Let's Talk Turkey!

Turkey Facts
At one time, both the turkey and the bald eagle were national symbols of America.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one-sixth of the 300 million turkeys sold each year are sold for Thanksgiving.
A turkey under 16 weeks old is called a fryer ; a roaster is usually five to seven months old.
Turkeys have great hearing, but no external ears.
Age is the most important factor in the taste of a turkey. Old males are preferable to young ones. The opposite is true for female birds.
Turkeys are the only breed of poultry native to the western hemisphere.

In our home, nothing says Thanksgiving more than a good old bird! It simply would not be the holiday without it. Over the years I have tried many versions of cooking this monster fowl, some with great success, some dismal failures at best. We won't even discuss the time(s) the creature came alive and found its way to the floor...hmm...

My sure fire methods for a juicy, brown, succulent bird are rather simple. First, without a doubt brining the bird makes for a downright tender, juicy, succulent bird. Even the left over meat retains the moist flavor. I have also tried many ways to do this. I'll spare you the wrong ways. Use your trusty ice chest. Scrub that baby clean inside and out. Add in your brine ingredients, the bird, some ice, and shut the lid. Every few hours, open it up, flip the bird over until you are ready to cook. I also learned the hard way, keep the cooler in the garage or on the porch. Trust me, you don't want the brine all over your floor, TRUST ME! I use the following recipe from Alton Brown on the Food Network as a starting place. The first year I followed it, and from then on I just tweak it a bit to suit our tastes. Seriously good eats!

The second required equipment is the Reynolds Oven Bags-Turkey Size. Rinse your bird, shove him in the bag, stuff him with some aromatic veggies or fruit, sprinkle the skin with salt, pepper, and a bit of garlic powder. Then seal it up, put it in the oven per the bag directions and you get a juicy bird, NO BASTING! I'm all for easy of prep here folks. When he is done, slit the bag, cover with foil to rest and then carve away.

Good Eats Roast Turkey
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown



Ingredients
1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
1 gallon heavily iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil
Directions
Click here to see how it's done.
2 to 3 days before roasting:
Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.
Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:
Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.



A couple other tips for you.


1. Make sure the bird you select will actually fit in the pan, which will both then fit into your oven. Nothing more frustrating than discovering this tidbit as you are hefting the bird into your too small oven.

2. If you use a bag, make sure you save room for the expansion as it does raise up a few inches above the bird.

3. Those disposable tin pans are great for easy clean up. Not so great for securely moving the bird. If you go this way, buy two pans for some added stability to the bottom. Don't say I didn't warn you on this one!

4. If you loosen the skin on the bird all over, then add some compound butter between the meat and the skin it will give a great flavor boost as well. I make the compound butter in several forms. To several sticks of softened butter add lemon peel, crushed garlic, sage, thyme, poultry seasoning, ginger, orange peel, whatever strikes your fancy. One caution, if you brine the bird, hold off on adding any salt here as the bird will already have sufficient salt from the brine.

5. Check both the body and neck cavity areas for the "extra" parts prior to cooking. You just may want to take them out or you get a surprise while carving those little paper packets holding the "parts". No, I didn't ,but my good old sister did this one. I throw the parts in some water with herbs and simmer them for my gravy. Yes, we eat those morsels, and fight over the heart. Too much information? Sorry....


So, what turkey tips do you have to share? Do you have turkey for Thanksgiving? Too much work? Come on, share your secrets too!

Falling and can't get up

One draw back of living in the desert is the simple fact that our climate seems to only acknowledge two seasons. Full on winter or blistering summer. Those seasonal displays of fall color are often bypassed completely due to lingering hard frosts that cause the foliage to go from lush green one day to crispy green fallen leaves. We have gotten a small show this year as my apple trees are a glorious vibrant yellow, the bridal wreath spirea is a fire engine red, and the cotton woods across the street have managed a variegated display. My childhood was spent in the Midwest where the splendid fall colors were enjoyed on leisure weekend drives. Now I must find my "fall fix" via the web. Almost makes me yearn for an area of the country just to enjoy the displays. Almost forgot for a moment the deal breaker of such areas, humidity. Not high on my list of lovely climate experiences.

