Food and Recipes while under Coronavirus quarantine

[BetteDavisEyes]

Cranberry sauce is done and cooling on the stove. DH said it smells and tastes wonderful Once its cooled, I'll fish out the cinnamon stick, star anise, and whole cloves before storing in airtight container in the fridge. I'll clean up, then start on the turkey gravy.

I totally relate to your multi-tasking comment. I also get stressed and end up forgetting something. One thing at a time works for me too, and I do everything more slowly than I used to. And it's best if no one is in the kitchen talking to me.

We have a TV in the kitchen that keeps me entertained while I'm cooking. There's a true crime Lifetime movie on at 2:00PM today, so I can watch it while I make the gravy

 

[anneg]

Cranberry sauce is done and cooling on the stove. DH said it smells and tastes wonderful Once its cooled, I'll fish out the cinnamon stick, star anise, and whole cloves before storing in airtight container in the fridge. I'll clean up, then start on the turkey gravy.


We have a TV in the kitchen that keeps me entertained while I'm cooking. There's a true crime Lifetime movie on at 2:00PM today, so I can watch it while I make the gravy

We have a small TV in the kitchen too, but I suspect it would prevent me from focusing properly on what I'm doing, like having another person in the room does! Might be OK if I'm doing something uncomplicated.

Your Thanksgiving prep is making me hungry--time for lunch!

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Turkey gravy is done. When it cools, I will strain it into an airtight container and refrigerate until Thursday. If there are drippings from the turkey meatballs, I'll them to the gravy when reheating. Pork chops and roasted acorn squash for dinner tonight.

 

[IceIce9]

Thank you, BDE! Thank you!

Concerned that Food Network would broadcast a recipe without checking for food safety.

(The OP's op states "let the meat come to room temperature ( 4 hours ish )" which is outside the recommended limit of 2 hours.)

Readily available inexpensive thermometers:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/goodcook...rmometer/40711330?wl13=101&selectedSellerId=0

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Expert-G...rmometer/912409454?wl13=21&selectedSellerId=0

This reminds me of how turkey dinners went at my grandma’s house. She would cook a huge turkey, packed with stuffing, as well as mashed potatoes, baked yams, corn casserole, and other sides. We would eat around noon, and she would dish up about half the stuffing and slice enough turkey to fill a platter.

After the meal was finished, she would leave the rest of the turkey carcass with stuffing inside, along with the rest of the leftovers on top of the stove and kitchen counters. Then for the rest of the day and evening everyone would wander in the kitchen and snack on the leftovers. We’d pull off some turkey to make a sandwich, and scoop out some dressing. Usually we would eat it cold, not bothering to hear it up

It was only after I started cooking my own turkey dinners that I realized how dangerous this was.

I have always scooped all the stuffing out of the turkey immediately after it is cool enough to handle. And my leftover go into the refrigerator while they are still warm.

 

[IceIce9]

I remember a method for baking a turkey that I heard about years ago, it was popular when I was first starting to cook but I never thought it sounded safe.

It involved cooking a turkey at 200 degrees for 12 hours. People who had tried it said it produced the most tender and juicy turkey, but it sounded like salmonella to me.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Ok laughing......I am only to put it out 2 hours before I cook it. Thanks for the heads-up. I don’t want to make anyone sick. Thanks again and happy Thanksgiving!

Is this the original recipe that you replicated? Chef John's Perfect Prime Rib | Allrecipes

 

[IceIce9]

I did a quick search and found several revipe sites with the 200 degree oven overnight cooking method

Then I found this article from the Michigan State Extension

Downright unsafe ways to cook your turkey – Part 1

.
Slow-cooking overnight method

This method is dangerous and involves cooking the turkey at 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit overnight for 12 to 13 hours. A low oven temperature means the turkey will take longer to heat, increasing the risk of harmful bacteria growth and the production of poisons that may not be destroyed with further cooking.

Make it safe – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends temperatures no lower than 325 degrees Fahrenheit for cooking meat and poultry. Cook turkey to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

[Really?]

