I Conquered the Turkey!
I don't know what it is about 14 lbs of dead turkey that is so intimidating, but cooking one is something that I have wanted to do but have avoided for 6 years like the girl who wants to watch the horror flick but covers her eyes through the entire movie. When I was first married I got a turkey from the grocery store for free. I was so excited. I was going to be SUPER Housewife: able to cook a delicious turkey, keep a clean home, and sew curtains too! The turkey sat in my freezer for 6 months before I finally gave it away to a family down the street. I had no idea how to cook it, I could ruin it, what in the world would I do with all that meat, and stick my hand up into the cavity of the bird to pull out the neck and gizzards...pass.
This Thanksgiving, I bought a turkey because they were super cheap and I decided I was finally going to conquer this thing. It sat in my freezer for almost 2 months before I worked up the needed courage to make it. I didn't do anything too crazy to it. Put a couple strips of bacon on it like my mom always does, stuck it in the oven, and pulled it out every half hour or so to baste it. I accompanied my first ever turkey dinner with my first ever gravy, no-box sausage stuffing, and home-made cranberry sauce. I kept everything simple, way too many firsts here!
It all turned out good. Turkey was a bit dry, but still good. With the leftovers, I have made turkey enchiladas (just subbed turkey for chicken in a simple chicken enchilada recipe), have plans for turkey and dumplings, and just finished off a piece of delicious turkey sandwich brilliance.
Toasted multi-grain bread. Cream cheese. Cranberry sauce. Spinach greens. Turkey. Stuffing. Brilliant.
I know this is nothing new, the Thanksgiving left-over sandwich is a classic. But do try adding a little cream cheese and cranberry. It's fabulous. (And by the way, if you have ever been intrigued by picture of the ex-con playing the guitar telling you to "Say no to bread on drugs" on the package of "Dave's Killer Bread" while grocery shopping... I finally gave into my curiosity and bought it. It is really is Killer... and I mean that in the "wow, this is the best sliced sandwich bread I have ever had" kind of way.)
Thinking I should never let 14 lbs of dead anything intimidate me again. Ha!
Hope it's okay if I end this post with a shout: I conquered the turkey!
This Thanksgiving, I bought a turkey because they were super cheap and I decided I was finally going to conquer this thing. It sat in my freezer for almost 2 months before I worked up the needed courage to make it. I didn't do anything too crazy to it. Put a couple strips of bacon on it like my mom always does, stuck it in the oven, and pulled it out every half hour or so to baste it. I accompanied my first ever turkey dinner with my first ever gravy, no-box sausage stuffing, and home-made cranberry sauce. I kept everything simple, way too many firsts here!
It all turned out good. Turkey was a bit dry, but still good. With the leftovers, I have made turkey enchiladas (just subbed turkey for chicken in a simple chicken enchilada recipe), have plans for turkey and dumplings, and just finished off a piece of delicious turkey sandwich brilliance.
Toasted multi-grain bread. Cream cheese. Cranberry sauce. Spinach greens. Turkey. Stuffing. Brilliant.
I know this is nothing new, the Thanksgiving left-over sandwich is a classic. But do try adding a little cream cheese and cranberry. It's fabulous. (And by the way, if you have ever been intrigued by picture of the ex-con playing the guitar telling you to "Say no to bread on drugs" on the package of "Dave's Killer Bread" while grocery shopping... I finally gave into my curiosity and bought it. It is really is Killer... and I mean that in the "wow, this is the best sliced sandwich bread I have ever had" kind of way.)
Thinking I should never let 14 lbs of dead anything intimidate me again. Ha!
Hope it's okay if I end this post with a shout: I conquered the turkey!