by Lauren Townsend for The Aha! Connection
Thanksgiving is my husband’s FAVORITE holiday; Comfort food and football. It is a common misconception that we must have some kind of fancy Thanksgiving because we were both chefs, but we like everything traditional. Years ago, when we were just getting to know our, now best friends, the Burdas, they asked if we’d like to come over for Thanksgiving since we didn’t have family here. I said, “yes, that would be great, but we have to do all the cooking. Lynn is particular about Thanksgiving.” And it took them about a minute to agree. We’ve celebrated every Thanksgiving together ever since, plus Christmas Eve, Fourth of July, Easter…
The turkey is the big draw and not complicated. I buy the biggest turkey I can find because I don’t want to run out and I LOVE leftovers. I always bring our turkey starting the morning before (24 hours before it goes in the oven) using the Whole Foods brand brine kit or the Fire and Flavor from Amazon.
I keep it cold in the cooler. Once it’s ready to go in the oven I throw some salt in the cavity with onions, herbs and carrots. I pat the outside dry and then rub it with butter. A LOT OF BUTTER. Place turkey in oven, neck end first and breast up. Roast turkey until nicely browned, 30–40 minutes. Apply foil to breast of turkey. Insert thermometer probe directly through foil into deepest part of breast. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and return turkey to oven, foil securely in place. Do not open oven to baste turkey. Roast until probe registers 161° for breast and 181° for thigh, 2–2½ hours.** (adapted from Alton Brown’s Bon Appetite recipe).
I don’t like to use the drippings from a brined turkey for gravy, so I make one out of stock and demi-glaze.
I’m very particular about mashed potatoes. I peel and boil a bag of potatoes a few days before. Once they are fork tender, I put them in the oven at 350 to evaporate some of the moisture that makes some people’s potatoes gummy. Basically, you are trying to get as much moisture out as possible so you can later replace it with butter and cream. Then push the potatoes through a potato ricer.
Store in an airtight container and once everything is getting close to coming out of the oven, throw potatoes in a giant pot with a heavy cream and butter. Start with a pint and a pound and a few tablespoons of salt. Slowly warm and add both as needed for taste.
Do you make and freeze anything ahead? If so, what?
Do you have a favorite green bean casserole recipe?
@ Jennie, I like my green bean casserole traditional. Campbell’s cream of mushroom, frozen green beans and the french’s fried onions.