Month: November 2015

ALMOST finally here.

This weekend, we’re picking up the turkey (tomorrow).  So until this year, I’ve only done frozen turkeys, and I got a little nervous this morning because apparently the FDA recommends cooking fresh turkeys 1-2 days after you buy them.  But I just asked one of the guys who works here, who hunts and cooks VERY fresh meat on the regular, and he said that it should be fine until Thanksgiving as long as I keep it very cold.  Sooo I’m going to like buy bags of ice to pack around it in the fridge, I think.  I would be the most depressed ever if it went rancid before Thanksgiving.  Would end up just having wine and tears for dinner, I’m sure.  SO not going to let that happen!!

Anyway, also we’ll go grocery shopping this weekend.  Thanks to the CSA we have most of the veggies we’ll need already; plenty of sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts and green beans (frozen from earlier this year).  Will have to purchase shallots and regular potatoes, but at least most of the veggies will be ethical.  I want to go to K&S for shallots (because you can get like a 5lb bag for super cheap) and also to see if they have any fresh herbs, before I buy them at Publix.

Of course, to go along with grocery shopping will be cleaning out the refrigerator and freezer.  I’m going to go through all my condiments and ask myself, “Would I eat this?”  And if the answer is not “Definitely yes,” I’m tossing them.  Same for all the who-knows-what in my freezer.

I have cleaned the library, kitchen, and bathroom this week.  Stephen has volunteered to help straighten my garage some, so I’ll probably do that this weekend too – and the bedroom too.  I will likely wait until Tuesday to clean the living room though.  Since I’m still using it.

Oh yeah —– so Anna Laura, I don’t really have a step-by-step tutorial for turkey-cooking.  But I will say this: to avoid over-cooking, 1) follow the instructions for cooking the turkey exactly, BUT 2) check the temperature of the turkey semi-regularly, and if it says it’s done but the timer says there’s still 45 minutes left, it’s done.  Go by the thermometer.  Which I’m sure you would — so what I’m really saying is, don’t assume the cooking time is accurate all the time.  Check the temp anyway.  Dry turkey is just disappointing.

ANYWAY!

Because Thanksgiving is two weeks out, as of tomorrow, and I need to feel like I’m organized in order to be excited and get stuff done.

I ordered a free range, organic, ethical turkey yesterday and am not sure how much it’ll end up costing, but won’t tell you anyway.  I have the menu planned out, and just made a preliminary grocery list.

Menu will include:

Cheese board, as mentioned earlier (cheeses, charcuteries, olives, nuts, apple butter, honey, grapes, etc)

Wine, apple cider

Pear-Thyme brined turkey, with pear-thyme gravy

Aunt Carol’s sweet potato casserole

Browned butter mashed potatoes

Green bean casserole with fried shallots

Cranberry sauce and cranberry salad a la Faith

Stuffing (I think Stephen made a cornbread stuffing last year but can’t remember for sure)

Also Faith said she can bring some bread or rolls.

Grandma’s magic chocolate pie, of course

And Faith also said she might bring a custard pie

So like I said, if anyone wants to come, there will be PLENTY of food.  The leftovers is like half of my motivation behind doing Thanksgiving at home.  Oh my gosh I can’t wait.  Last year I had a cold on Thanksgiving and it was really sad because I couldn’t really taste much.  But THIS year I am going to be healthy.  I can just tell.

Things to do before the week of the 26th, then, include

• Cleaning up the garage so I can easily get to the roasting turkey
• Bring roaster down from attic, clean it
• Wash all linens, iron, etc
• Figure out table decorations
• Deep clean entire house
• Make pie dough, freeze
• Clean out refrigerator (need to have enough room to brine the turkey)
• Grocery shopping probably the weekend of the 21st (if we don’t go camping that weekend)

It’s going to be hard to forgo Fallout for these tasks, but I’ll get it done.  Although I might play more Fallout tonight.  It’s basically the same as Skyrim, guys, except that the setting is completely different.  But otherwise!