Turkey Masters Inc.

my oven is broke and i am trying to find a way to cook my turkey legs in a toaster oven without over cooking them… PLEASE HELP

JUST PUT THE OVEN TOASTER AT 350F for 40 minutes in a small pyrex that fits into the oven.

TURKEY LEGS WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY

turkey legs (about 12 oz. each)
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

MUSHROOM GRAVY:

1 c. water
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 can (4 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 can (10 1/2 oz.) mushroom gravy
1 tsp. minced onion
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder

Place turkey legs in a roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, oil and seasonings. Pour over turkey legs. Bake uncovered, at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn legs twice and baste occasionally. Remove from the oven.
For the gravy, combine water and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat. Spoon over turkey legs. Cover loosely with foil. Bake basting frequently, for 1 hour or until legs are tender.

enjoy!!!
mm

One of the best things about living in the south is fried food.  These days you can pretty much fry anything from Twinkies, to onions, to seafood, to cheesecake.  The possibilities are endless! With Thanksgiving right around the corner, there’s a new take on preparing your feast. Two words, fried turkey.

Now I know most people get caught up in the traditional aspects of this holiday what with the colored leaves decorations and the excitement over your favorite foods like cranberry sauce and green bean casserole, but why not try something a little different this year?  Our recent presidential election erupted cheers of “change” so let’s incorporate this transition of change into our everyday lives. And by change, I mean, connecting with our Southern roots and tendencies.

If you look on any food/cooking website, you’ll almost always find some sort of recipe for frying turkeys.  Just the other day I found a fried turkey recipe from Paula Deen.  One of the benefits of using a turkey fryer is reduced time needed to cook the turkey.  For all Americans striving to cut corners to get things done in a shorter amount of time, then this is the Thanksgiving answer for you.

Now before you embark on this new proposition, you must invest in a quality turkey fryer. Every fryer consists of a burner (which is attached to a propane tank), a large stock pot, a lifter, and a thermometer. Remember, you might have a 6 lb turkey so make sure your stock pot is large enough to hold your ideal turkey size.  One important reminder: make sure turkey is thawed before placing into the fryer.  If not thawed, this could lead to a grease fire.  Unwrap your turkey, place in the pot, and fill with water until the turkey is covered plus an extra inch.  Mark this line as this is how much oil you should use when frying. 

Now it’s time to clean your turkey! Make sure the giblets and neck are removed (if left in, they could create a big mess). Then make a 1 inch cut around the leg/thigh joints as this allows the oil to drain when the turkey is done. Rub your turkey with any seasonings or inject with marinades to add a little extra flavoring.

Place your stock pot on the fryer and pour in the cooking oil (I prefer peanut oil) up to the line you marked earlier. Attach the thermometer to the top edge of the pot making sure the stem is in the oil at least 1 inch.  Turn on the fryer and heat oil to 350 degrees F. Once it reaches the temperature, reduce heat slightly and slowly lower the turkey into the pot (make sure the legs are facing up!!).  This may take awhile as well as know what happens to food when you place it in hot oil.  It might bubble and jump at you, so be careful. Once the turkey is lowered, turn the fryer burner up to return to 350 degrees.  In terms of cooking time, allow 4 minutes per pound of turkey. Place newspaper on the ground so you can place your fried turkey on it when it is done.

Now you have found a way to wow the relatives this Thanksgiving with a new turkey recipe. Remember, make sure the turkey is completely thawed before placing in the hot oil.  If you’re concerned about the amount of propane left in tank, there is a gadget called GasWatch Propane Tank Level Indicator which you hook up to the propane tank and it tells you how much gas is left. Now you know if you will need that extra propane tank on hand.

Michele Bongiorni

My father died about a month ago. He would always do the family dinner twice a year but with him gone now I have to do the family turkey. I need some help on how far a head I can cook the desserts and bread. When is the perfect time to put in the turkey if you are going to eat around 2pm. We are going to have a pot luck with everyone bringing something but I have to do the turkey and the pies. I just need some advice and some help with it being a sad time.

Stuffing should generally not be cooked in the bird, as it is easy to not thoroughly cook it. Therefore bacteria from the turkey can survive and cause sickness among everyone who eats it. It’s better to cook the dressing separately, then if desired place it in the turkey for serving. A lot safer.
Also, cooking time depends on the weight of the bird, but it should be cooked at 350 degree F, and the time may be posted on the turkey. I can’t remember how to figure the time, but should be in most cookbooks.
The deserts can be cooked the day before and refrigerated, If prepared more than a day in advance, they may be eaten by other members of the household.
There’s more to preparing a turkey than throwing it in the oven and waiting for it to get hot. It can take several days.See below site.

For Thanksgiving party food must be simple and easy to serve, the can be prepared ahead of time without wasting so much time. From the following take a tip on which food would be the best and lovable to all your friends and relatives.

In planning your Thanksgiving feast make it as easy to serve as possible. That usually means serving those foods that can be prepared ahead of time. To save time and avoid the confusion of serving appetizers at the table we like to spread out a serve-yourself arrangement of cranberry cocktail and wafers on the living-room table. It adds a welcome air as the guests arrive.

