Thanksgiving thread? Tips, cooking, stories?

[Queen of Poop]

Ah, and there it is. How to make gravy. I'm a pretty good cook but I've never mastered gravy. It's either soupy or like quick dry cement.

The true secret to a good turkey gravy is a few drops of soya sauce. It adds flavor but gives it an awesome COLOR. And we all know presentation is everything.

Mix water with your flour before adding it to the drippings to make a thin paste, then your gravy won't be lumpy. Heat just until it begins to thicken then turn the heat off.

[pomtzu]

Mix water with your flour before adding it to the drippings to make a thin paste, then your gravy won't be lumpy. Heat just until it begins to thicken then turn the heat off.

I use cornstarch in place of flour - guaranteed lump-free!

[RICHARD]

My GF used to make cranberries/sauce from scratch.
While I am not a fan of the canned variety, but I loved the home cooked kind!

The other thing that I can hardly wait for-I could fix up a batch right nowb, but it's sooo much better on Thanksgiving - is green bean casserole!

MMMMM!

[Catty1]

TIP on mixing the water and flour/cornstarch for lump-free gravy:

My mom always did this. She'd put the water, flour/cs in a small plastic container (size of small margarine container or etc), add salt and pepper, close lid tightly and shake the HHHH out of it! When shaken well, it is very smooth..than add that to your bubbling drippings/w soy/w whatever.

Run the gravy through a metal mesh sieve -voila!

I had another tip, but it left my brain...

Back later to post a scan of a turkey roasting page from my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook - the older plaid cover? My mom has one from the 50's - I am coveting that!

[sirrahbed]

I am another cornstarch-to-thicken fan and always use it now I put a couple heaping sof it into water and mix well - does not tend to lump at all. Then slowly add this to the bubbling gravy and since cornstartch thickens really quickly - you can just drizzle it in until the gravy is PERFECT!

The past few years, we have rented a little cabin on a lake at the state park and had thanksgiving there. Last year I got the whole meal from KrogerThis year we are having everything with a World of Warcraft theme (online game I am addicted to) - beer broasted boar ribs, moist cornbread, etc. Ha! Oh and wild strider roasted of course!! Everything will be pretty traditonal - only renamed!! My favorite part of the meal is the pie and leftover sandwiches. The pie MUST be mincemeat!! I am also trying a lowfat pumpkin/creamcheese pie with FiberOne crust that sounds yummy!

Had to laugh at Kuhio's tip! Last Easter I baked a ham and got it out to realize that the lovely shiny "glaze" was the shrink wrap Like Medusa - I would have rescued the turkey from under the bed!! Makes a funny reminder and I will be sure NOT to use a cookie sheet for much of anything but cookies.

[Grace]

Any turnip eaters here?

I have a recipe for Whipped Turnip Casserole that is a family favorite. Well, as long as the family is me, my daughter-in-law, and one grandson

Seriously, it has eggs and sugar and bread crumbs that sort of tame down the turnip taste. I grew up with turnip at Thanksgiving, and this is easy and yummy. Will be glad to share it.

[Catty1]

Turkey roasting guide attached (I think there might be a chicken section there also).

[sirrahbed]

Any turnip eaters here?

I think rutabaga is a turnip isn't it? I LOVE it as it was always part of our holiday meal. Peeled, boiled, then mashed with butter and lots of black pepper.