When I do cook a turkey, Sunshine likes the neck for breakfast. So I cook that separately (in the convection oven).
My local Turkey Buzzard gets the giblets and bones; everyone gets fed – even the birds. 
5 Likes
Just pulled this rosemary focaccia from the oven for tomorrow’s stuffing. Spawn1 thinks that it’s overkill to use the focaccia for stuffing, but why not use a good bread rather than just a plain ol’ loaf?
It’s gonna be a pretty simple dinner as Thanksgivings go. The turkey (spatchcocked), stuffing, mashed, gravy, and steamed carrots. Just four of us, and Mrs. ricepad is making her family famous cheesecake at this very moment for dessert, so there’s no need to jockey for oven space and time.
ETA: Gonna have to leave out the mushrooms from the stuffing, as Spawn1’s gf doesn’t like them. sigh
12 Likes
Thanksgiving will be a small one this year, with only DD2 and SIL coming to dinner. The menu is as follows: Turkey, with cornbread stuffing cooked in the bird, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, vegetable side dish ( Alison Roman green beans), rolls, miniature caramel pecan rolls ( traditional in SIL’s family), apple pie, NYT chocolate espresso pie, and a salted caramel tart. We’re going to put out a few snacks beforehand, but nothing elaborate. Cheese and crackers, nuts, and what not.
As of now, the turkey is in its wet brine, the cornbread has been made, the pie crusts are in process. Since there will be no pumpkin pie this year, I’m going to make some pumpkin bread later today. I need to get the dining room in order, set the table and all that. DD2 & SIL will be making the rolls at their house, and will prep the green beans and mini rolls at our house. So not too much work for anyone, but still a bit of a push in the kitchen. Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate! 
8 Likes
This latest from Smitten Kitchen looks good:
3 Likes
I never make the mashed potatoes ahead. The bag of potatoes doesn’t need fridge space.
I’ll peel and chop them tomorrow morning and keep them in cold water until ready to cook in the late afternoon
That being said it is an interesting game of refrigeration Tetris around here. Thank you to whoever finished the last but of milk in the jug
4 Likes
All sounds great but especially that salted caramel tart - do you have a recipe?
Yes, it’s an Alison Roman recipe, and I think it’s in her dessert cookbook. I’ll ask DD2 specifically which one it is, and will post it. At least the ingredient list, but will put the instructions in my own words.
2 Likes
Well, I just smacked 1 large & 1 small pomegranate empty, following a good friend’s technique. She likes to imagine spanking her nemeses 
but since I don’t have any I prefer to crank up my favorite tune 
and slap 'em to the beat .
Took less than 2 songs worth, and I have plenty for tomorrow’s salad & future breakfasts 
The Big Meal Is Taking Shape.
7 Likes
That looks way too tasty to use as stuffing. I’m with your spawn1 – go buy some crappy bread and save that beautiful focaccia for a side dish or appetizer or something!
I’m sorry, I got the name wrong! It’s a carmelized maple tart from AR’s Sweet Enough. I’m happy to post the recipe, if this one interests you.
2 Likes
I make a vegetarian gravy using shiitakes and dried porcini in lieu of giblets. It disappears quickly, even though I make a good bit.
9 Likes
We chop up the gizzards, liver and heart, brown them in butter, then add the onions, then celery, then chopped mushrooms to the pan, when making our bread stuffing. My DC uses a Cuisinart to chop the organs before browning, I just use a knife because I don’t like cleaning the Cuisinart.
The neck is roasted next to the bird. It’s eaten or used for soup.
2 Likes
Deep breaths for those of you who need it tomorrow (and maybe even today already)!
Or, ya know… 4 margaritas 
6 Likes
Wow! That’s a π I could get behind…
2 Likes
That orange-fennel is A.Ma.ZING. I adore it.
1 Like
I’m with you. When I go to the trouble of making stuffing, first I bake the bread (usually Fromartz’s stirato). Then, if possible, I’ll scrounge up fresh herbs from the garden. IMO both go along way here.
1 Like
It’s exactly the kind of thing I like to find from an ice cream company, because it’s more than just “here’s X-flavored ice cream with cookies/candy mixed in.” Not that Coffee Oreo isn’t great, but I can add Oreos to ice cream on my own, you know? Orange Fennel would take more work, and isn’t something I’d have even thought of on my own.
What’s your favorite Malai flavor? I suspect we’ll order again when the seasons change so we can try some different seasonal flavors (I nearly ordered the strawberry pie one this summer).
I’m so glad you asked.
Their trademark flavor is Rose with Cinnamon Roasted Almonds, and it’s my favorite even as a person who dislikes rose in culinary applications of all kinds. It does not taste like rose.
They also make an incredible Carrot Halwa, which sounds maybe not great or at least weird, but is amazing. My favorite Malai story is back from when their only location was a teeny temporary storefront pop-up in my neighborhood - no seating, just a line, a cashier and the ice cream on offer. On hot weekend nights, the line would snake out the door as they approached closing time (9 PM.) One evening I was in line with many, many other people hoping to snag some ice cream before they closed, and all the flavors were new and exciting and nobody knew how anything tasted. We were all buzzing with “what should I get?” and “I wonder what THAT tastes like” and so on. Ahead of me in the line, someone bought a pint of carrot-halwa, passed plastic spoons down the line, and proceeded to offer a taste to anyone who wanted it. The pint wound its way back, and everyone would taste it and exclaim, and then pass it back, and the whole shop of strangers just grinned and sighed and enjoyed.
It’s one of my favorite Brooklyn stories of all time.
I also like the red chili chocolate, and a couple other more seasonal flavors that aren’t on the site right now.
7 Likes
I just finished the make ahead mashed potatoes based a bit on Kenji’s recipe:
I used 5 lbs of Russets (got a 5 lb bag from Safeway for .97 cents!!!) After putting through the ricer, I whipped in mixer with 1 1/2 large packs of room temperature cream cheese (pieces) and heated milk and butter.
I’ll refrigerate and tomorrow will heat up in oven, maybe adding some chicken broth and milk and butter, then chopped chives just before serving. Enough here to feed a dozen?
11 Likes
Oh my goodness. Good mashed potatoes are so sublime.
1 Like