Is this the original recipe that you replicated? Chef John's Perfect Prime Rib | Allrecipes

Yes......that’s the one

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Michigan’s most popular Thanksgiving side dish (clickondetroit.com)

 

[155etta]

Michigan’s most popular Thanksgiving side dish (clickondetroit.com)

As the wife of an Idaho potato farmer, I feel I must explain Idaho's google search for green bean casserole. I have to believe that it's because we all already know how to do the best mashed potatoes in the world, haha!

 

[anneg]

Michigan’s most popular Thanksgiving side dish (clickondetroit.com)

I have never thought of macaroni and cheese as a Thanksgiving dish, deviled eggs either. But I love both!

We will have roast chicken, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and sweet potatoes with apples. And rolls. And pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Oooogh, the calories! There will be lots of leftovers.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I have never thought of macaroni and cheese as a Thanksgiving dish, deviled eggs either. But I love both!...

Mac & Cheese was never part of Thanksgiving dinner for my family, but we had it frequently on Fridays when we couldn't eat meat. We also never had Green Bean Casserole: Mom never cooked with canned soup. I never make Green Bean Casserole and don't particularly care for it. If we've had it for Thanksgiving in recent years, my sister is the one who makes it. We have deviled eggs for almost every family gathering, but I don't think they were part of our family Thanksgiving.

Turkey/stuffing meatball mixture is prepared and refrigerated. I'm taking a kitchen break before I start sauteeing the pierogis. After draining them on paper towel, I'll layer the pierogis in an aluminum baking pan, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate. Reheat in oven for 25-30 minutes on Thursday. So yummy with sour cream

 

[IceIce9]

Michigan’s most popular Thanksgiving side dish (clickondetroit.com)

I saw this map on our local news site. No one here in Indiana believes our most popular thanksgiving side dish is deviled eggs. Most popular picnic food, yes. But thanksgiving side dish?

 

[IceIce9]

Michigan’s most popular Thanksgiving side dish (clickondetroit.com)

How about the states that have white gravy or brown gravy as the most popular side? Do they drink it?

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

How about the states that have white gravy or brown gravy as the most popular side? Do they drink it?

LOL! I always put cognac or bourbon in my gravy, so maybe the states with gravy as the most popular side dish are getting buzzed and putting it on everything

 

[Skigh]

Mashed potato seems to be the popular way of serving potatoes. Do many people have roast potatoes with their turkey?

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Mashed potato seems to be the popular way of serving potatoes. Do many people have roast potatoes with their turkey?

I would prefer roasted or baked potatoes because my mashed potatoes have a lot of butter and cream in them. My digestive system can't handle much dairy these days

 

[anneg]

Mac & Cheese was never part of Thanksgiving dinner for my family, but we had it frequently on Fridays when we couldn't eat meat. We also never had Green Bean Casserole: Mom never cooked with canned soup. I never make Green Bean Casserole and don't particularly care for it. If we've had it for Thanksgiving in recent years, my sister is the one who makes it. We have deviled eggs for almost every family gathering, but I don't think they were part of our family Thanksgiving.

Turkey/stuffing meatball mixture is prepared and refrigerated. I'm taking a kitchen break before I start sauteeing the pierogis. After draining them on paper towel, I'll layer the pierogis in an aluminum baking pan, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate. Reheat in oven for 25-30 minutes on Thursday. So yummy with sour cream

I really admire your organizational skills and I'm sure the food you prepare is wonderful! You and others on this thread inspire me.

We are going to share our Thanksgiving meal with friends (married couple) who are both dealing with health issues. He will drive over here Thursday afternoon and pick up the food. Doing this is helping get me in a holiday mood!

 

[IceIce9]

Mashed potato seems to be the popular way of serving potatoes. Do many people have roast potatoes with their turkey?

I think most of the people I know serve mashed potatoes so we have a place to pour our gravy

 

[IceIce9]

One of my earliest memories is my dad teaching me how to make a deep well in my mashed potatoes with the back of my spoon. The object was to make it deep enough to hold the maximum amount of gravy.