Thanksgiving, etc.

[low_delta]

I've been waiting for ever to have a home that I could entertain in. I finally do, and Cyn and I hosted Thanksgiving Dinner with her kids and the moms. It was a nice afternoon and evening.

The dinner went well. We did the turkey, mashed potatoes, salad, and vegetables, which was less than half of what was had, since Cyn's daughter, her mother and my mother brought everything else. It was all good. The turkey didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. It was good enough, though. Our timing wasn't great either, but it will be next year. I forgot how long it took to carve a turkey. And I underestimated how difficult it would be. I did mom's last year, and didn't have much trouble. I guess the key is buying a bird much bigger than you need, so you only have to carve the breast.

Cyn had a great time with her family and all the activity. I was feeling a bit unsociable. No idea why. I'm usually a bit cranky on weekend mornings, but I wasn't cranky so much as... unsociable. Didn't have much to say.

And I was disappointed Heather took the bourbon Cool Whip home with her. It was good on the pumpkin pie. ;-)

Comments

[emschin.livejournal.com]

I thought the turkey was moist and very good. I prefer dark meat so I was glad you carved it all.

[roadskoller.livejournal.com]

I never thought of booze in whipped cream. What a great idea!

[sweetinsanity.livejournal.com]

I didn't take it home with me! There was actually none left over afterwards. However, I left the cool whip there, all you'd need is bourbon to mix in there with it. :)

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I wonder how Jameson's would work.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

My mom uses it as frosting on her Creme de Menthe cake.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

It was very juicy. Some of it seemed a bit tough, though. And it didn't brown.

[shoo.livejournal.com]

OH! My mom just learned a new trick from Alton Brown...Use one of those low aluminum cooking pans instead of a higher roasting pan (this allows it to cook all around and evenly like a convection oven)..baste a lot and damn if that bird didnt turn out like a picture perfect thing of perfection.

Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.
Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.