Here’s a good recipe for cranberry cocktail which, with the exception of lemon and orange juice, can be prepared the previous day. Cook four cups of washed berries in six cups of water until the berries are very soft and mushy. Strain through cheesecloth. Add one cup of sugar to strained juice and heat until sugar is dissolved. Chill. Add the juice of one lemon and one orange just before serving.

For the Thanksgiving dinner roast turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, peach pickles, fruit salad, buttered asparagus, hot rolls and jelly are traditional with us. Mince pie and pumpkin pie compete for first place as a favorite dessert with after-dinner coffee.

As soon as the guests are seated at the table and the head of the house is busy with the carving why not give him a break by diverting the attention of the guests while he carves. Have a small pad and pencil at each place. Read the following questionnaire. Be sure to allow enough time for each guest to write the answer to the questions as you read. Here’s a sample one that’s fun:

1. Name the part of the turkey that assists a lady in dressingComb
2. Name the part of the turkey that opens the front door (last part) Key
3. Part of a turkey that appears after Thanksgiving Bill
4. Part of a turkey that’s part of a sentence Claws (clause)
5. Part of a turkey that is used for cleaning Wings (dusters)
6. Part of a turkey that the farmer watches carefully Crop
7. Part of a turkey that is an oriental (first part) Turk
8. Why ought the turkey be ashamed.We see the turkey dressing
9. Why is a fast eater like a turkey? Both are fast gobblers
10. What color gets its name from turkey? Turkey red
11. When the turkey is cooking what country is he in? Grease (Greece)
12. What part of a turkey is a story? Tail (tale)
13. What part of a turkey appears on the battlefield? Drumstick

By the time the questions are all answered the host will have finished the carving. Collect the answers to be read while the dessert is being served. To the guest with the greatest number of correct answers goes the blue ribbon turkey cut from brown construction paper with a blue ribbon around its neck.

Entertained your guests by asking some question related to Thanksgiving Party while serving a delicious dessert, they would definitely have fun and enjoy the party.

Mitch Johnson
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/tips-for-thanksgiving-feast-54454.html

Do you go through the leftover dilemma several times a year? You’ve been cooking some big meals lately and now have a refrigerator full of leftovers. I know the look you’ll get from your family if you attempt to put another plate of the same food in front of them for a third day. I suspect you’ll end up scraping the leftovers into the compost bin if you don’t think up something unique real soon.

You want to invent new dishes from the same old leftovers, but how? When you look at your leftover dish, make a mental list of what you used in that recipe and think about what other recipes you might have or can find that use similar ingredients.

1) Turkey And Gravy Barbeque Style

Break up some leftover turkey either with a fork or dice with a knife. You can use both white and dark meat. Take out a big skillet and cook a couple slices of bacon, diced up. In the same pan, add diced onion and garlic. Add the turkey pieces and put leftover gravy over until the turkey is covered. Add a little of your favorite barbeque sauce or grilling flavor, but just enough to give the gravy its barbeque flavor. Simmer slowly and serve over buns or crusty bread.

2) Turkey Curry Cauliflower Soup

Take your leftover cooked cauliflower and put it in your food processor. Pulse until smooth and creamy, adding a little milk as you go to make it soup-like. Sprinkle in about 2 teaspoons of curry, a little more or less depending on how strong you like it. Then, in a soup pot, cook some chopped carrots and onion, in a little oil, until soft . Pour the blended cauliflower into the pot and add some chopped leftover turkey. Simmer the soup until it’s nice and creamy and hot.

3) Stuffing with Egg Muffin Cups

Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray or brush with butter or oil. Spoon enough stuffing in each muffin cup to form a little cup with room for one egg. Break one egg into each cup and top with enough shredded cheese to cover egg. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the egg is done and cheese is melted. Let stand a few minutes before removing egg and stuffing from muffin tin.

4) Green Bean Tomato Cheese Soup

If you have leftover green bean casserole, you’re in luck. It makes the perfect start for a cheese soup. Adding some diced tomatoes gives this soup a fresh flavor. Get out your big soup pot and saute up some bite size pieces of celery until just soft. Add several big chunks of onion, cooking until transparent, and then add a little minced garlic. Pour in a can of diced tomatoes. You may want a little extra seasoning, like a grill seasoning or dry rub. Put in your green bean casserole, slowly mixing in all the ingredients. If it seems a little thick, add a bit of chicken broth. Now just heat, stirring often, until the soup is all creamy and hot.

5) Old Fashioned Potato Soup

Leftover mashed potatoes make good thick and creamy soups because the basic creamy soup ingredients are already there. In a soup pot, put three or four diced slices of bacon and cook until just crispy and remove. In the bacon drippings, saute diced celery and carrots until soft, add some diced onion and saute until transparent. In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon butter or oil, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1 1/2 cups milk, simmering until just starting to thicken. Then add your leftover potatoes a little bit at a time until it looks like potato soup. Stir in the bacon and let simmer together slowly. You now have a nice, flavorful and creamy Potato Soup.

These are just a few of the ways to recycle your leftovers so that your family isn’t staring at the same plate repeated for days. Give some thought to what ingredients went into each dish, and where you’ve seen those ingredients together before. Chances are you’ll come up with a few surprises of your own.

Nicole Dean
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/5-unique-meal-ideas-from-holiday-leftovers-714882.html