Turkey 101

Thanksgiving!  What a great Holiday to bring out your inner foodie!  I have been roasting the turkey for my family for a very long time.  One year, we were invited to have Thanksgiving at a relatives house, now you may think this was a relief.  It was just the opposite.  What no left overs?  No turkey roaster sandwiches?  It was truly different when we did not have the benefit of left overs.  This year, I am roasting again.  Some of you have this down to a science while others may need a few tips.  Here are some points to consider when roasting a turkey:

1.  How big of a turkey do I need for my Thanksgiving Dinner?  The rule of thumb is to plan on a pound of turkey per guest.  I tend to add more as we look forward to left overs.

2.   How should I thaw my turkey?  The best way is in the refrigerator, and this will take advanced planning.  Here is a chart that will help you with the amount of time it takes to thaw the bird

n the Refrigerator (40 °F or below) Allow approximately 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds
4 to 12 pounds	1 to 3 days
12 to 16 pounds	3 to 4 days
16 to 20 pounds	4 to 5 days
20 to 24 pounds	5 to 6 days

You may also use cold water, you must keep the bird at 40 degrees or colder in order to prevent the growth of bacteria.  For more information, a great resource can be found here:  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

3.  How do I roast the turkey?
  a.  Preheat your oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit.  Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
  b.  It is not recommended to stuff your turkey, this makes it extremely difficult to determine if the bird is cooked thoroughly. Stuffing prepared in a separate pan tends to bake more evenly and you have a more appealing dish.
  c.  You will roast the turkey long enough for the internal temperature to be at minimum, 165 degrees.  In order to determine this, you must utilize a meat thermometer and place it in the thick breast of the bird, being careful not to touch any bones.  The following is a chart that gives approximate roasting times:

Unstuffed
4 to 8 pounds (breast)	1½ to 3¼ hours
8 to 12 pounds	2¾ to 3 hours
12 to 14 pounds	3 to 3¾ hours
14 to 18 pounds	3¾ to 4¼ hours
18 to 20 pounds	4¼ to 4½ hours
20 to 24 pounds	4½ to 5 hours

**Again, the true test is to be certain the turkey is cooked by temping the meat with a meat thermometer

4.  How do I carve the turkey?

For more information on Roasting a Turkey, here are a few resources:

http://food.unl.edu/safety/thanksgiving-food-prep

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/seasonal-food-saf

"Learn how to cook--try new recipes, learn from your mistakes , be fearless and above all, have fun!"
~Julia Child

Slow Cook Baked Potato Soup

As I am writing this, we are preparing for a "Polar Vortex".  Harsh verbage for cold and wind.  Its time to pull out the slow cooker and put soup on for dinner!  Cold weather tends to be the time of year that I rely on my slow cooker.  I look for recipes that are from whole foods and when there is a recipe I really think looks amazing, I make it from whole ingredients.  One that has been going viral includes a package fo hashbrowns and cream of mushroom soup.  Because I do not typically keep these itmes on hand, it was looking like a trip to the store, then it hit me, I had all the items, just in a whole state.  This is what I came up with!

Ranae's Slow Cook Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

4 to 5 medium sized potatoes, scrubbed and diced into 1/4 inch pieces ( you do not have to peel potatoes unless you would like to)

3 carrots

1 medium chopped onion

3 T butter or margarine

3 T all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c. lowfat milk or evaporated skim milk

4 c. chicken broth ( you may use chicken boullion or chicken base)

2 c. water

1 T parsley flakes, dried or fresh (optional)

Directions

1.  Spray inside of slow cook pan lightly with spay oil.

2.  Place cubed potatoes and sliced carrots in slow cooker.

3.  Melt butter or margarine in medium size sauce pan.  Add onions and saute until transclucent in color.

4. Make a white sauce by whisking in flour to the butter and onions. Brown this mixture for 3 to 5 minutes.  Gradually add the milk into this mixture.  Keep stirring until this is thickened.

5.  Pour white sauce over vegetables in slow cooker.  Carefully add the chicken broth and water.

6.  Set slow cooker to low and cook for 6-7 hours until potatoes carrots are fork tender.  You may add more liquid, either milk or water if it is too thick.  Season with pepper and salt to your liking.

 1. Potatoes and carrots placed in lightly greased slow cook pan.

2. After onions are cooked, whisk in flour and cook 3 to 5 minutes to slightly brown the flour.

3.  Add milk and stir cooking over low heat until thickened to your liking.

4.  I use chicken base for the chicken broth.  You can control the sodium by choosing low sodium chicken base.  I add it to the correct amount of water and then add it to the dish.

5.  Ready to cook on low for 6-7 hours. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3U1eqtmjWqc