I happen to think of a couple of things today that might help you not only for Thanksgiving but any on the other holidays too.
First if you haven’t already done it clean out your fridge today. It really should be done before you go buy everything for your dinner but if you didn’t, do it now. There is nothing more frustrating then to have a houseful of company and you are trying to stuff leftovers into an already full fridge so clean it now and if you can leave a certain shelf for the things you are going to store before and after Thanksgiving dinner.
Next I don’t think there is anything more dismal looking then a picked over turkey carcass. I am usually so tired from making the meal, being hostess and cleaning up that having to face the turkey carcass can almost put me over the edge.
What I finally learned to do is not to do anything with it on Thanksgiving day. Then the day after we pick on it all day long making sandwiches etc. I then pick the last of the big chunks off . I usually cook my turkey all wrapped in foil or in a disposable pan so I just wrap the foil around it or gently shape the pan around it. Stick it all in a couple of plastic bags, pop it in the freezer and forget it for a couple of weeks or until Jan. when I bring it out and toss the carcass in a large pot for soup. That is when it gets it’s final picking over.
Cooking Boo Boos:
If you didn’t cook your turkey with our recipe it may come out too dry. Don’t panic. Just slice it. Lay it on a platter and pour gravy over it then serve.
If your stuffing is too dry; once again add some turkey broth to it or gravy.
If a side dish burns and sticks to the bottom; just careful pour it out of the pot being sure not to scrape the bottom of the pan or any of the food stuck to it. You can maybe save quite a bit this way.
If your dinner rolls burn; carefully slice off the bottoms. If they all have the bottoms gone people will think that is just the way they are suppose to be.
The crust on your pumpkin pie doesn’t turn out; scrape out the filling and place it in a nice serving dish, cover with lots of whipped topping, sprinkled with a little cinnamon and call it Pumpkin custard.
If any of you have tips on how to fix Thanksgiving cooking boo boos for our beginning cooks and eve some of us old timers feel free to post. You may be the one to save someone’s Thanksgiving. : )
Jill
I don’t know how good this works; but on Rachael Ray today she said if your turkey is dry, leave it sit in chicken broth for a little bit and people will be going on and on about how juicy your turkey is.
I place my turkey breast side down in a turkey bag. That way it self bastes the breast. No more dry turkey. I have down this for a couple years now, and the turkey is moist and tender every time.