Be still my heart. Can you seriously just imagine sitting in these FANTASTIC chairs, snuggled deep in the blankets, perhaps a crackling fire to warm your toes? My Japanese maple was destroyed this last winter so no more shows for me.

Another glorious example of how your sedate backyard retreat can transform itself into a new lifeforms with the addition of a few cold nights. I would enjoy this space every waking moment.

Oh my. sighhhhhhhhh. Are you detecting a maple trend here? I obviously have a thing for them, but really who wouldn't if you got to enjoy this show?

This view would be the perfect one to see from my front porch. Full color riot as far as the eye can see. Until you hit that darn mountain range which as obviously already hit full on winter mode. Nope, too close for comfort there.

Now, someday, this will be my real life view. This was taken past color prime, but SOMEDAY it will include large shade trees chosen just for the lush canopy of summer and the brilliant display of fall glory. I'd rather have some ornamental grasses blowing in the wind rather than the tumbleweeds though. Add in some mums, coneflowers, sedum......home sweet home.

Did I mention fall is the PERFECT time to head to the garden center for bargains galore for perennial plants, shrubs, and trees? Not only do you get bargain prices, if you get planting now, those sad looking specimens will have a chance to adapt to their new homes, develop some roots, and readily settle in for a long winter nap. Come spring, they will creep into life forms to sustain your garden for years to come. FYI, some mulch around your new plantings to protect for the first winter is a grand idea. Kind of like people moving to a new neighborhood, you gotta show them a little love while they get acclimated to the surroundings.


So go, enjoy the display if you are so lucky. Meanwhile, I feel a nursery visit coming on....

Eternal flames

Ever just wish you could curl up by a crackling fire? Surround yourself with comfy blankets, perhaps a dog or cat, sip hot cocoa or a steaming cup of tea, mesmerized by the dancing flames before you, completely oblivious to the outside world crumbling in chaos? That's where my head is at these days. I would much rather cocoon myself in warmth than face the daily grind. Cool fall breezes may have triggered the yearning, or maybe is just the simple lunatics I face daily that have triggered my need to hibernate. In a cave.

See, even a modern cave would suit me just fine right about now, and we all know modern is not in my reality.

A roaring fire, surrounded in stacked stones, just as old builders would have done.

A rustic fire to accompany an evening meal, nestle your face in a bowl of slow cooked goodness with some nice crusty bread.

Retreat to another room to further admire the multitude of color and forms that appear in an endless array of the warming glow.

Or a simple treat for two, rustic and casual, to enjoy the autumn splendor in its full glory. Smores, perfectly browned over dying embers before retiring to a cozy bed for deep slumber.


Sigh, no such luxury in my immediate future. If only the eternal flames could light my path, perhaps life might be a bit more enjoyable in my little corner of the world.

Love at first sight

Twenty three years ago today, I was hit full force with the reality that love at first sight does exist. No one can ever change that feeling. Happy Birthday to the most incredible man a mother could ever have the honor of calling her son!

Pumpkin parade

Better Homes and Gardens is one of the magazines I enjoy. I also sign up for their e-newsletter for the 100 days of holiday ideas. Part of the reason I am so fond of this magazine is the variety. Each issue is scattered with home decor, frugal tips, home tours, craft projects, and recipes. There is usually at least one idea included that I can find a practical use for in my own home. So many crafters are showing off their pumpkin/fall/Halloween ideas this season.

Now that my children are grown, I miss out on the fun of carving pumpkins. Seriously, the yucky goo spread over my entire kitchen floor is something I sorely miss. Not enough just to do it myself this year however. I still like to add some festive decor, for myself, visitors, and those ghoulish tricker-treater friends though.

I found some simple, mostly frugal, and quite striking ideas at BHG and though they may spark someone elses creative bones as well.

Lets start with some simple paint ideas for those squeamish folks who don't fancy pumpkin guts sliding thru their fingers shall we?

This is adorable! Simple painted legs and shoes with a small bow glued on for good measure. I think even better if you lay them down so it appears the house fell on the witch, maybe right in front of the garage door even.



This one should appeal to those with the black and white decor happening out there. Even easier if you start with a white pumpkin, use a stencil of your choice.

