Using Time Wisely

Organized to save money, energy, and time

You are here: Home / Archives for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving: Gobble Gobble Turkey Cups

by

Photograph Credit: Sips Etc.

Tricia and Kirstin over at Sips Etc. share detailed instructions for making these adorable turkey cups. Besides being quick and easy, this craft can be done with your children while using time wisely.

When my children help create an inviting space for our guests, they enjoy showing and using these items that “they made.” I enjoy watching their enthusiasm while spending time with them.

If you are looking for a project to keep little ones out of the kitchen, then consider making a craft with them while the turkey is baking in the oven. Then they can use their craft at the dinner table.

As you prepare for Thanksgiving Day, remember to enjoy your family and friends.

Thanksgiving: Turkey Brine Recipe

by

Photograph Credit: Fickr (Paul Townsend)

Though our family chooses to make a turkey each Thanksgiving, I know some families prefer to serve a ham or chicken. The recipe I am sharing today works great for a turkey, and I would definitely try it for a chicken as well. For the ham, I would bag it like I plan to do with our turkey next week.

For those seeking a different baking option for the bird this year, try brining. I received the below recipe from a friend, who could easily run his own restaurant. When I need help tweaking a recipe, I contact him for a solution. His recipes are always a huge hit.

With his permission to share, here is my all-time favorite recipe for that tender, moist, and delicious turkey:

Turkey Brine

 Tuesday

If preparing the turkey on Thanksgiving Day, then begin defrosting the turkey on Tuesday or 2 days prior to meal time. Though there are a number of ways to defrost the turkey, I prefer to soak it.

1. Place turkey in a large pot, tub, or tote.

2. Add enough cold water to cover it.

3. Replace the water, if needed.

4. Check the turkey to see if it is soft.

5. Put in refrigerator if the turkey is fully defrosted.

Wednesday

1. Place the defrosted turkey in the large pot, tub, or tote.

2. Fill the container by gallons with enough warm to lukewarm water to cover the turkey. Paul uses a milk jug to add the water by gallons.

3. Add these ingredients:

½ cup pickling or kosher salt per gallon

½ cup brown sugar per gallon

5 bay leaves

2-3 Tablespoons of peppercorns

6 crushed cloves of garlic (With about 20 cloves per garlic, just break apart the whole and use 6 of them)

5-7 oranges, squeezed and tossed into the mixture

Other spices that can be added are basil, poultry seasoning, and thyme

4. Allow the brine to seep the flavored water into the bird for 12-24 hours prior to baking.

Thursday

Preparing the bird

1. Remove the turkey from the sticky, slippery brine mixture.

2. Drain the mixture from the bird.

3. Be sure the giblets and other guts have been removed.

4. Place bird on roasting pan.

5. Insert meat thermometer.

6. Preheat oven to desired temperature (I follow the recommendations attached to the turkey packaging.)

7. Measure out foil to “tent” your bird to prevent burning the outside, but do not “tent” it at the beginning of the baking time. I find getting the tent ready while the pan is cool saves so much time working around a hot turkey and hot pan.

Baking the bird

1. Put the turkey in the oven.

2. Check it between ½ and ¾ of the baking time.

3. Tent the bird when the outside is golden brown.

4. Carefully, remove the turkey when the meat thermometer indicates bird is thoroughly cooked.

5. Allow bird to cool before carving.

Though this option takes a little time each day for three days, the results are definitely worth it. In using time wisely and working around your other responsibilities, this option will give you a fantastic turkey to share with your friends and family. Just remember to start early in your preparations. Happy planning!

Question: When will you begin your Thanksgiving preparations? Please add your answer to the comments.

Thanksgiving: Turkey Options – Part 2 of 2

by

Photograph Credit: Flickr (Lilandra)

Are you curious to know how I plan to get that tender, moist turkey while using time wisely? Besides the three options offered yesterday (which are very good options), today I will share my fourth option for baking my turkey.

Bag Option

In using time wisely, my current first choice for baking our Thanksgiving turkey is to bag it. One of my favorite baking tools is the Reynold’s baking bags. After baking a couple of chickens (individually) and a ham resulting in tasty, tender meat, I highly recommend these bags.

