Thanksgiving
A time to stuff yourself so full you can’t hardly think. This will be the first year in my 8 years of marriage that I have been responsible for the turkey. In previous years, when we still lived near my parents or Josh’s parents we would go to their house for Thanksgiving and I would bring a dessert, because that is what I am good at. I am not a terrific chef. At. All. But I try and I enjoy it, I just haven’t had the opportunity to practice enough. Last year, when Josh’s mom was not living here in Texas we were invited to my dear friend Amy’s house. She made the turkey and I made all the side dishes. I was extremely proud of myself, because as I mentioned before, I am not a cook. Well this year Josh’s mom is living here, but I have become responsible for the turkey. And most (all but 2) side dishes. I am a bit scared, mostly about the turkey. I purchased a turkey on Sunday, a butterball at my mother-in-laws request and after frantically calling several people to find out where to put the darn thing placed it gently in my refrigerator. Now, I felt the darn thing yesterday and it is still frozen solid. I am glad I have chicken breast frozen in my freezer, just in case. Last night I call my mother to ask her how to cook a turkey. She is my mom, and I call her for cooking tips from time to time. She promptly replies, “I don’t know, I have only cooked a turkey once, and really Daddy Grand did it because they were here visiting.” Great. Now what. She suggests calling her dear friend, wife of the man who married Josh and I eight years ago, Sandy. So I fully intend to call Sandy tonight, last night was way to hectic with Girl Scout stuff, and no time was available. But just for fun I am also making the green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, strawberry cream pie and pumpkin cheese cake. All from scratch. Yeah. For. Me.
I am still worried about that silly frozen bird.
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7 comments:
You need a meat thermometer. One that stays in the bird and pops up when it is done. Then you also need a brush and squirter thingy. You could brine the turkey like I did last year, but I am not convinced that all the extra work is worth it. Just keep it moist by brushing it in it's own juices and cover it with foil if it is plenty brown and the thermometer hasn't popped up yet.
The turkey will maybe even have a thermometer already in it. Mine did!
Be sure to take out the innards. There are some in both ends. On one end you have some wire holding the legs together and inside there a turkey neck. Take both off.
On the other end you have a pouch of organs. Go ahead and take those out and toss 'em.
Then you can just put some sticks of celery and a couple carrots and maybe half an onion in the larger cavity. Don't eat them when they're cooked. They're just for flavor.
Some years I have had success with an oven bag. It's a big plastic bag you put the turkey in and you don't have to baste. This year it came out a little dry.
If the inside is still a little frozen you can put it under some hot water and rinse it. If it's still hard on Wednesday night you might consider (gasp!) putting it out on the counter.
Be sure the turkey is double-bagged in the fridge. I got raw turkey goo on my shelf this year.
Good to know. I thing I have a brush and a squirter thingy. In fact, I think this is why I was calling you last night, becasue you have in fact cooked a turkey--and it was Mm Mm Good!
By the way, I think I may have to try to make your pumpkin cheese cake this year. If I win a prize, I promise to give you the day off.
Let me know, I will copy the recipe for you and HAND DELIEVER IT TO YOU !!! But not until tomarrow.
I will claim to be making this cheesecake, if only to get a hand delivery. So, yes. I will be making the cheesecake and will need to have you hand deliver the recipe. I really think e-mail is too informal when it comes to baking dairy products.
So your mom is not a chef either! My idea of fine dining is to order the pizza for "dine in" rather than "to go"!
Anyway, in my vast years of experience, I've found that if you have a wonderful dessert at the end, everything else is forgotten!
Mom
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