This one adds another bit of sparkly goodness. How many of you have faux gems, or even maybe some of those pins laying around in a dark drawer somewhere?

Dimensional craft paint, or even a glitter/glue pen. Make a web design, add some gems or pins, a bit more detail and a glittery masterpiece is born. Easy, cheap, fun for kids as well.

This one has a bit of carving to it, but could just as easily be done with only paint. Would be super fun at a backyard bonfire set up with some real lanterns mixed with them.




This is my favorite. Grab a pack of those paper doilies and have at it! Use them as a stencil.

Simple, elegant and endless possibilities for sure. Tape it on, paint in your choice of designs and colors. I think these would be brilliant on a Thanksgiving table. Use a white pumpkin, you name it.

Now, while you have those doilies out, check out this brilliant masterpiece.

Yes, shapes here are cute from real lace doilies, but a cheaper version would be use designs from those paper ones! Glue it on, pin it on, double stick tape.

Since you have out the glue and pins now, lets move right along to another simple chic version. This version as strings of sequins, but whatever trips your trigger would work too. Ribbon, pearl strands, twine, yard, wire, see, again the possibilities are endless. See the rings on the stem?

See, sometimes you just have to think outside the pumpkin shell don't you? Well, while you are digging through your stash of goodies to try this, dig a bit farther to include this one as well. A few more "found", recycled, borrowed, broken bobs and you have yourself a magical ride!

Now, my Prince is the ultimate pack rat. I guarantee somewhere in the depths of my garage and assorted tool boxes, bins, buckets etc we have a million things rusty and delicious just like these. If you aren't so lucky, just think a bit more and you'll come up with something close. A jam jar lid laying around? Packets of those "some assembly required" extra pieces in plastic bags? A few extra coat hangers? Kid's outgrown bike alongside the house? Some paperclips? Cinderella would be proud of this baby for sure! Even better, see those tiny white pumpkins so innocently sitting there looking so cute? Not sure what's up with the eyebrows, but a carriage must have a coachman standing guard.

So, while you were digging around, I bet you found several packs of thumbtacks lurking in those drawers you didn't even know you had. No, well then I pity you. Cause if you spray them a quick coat of one color, or leave them shiny you get this baby.

Simple stencil design, unique choice to add some house numbers, a name, again the options are mind boggling if you think about it. Even raid your scrapbook stash for those brilliant brads you are hoarding. No, well I have jars of them. This would even work on those fab "faux" pumpkins and you can have it for years to come.

Now, in case there are sceptics lurking here, or those saying good grief why in the world would anyone paint, carve, or otherwise waste the day away on a darn pumpkin. Then I say to you

Scared ya didn't I? Well, maybe not, but even the craft challenged can swing this I am sure. Got a pen? Write B-O-O on three slips of paper, prop them up, tape it to the wall, whatever floats your boat. Really lazy, try H-I! But seriously, how ridiculously easy is this? These are really flashcards, propped on floral frogs inside glass jars.

So, go ahead, parade your pumpkins. No more excuses of how boring or difficult you think it is. Besides, you just might make someone smile while you are at it. We all need a bit of that now and then don't we?

Last day to enter!

This is the final day to enter this monster giveaway! Don't miss out! Tell Cheri I said hello while you are there!

Nice rack

Not that kind of rack, seriously what kind of blog do you think this is? Never mind, don't answer that........


My latest obsession has turned to plate racks. Not those wacky little re purposed clothes hangers that perch precariously on the wall, waiting for your dollar store, I mean heirloom china to come crashing down with the first swift kick of door slamming. No, more alternate forms of plate storage, something different than your average monster stack of discs piled high in the dark cabinets. I mean, hey, if you got a nice rack you ought to show it off right? Besides, the way I see it, two less steps of dreaded dish detail. No more opening and closing the cupboard door, genius!

Now, I spent far too many hours randomly clicking through every possible search term I could imagine for inspiration. Let me just say, disappointing results would be an understatement. Most led to custom cabinets, or the kind where the plates are flat exposing the full face of the plate. Now, if that's your style, good for you. I however have possibly the smallest kitchen in America. Seriously. I don't have 700 feet of wall space just waiting to be filled with single file plates. Besides, who wants to look at my boring white Corelle plates with black rings? Yeah, thought so. So instead, I need compact storage.