The Reynold’s baking bags come in different sizes for different types of meat at different weights. I usually purchase my bags at Walmart for around $3 per box containing 2-6 bags. Not only are the bags easy to use, but also clean up is so easy. (This is a big advantage for me with little ones who need mom’s attention.) Here is how I plan to use the Reynold’s bag for our turkey:

Preparing the Bag

1. Choose the bag that will fit an 8-10 lb. turkey.

2. Place 1 Tbsp. of flour inside the bag.

3. Shake the flour to coat the inside of the bag. (According the instructions in the packaging, the flour will help prevent the bag from bursting.)

Preparing the Turkey

1. Rinse the turkey.

2. Remove the guts. (This part gives me the heebeegeebees. I don’t know what it is about putting my hand inside to get the guts, but I just hate this part of the preparation.)

Adding the Turkey to the Bag

1. Place the turkey in the bag.

2. Baste the turkey with melted margarine and sprinkle with oregano.

3. Insert onion wedges (from one onion) and half a cup of baby carrots.

Preparing the Bag for the Oven

1. Twist the bag opening and place a tie from the bag box onto the bag to close it securely.

2. Tuck the tied portion under the turkey.

3. Make five or six slits in the top of the bag for air to escape.

4. Bake your turkey for the allotted time. (I follow the recommendations on the Reynold’s baking bags’ box.)

With all the benefits of a tender, moist, and delicious turkey, I think I have convinced myself to bag it this year. During this busy season of my life, I am more concerned with saving time when getting projects done. My children are young, and I do not want to miss watching them grow, develop, and play.

If you want a fantastic tasting turkey and are willing to spend some time prepping your bird, then brining is for you. My favorite turkeys have been the ones brined prior to baking as the meat is tender and juicy while the outside is so flavorful. In tomorrow’s food post, I will share our brining recipe with you. Until tomorrow . . . happy preparing!

Question: What options do you use to make your turkey? I am interested in your grilling and crock pot options. Please add your answer to the comments.

Thanksgiving: Turkey Options – Part 1 of 2

by

Photograph Credit: Flickr (Powen Shiah)

Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? I love this time of year with a break in the schedule to give thanks for our many blessings.

Though the commercial industry would rather gloss over Thanksgiving as a kickoff to the Christmas season, our family takes time to give thanks and enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday.

For the next three days, I will be focusing on the Thanksgiving turkey. Today, I will share, in event planning, three of four options I have used, with success, for making our Thanksgiving turkeys.

Tomorrow the miscellaneous post will be the fourth option, and the one I am leaning towards using this year. On Thursday’s food post, I will take a break from our food cycle series to share a special recipe with you.

With hosting Thanksgiving at our house this year, Paul and I will be baking a turkey next Thursday. Having baked many turkeys in the past, I am considering the following options before making my choice this year. Here are three of four options I have used in the past and may end up using for next Thursday’s feast:

Deep Fry Option

One year, my husband deep fried a turkey for the Thanksgiving lunch at his office. Though the turkey was good with the meat moist, I found it less tender compared to an oven-baked turkey; however, the crunchy outside was delicious. Since we do not have a deep fryer that would hold a turkey and I will not purchase one just for next Thursday, I am not choosing this option.

Baste Option

When making my first few turkeys, I used this basting method. The results of basting are a very moist, tender, and tasty turkey. The downside is that the turkey must be basted every half hour while baking in the oven. It is very good, but takes consistent attention throughout the 2-3 hours for the end result. If the drippings are not absorbed into the turkey, the outside of the turkey will get dry.

This method was fun to do when our family was small (just Paul and I). We enjoyed making the feast together and inviting our friends and family to our table. Now that my family has grown, I prefer using time wisely to count my blessings and hang out with my family. Therefore, I will not be using this method this year for our turkey.

Brine Option

This option is by far my favorite because my husband, Paul, oversees the brining option. 🙂 He begins on Tuesday night by mixing up the brine mixture (sliced oranges, brown sugar, kosher salt, water, and spices) in a large tote. Then he soaks the frozen turkey in the brine until Thursday morning.

He babysits the mixture according to his recipe which involves adding more of the same ingredients and stirring it. We then prepare the turkey (remove the turkey guts and place in the roasting pan) and bake in the oven. The brine seals in the moisture which results in a very tender turkey. At this time, this option is my second choice.

If you want to know what my top choice currently is for next Thursday’s meal, then come back tomorrow for my answer.(Hint: It is not my crock pot.) As you prepare for your Thanksgiving celebration, I wish you patience as you organize your meal plan, schedule, and time with your family. The better organized you are, the better you will enjoy your day. Continue using time wisely, and happy planning!

Question: What are you baking for Thanksgiving this year? Please add your answer to the comments.