I don't know about you, but I have a knee jerk reaction and maybe even a look that says, "seriously?" when the messages of how much time we have till Christmas appear online or in a store window. If I could shout from the roof top a message of, please remember the reason for the season, I would! There is even an on-line clock to take you to the time in seconds that you have before Christmas, you can find it at http://www.xmasclock.com/ Now, don't get me wrong, I am all about the holidays, the food, the shopping, family and oh yes, the food! I have standards I make, my pinterest board is full of ideas and I am ready to begin the preparation. The important elements for me are to prepare ahead so that I can enjoy the festivities with my family. One of my favorite holiday classics, is the Snoopy Thanksgiving. They didn't have turkey, they had toast and popcorn and everyone was having a great time!
Preparation is the key to success with the holidays. Did you know that typically food prices drop in November before Thanksgiving and they will increase between Thanksgiving and Christmas? This is a good time to begin to make your menu plans and make a list of non-perishable foods that you can watch for sales and purchase them ahead of time. You may even want to add an extra turkey that you could have at a later time. Turkeys are at their cheapest price before Thanksgiving. Turkey can be cooked and then frozen for other meals in the future. There is nothing better than left over turkey and the dishes that you can come up with are endless! Don't be afraid if you are the hostess to ask your guests to bring side dishes, this will help your stress level as well as your pocket book when preparing for the holidays.
A note about food safety and your turkey. Be sure to follow the rules of thawing out your bird. You want to thaw it in your refrigerator. You may have to put it in your sink, but do be sure that you keep the temperature below 40 degrees, anything between 40 degrees and 140 can be a breeder of bacteria and you certainly don't want your guests to be sick after a nice family dinner. Here is a great resource for making a safe turkey http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/poultry-preparation/lets-talk-turkey/ct_index . Also, be sure to have a thermometer to test the doneness of your turkey, the pop up timer is not reliable. Turkey is pretty simple to prepare as long as you follow these simple guidelines.
I leave you with a favorite leftover recipe for turkey.
Turkey Shepard Pie
2 cups leftover turkey meat
1 medium chopped onion
2 cups leftover vegetables
2 cups chicken broth or leftover turkey gravy
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups leftover mashed potatoes or make 1 1/2 cups instant potatoes
Saute onion in 1/2 tbs. canola oil or olive oil until tender, if you do not have left over gravy, at this point, make a roux. To do this, add 1/4 cup flour to the oil and onion, brown the flour, add salt and pepper. Pour in 1 cup milk, stir until thickened, add the chicken broth( depending on the thickness of the sauce, you can add more water or milk if necessary). Add the rest of the vegetables and cook until the vegetables are heated through. Spray a 9X13 pan, pour mixture in bottom. Cover top evenly with the potatoes. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes or until top is brown.
The best part about Thanksgiving leftovers is that you can get creative. I also enjoy making turkey soup when the leftovers are almost to the end. Remember the 4 day rule, after 4 days, throw your leftovers out. A better plan is to be creative and avoid left overs, you can freeze the leftovers and pull them out in a few weeks. You can also send left overs home with guests, this is always nice to do as well.
I wish you and yours a very Happy Holiday season! Remember, create memories with food but also be mindful to incorporate healthy eating into your season as well. Brisk walks and being active are also helpful to avoid un-necssesary weight gain.
With all of the holidays and hectic schedules, remember the true meaning of the seasons! Happy Holidays to you and to your family!
