For a Juicy, Tender, Delicious Turkey – Brine It!

While I’m gradually re-adding the posts I lost when my blog crashed, on the day before Thanksgiving I thought I’d write a quick personal note about how to keep your turkey moist and delicious.

The secret is Brining it. You’ve still got time, and it’s sooo easy – here’s the how-to:

The day before Thanksgiving, hopefully you’ve begun thawing it out. Place your turkey in a cooler and enough of the following mixture to cover it:

For each gallon of water, add 1 cup of salt and 2/3 cup sugar (and stir it around to dissolve.)

Let the turkey sit overnight in its brine bath in a cool place, such as basement, garage, or even outdoors (as long as it’s not a hard freeze night.) Believe me, it will be fine

When you’re ready to cook your bird, just take it out of the brine, rinse it in cold water, pat it dry and do whatever you normally like to do with your turkey.

One final tip – it really works if you start your turkey roasting upside down, then turn it on its left side, then turn it on its right side, then finally, turn it breast-side-up.

Stuffed Winter Squash

Might as well throw in a couple more family favorites!

Acorn or Butternut sqash for this.

Slice them in half lengthwise and remove seeds.

Stuff them with a mixture of:

1 lb. mushrooms chopped & sauteed.
1 and 1/2 cups SOFT breadcrumbs, or use cornbread stuffing mix.
Add in a lemon squeeze, pinch of ground nutmeg, chopped fresh parsley, and salt & pepper to taste.
Bake at 400 degrees 35 min or until done, in a baking dish with 1/4″ of water in the bottom.

Colcannon

My favorite way to take mashed potatoes to another level. Based on old Irish/Scottish traditional recipe. Scale this up or down as needed.

2 large russet (Idaho or baking) potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks.
3 cups thinly sliced cabbage
1/2 cup chopped white (or Vidalia) onions.
Some milk, some butter, some cheddar cheese and salt & pepper to taste.

Gently boil the potato chunks until ready to mash. Spoon out the potatos and use the same pot to cook the cabbage and onions until tender. While they’re cooking, mash your tatties. Never over-mash potatos or they go gummy!

Drain the cabbage and onions, and add them to your potatos. Add about 1/2 cup milk (or some half and half if you are decadent like me), butter quantities, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir it all up.

Place in a greased baking casserole and top with grated cheddar cheese, and bake until it’s all hot and the cheese has melted.

Heavenly! I wa going to try it using baby bok choy instead of cabbage this year but my husband wimped out when he saw the price – so it’s good old fashioned Scots-Irish cabbage again for us. Believe me, after simmering the cabbage in the potato water it will be VERY mild.