Turkey Day

For the first time ever I will be cooking a turkey. Usually we have chicken or ham. Michael likes ham and Patrick & I like chicken so we switch each year. This year we have company, my friend Cheryl and her daughter Katie. They came to live with us at the end of September. We compromised since our Thanksgiving traditions are very different. So this year we are having turkey. Now since I have never cooked a turkey and have heard that they are fickle creatures, I did some research. So not only am I cooking a turkey for the first time but I am also proud to say that I am brining it as well, which incidentally I have never done before either.

Which is why last night I mentioned to Michael that maybe we should take out the hamburger meat that we have in the freezer as a back up. You know that saying of "if it can go wrong it probably will." I have high hopes though. I am excited to be doing something that I have never done before as well as having more people for Thanksgiving. I am excited this year to be sharing Thanksgiving with family and friends. Of course I may have thought of something less complicated.

Who new that you have to brine the meat for about an hour for each pound? I am doing a combination of some brine recipes that I found on the internet. Water, kosher salt, sugar, bay leaves, thyme, garlic and pepper. Well it's a good thing that I did research. Because according to the experts (Martha Stewart and Alton Brown - brining is the only way to go and once you do it you will always want to do it that way). So - I am going to brine the turkey for 11 hours, then it has to be rinsed off, then it has to sit in the fridge for about 5 hours so that it soaks up all the juices and the skin will come out crispy after it is cooked. THEN it is going to be baked for 3 1/2 hours. Of course that doesn't take into account the chocolate pie, walnut pumpkin pie, carrot pudding, lima beans, corn, rolls, stuffing and gravy that needs to be made. Compromise - who knew it could be so busy.

Well, this year we have so much to be thankful for, including the food that will be on our table. So I guess all of the work is worth it. It's a shame that it goes so quickly though. Well, here's hoping that I know what I am doing and that it all turns out good. I'll let you know after dinner tonight.