Since it's the completely fictional holiday made up in the late 19th century known as Thanksgiving here in the colonies, was wondering how many of you out there are spending the day cooking and what you're planning.

So, how about a recipe thread?

THE BIRD

I actually started my prep of brining the turkey on Sunday. Most recipes say to brine for 8 to 12 hours using a really heavy salt water, but those involve too much salt and a thawed turkey.

I like to start my brine from a frozen turkey thawing it in the brine slowly over several days. This lets me drop the turkey in a pot when I buy it on sunday and forget about it until today.

My brine mixture goes thus:

1/2 cup Kosher salt
1/2 gallon orange juice
Fill with water until turkey is completely submerged.

I let that sit in the fridge overnight the first night, which typically thaws it just enough to pull the neck and giblets bag out. I reserve those for soups and other goodies like dirty rice by putting them in the freezer. (they should still be pretty solid so no re-freezing issues)... I then put a sealed freezer bag of lead shot in the cavity to keep it submerged and put it back in the fridge.

Big thing about this long a brine is to make sure the temp stays below 48F... most recipe's say 40F because like any good engineer you're a wee bit conservative on paper... as such a good refridgerator thermometer isn't a bad idea.

Today the plan is thus. I will drain the bird, allow it to drip/air dry for about 40 minutes to an hour while I prep my stuffing. In my large pan I will be dumping in two pounds of frozen baby carrots (getting too lazy to peel) under the grate which soak up a lot of the yummy goodness dripping off the turkey. Working from frozen also means they can sit in there for the 3-4 hours with the turkey, and the juices they add to the drippings help give you a nice golden color while basting. The slow cook under the turkey often make them so tasty your guests end up fighting over the CARROTS. (which is kinda funny!). I then dust the bird generously with onion powder and black pepper. Avoid adding extra salt, there's no reason if you brined it!

I like to cook my bird at 350F covered for about 3 to 3 and a half hours, until a meat thermometer is telling me 160. the ideal internal temperature is 165, which is why once it hits 160 I jack the temp to 400F, and uncover to crisp up the outside basting every three to five minutes until it's that perfect crispy brown... by which time the center of the meat AND the stuffing should have reached a nice uniform 165+. (Be sure the stuffing hits that temp too if putting it in the bird!)

At which point you take it out, allow it to sit and cool for 20 minutes before cutting (prevents it from drying out from flash-evaporation) during which time the remaining drippings can be transferred to a pan to make gravy.

For gravy I do it simple. Oil separated drippings, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, milk and a light dusting of sifted flour as a thickener. I like to slowly stir the sifted flour into the milk before putting it into the pan with the drippings and slowly heat the pan while stirring. If you shock it you get not only lumps, the whole thing can turn into a pan of glue.

STUFFING
One tablespoon Bells Seasoning. (NOT the stuffing mix, just the seasoning)
1 loaf day old toasted bread. (literally toast it and then let it sit out for 24 hours)
2-4 long stalks celery
4-6 mushrooms
1 large vidalia onion
2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary leaves (if unavailable use 3 tablespoons of dried, but soak it overnight in water... not AS good though)
1 stick butter.
Cold water as needed.

Thin slice mushrooms, dice celery and onion, and sauté in butter. Break up day old bread into tiny bits and mix in the bell's seasoning, pour butter/veggie mix over it, stir in water to desired consistency. If stuffing a bird make sure you leave it a bit on the dry side since it will soak up a lot of the bird's juices.

Simple basic stuffing, but it gets huge compliments compared to the crud that comes in a box.

SPUDS

4-6 large russets peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon diced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk

Boil potatoes until completely cooked, drain off most of the liquid but not all (you want at least a quarter a cup still in the pot). Over low heat stir in the other ingredients and start mashing. Strange as it sounds once broken up the potatoes will start soaking up the remaining water and milk.

Simple, but effective... it gets the job done.

Brown Sugar Butternut Squash

1 peeled and cubed squash (about four cups worth)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar (you can substitute 3 teaspoons of truvia for low sugar version)
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 stick butter broken into half-tablespoon slices.

Mix together dry ingredients in a shaker. In large ca**erole lay down one layer of cubed squash, sprinkle with sugar mix, put in some of your butter slices. Lay down another layer, lather, rinse, repeat... covering the top with the last of the sugar mix OVER the butter slices.

Bake covered at 350 for an hour... let cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

The cooling time is important as it can rip someones mouth off. You can substitute a full half cup if you don't want the alternative sweetener... and it beats the living tar out of the Yams most people serve around the holidays.

Cranberry Squares

This recipe is loosely based on Jiffy's "raspberry bars" one. I've made it three years in a row and it's usually gone by 4pm.

1 package Jiffy Cranberry bread
1/2 cup corn flakes (NOT THE FROSTED ONES!!!)
1 cup quick oats
1 egg
1/2 stick room temp butter.
1 can cranberry sauce (preferably the 'whole cranberry' type).

Pre-heat oven to 350F, Mix together dry ingredients, then add egg and butter. The mix will seem REALLY dry, that's ok. DO NOT use a electric mixer, do yourself and your batter a favor and use strongarm tactics with a nice big fork. Show that batter who's the boss. Spread into greased 8.5x11 square pan (use shortening, not butter! butter will burn where it touches pan at 350F) with a silicone spatula. (Mix will not stick to silicone).

Put cranberry sauce in blender or food processor to make it spreadable (or just beat the tar out of it with a fork), and spread it over the batter to within a half inch of the edges. (Do not let it reach pan, it will burn to the pan).

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. (until visible batter at edges is golden brown and cranberry sauce bubbles), allow to cool for at LEAST an hour, cut into squares and serve lukewarm or at room temp.

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So what's with all the kosher salt? -- non iodized so it lacks that bitter aftertaste.

Paula Dean version -- triple the amount of butter in every recipe.

Rachel Ray version -- substitute Extra Virgin Olive oil for butter, even on the snack squares -- gag on how disgusting it comes out.

So... anyone else care to share their plans of attack, helpful hints, or outright tasty goodies?

Of course I'm sitting here waiting to start at 7AM with my thumb up my backside aiming for a completion time of 1PM




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