I have two choices to accomplish this. One would be to construct, rather bribe the resident Prince, to construct some said device that could fit into the narrow crevice directly over my sink, which is currently the only open wall space not already occupied. This area currently has a small cabinet up high over the space, connected to the other cabinets flanking the sink. Best option, maybe? Next would be a overhaul of my existing cupboard that I currently use for dishes. Now the bottom shelf is all the plates, mid shelf is bowls etc. Top shelf is my "good dishes" (don't tell they were 20 bucks for an 8 piece place setting at the drug store). So, to pull this off, I'm thinking we can retrofit the existing cabinet for the bottom section to enable vertical plate placement. I have to keep the center section for bowls.

Let me explain. Prince and I made a deal when we were married. I cook, he does the dishes. Period. Now, two small problems with this arrangement. Prince is rather "vertically challenged". On a good day he can reach on tip toe a quick toss of items to the top shelf of our cupboards. Now, the bad news. After his heart stopping return to the rodeo circuit several years ago, he has some mobility issues that hinder his ability to hold up his end of our arrangement. Namely, putting the dishes away. Three problems. First is he had to have a cervical fusion of multiple levels of his cervical spine, which now means looking up is seriously not possible without leaning his body back. Second is the loss of ability to raise his right arm (yes he is right handed) higher than chest level. Third is the loss of strength to his right arm, meaning a full cup of coffee is pushing the limit of what he can raise to chest height. Now he can arm wrestle the Hulk at waist level, but pull his arm up and scrawny me will beat him with one finger.

So, a good wife makes certain concessions for the man she loves. I got rid of my ENTIRE collection of Pfalzgraf pottery dishes (sniff, snob, wail) and bought black and white Corelle dishes. They are light weight, and less prone to breakage. Great. Next, if it goes higher than the second shelf, good old me finds a stack of dishes on my counter awaiting delivery to the higher reaches of our cupboards. Now, our cupboards are standard height, and I do have a lot of stacking in all of them. No way the guy can do it. Well, he could if I choose to learn mosaic as they would be in a million pieces after crashing to the floor. So, can I redo the entire interior of the plate cabinet for this whim? Uh, no. Standard second shelf height is the farthest north this fantasy storage can go. And before someone asks, no I can/will not put my dishes in the lower cabinets near the floor. I'd never see them again, plus, I'm too lazy to bend over and so is he.


Sorry for the lousy photo, but this is the only sample I could see showing one directly over the sink. I like the slots are straight, so the dishes go in directly, not at an angle as they do with many.

I also like the style of this, but envision as another cabinet wedged between the two currently flanking my sink on the wall. I would want it to have something on the bottom to hold the paper towels and cloth towel holders that currently inhabit this space.

This one really jumped at me, but no way as I have no counter now, let alone hog up space with something flush with the counter. Maybe turned upside down and hung up would be exactly what I'm seeing in my mind though.

Not a plate rack, but LOVE this little built in nooks for the spices under the cabinet near the stove. I mean hey, if he has to get out the tools, what's one more little honey-do-project right? Plus, I think this would be super for mugs etc under the cabinet that holds our drink ware.

Now this one is not even near where I want mine, but similar idea as I already have a high cabinet, and if we construct just the plate rack portion under it, maybe with two levels-one for dinner plates, one for salad plates.

Now, if I was a good wife, I'd tell him this is exactly what I wanted. See, no little dowels to place, less cutting, measuring, blah, blah blah.

It does kind of grow on me though. Hmmm, do I trust him, I mean myself, not to knock them all down with one fail swoop of an arm? No safety stop with the dowels? Geez, if my kitchen was this organized with coordinating baskets etc, someone would know they came to the wrong house. Makes me jealous though. Really jealous.

I like the simplicity and open nature of this one. I like the two levels for plate sizes. One thing disturbs me though. See all that mismatched stuff all over the walls and counters? How is it that designers can pull this off, yet my kitchen simply looks like the mismatched disorganized chaos that it is? Oh well, too bad.


So, thanks for sharing my fantasy plate rack adventure. May happen, may not, only time will tell. What about you? Anyone have a nice rack you care to show off? hehehe