me that Rabies could not be contracted through turtles. I was offered a Tetanus Shot.
Lesson Learned: “Don’t break for small turtles”.

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Mock Turtle Stoup
(Serves 8-10)


1 package of chicken gizzards and hearts ( may use turtle meat)
2 cups of shredded cooked chicken
1 qt. chicken stock (Swanson’s or Rachael Ray’s)
1 qt. vegetable stock
1 cup half & half
2 tsp. of: Better than Bouillon Chicken paste
1 cup of lentils, rinsed and drained
1 cup of cooked rice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
3 tsp. unsalted butter
3 tsp. flour
Salt and pepper to taste
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Rinse chicken gizzards/hearts with enough water to cover meat. Bring to boil then reduce to a simmer. Add the Better than Bouillon Chicken paste to the water and continue to simmer for 45 minutes or until tender. Remove meat and add remaining ingredients except for the half & half, butter and flour. Chop the gizzards. Place back into pot. Using another pot melt the unsalted butter and stir in the flour. Cook on medium heat approximately 5-8 minutes to lightly brown the roux’. Add I cup of the broth stirring quickly, then add this mixture to the bigger pot. Cook on medium low heat for 1 hour or until lentils are done. Add the half & half. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with seasoned croutons. Serve with a thick crusty Italian Bread (Semolina Batard) from Panera Breads or your favorite bread bakery.
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Favorite Cookware: Spoon Clip by Trudeau
This is a clip that attaches to the edge of any pot. It holds your wooden spoon or spatula in place for stirring. I found this unique clip at Bed Bath and Beyond for less than $5.00.


Enjoy!

The Frye Girl 2 You