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!
No Promises This Time 
Excellent.
Adam & I don’t have much in the way of friends here yet, so we’re making up for it by making eight times as much food as we need. I felt like listing my menu, but am too lazy to blog it myself, so I’m going to tell you about it.
Iced Spiced Vanilla Chai (may spike with rum)
Cucumbers & Carrots with Hummus
Dumb, Cheap Chicken Breasts (probably done in the pressure cooker)
Cornbread Stuffing (an unbelievable amount)
Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Fried Onions
Sweet Potato Casserole with Walnuts
Cranberry Sauce in the Shape of a Can
Deviled Eggs (not sure how I’ll spice them up this year)
Salad (boh-ring)
Chocolate Cream Pie (not Grandma’s, but pretty close)
I’m so very excited about it all. I’ve got a lot of it done already, and kind of want to keep working.. even though it’s going on 1:00 in the morning.. sigh. 🙂 I’ll take pictures. I assume you will too.
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