| Cooking Thanksgiving dinner can be a fun and | | | | to sugar ratio depending on your taste. |
| memorable experience. If possible get your | | | | Usually 1 cup of sugar per 1/2 pound of |
| family and relatives involved in the cooking | | | | cranberries is about the right amount. Add |
| process and it can be a learning experience | | | | enough water to just cover the cranberries in |
| for them as well. Start asking someone to | | | | the pot. Cook off the water on low heat |
| chop up some russell potatoes, yellow onions, | | | | until you have a think cranberry sauce and |
| and bulk carrots. These vegetables will go | | | | then place it in the frig to serve later. |
| under the Turkey to keep it up off of the | | | | The next course to work on is the stuffing.I |
| bottom of the pan. The idea is to keep the | | | | prefer to make the stuffing outside of the |
| Turkey out of the drippings which would make | | | | Turkey in a 9 by 13 inch pan. I start by |
| it soggy and disgusting if left to cook | | | | browning some onions in butter. Then I add |
| in.While someone is chopping those veggies, | | | | some fresh spinach and garlic. After the |
| wash your Turkey inside and out. Make sure | | | | spinach has wilted add some stale bread to |
| you take the giblets out and keep them in the | | | | the pan. While the bread is absorbing the |
| frig for the gravy that you will make later. | | | | buttery onion / spinach flavor whisk together |
| After washing the Turkey thouroughly, rub it | | | | come half and half, 2 large eggs, salt, and |
| with salt and olive oil. The oil and salt | | | | pepper. Transfer the bread, onion, and |
| will help the Turkey to cook better as well | | | | spinach mixture to the 13 by 9 inch pan and |
| as give it extra flavor. Some prefer to use | | | | pour the half and half / egg mixture over the |
| butter instead of olive oil, but I like the | | | | top. Sprinkle with italian seasoning and |
| taste the olive oil gives the turkey and the | | | | some fresh chopped parsley. You can put this |
| drippings which you will use for making | | | | in the frig and wait to cook it in the oven |
| gravy.Place the turkey on the vegetables and | | | | with the turkey for the last hour.By this |
| stuff the Turkey with celery, carrots, | | | | time your turkey has been in the oven cooking |
| parsley, thyme, sage, oregano, and a bay | | | | for about an hour and it is time to begin |
| leaf. You won't eat these vegetables and | | | | basting it. Take your baster and suck up the |
| herbs, but they will serve to add flavor to | | | | drippings in the bottom of the pan and |
| the bird. Get the turkey in the oven at 350 | | | | release them over the top of the turkey. |
| degress. Wash your hands as you have been | | | | You'll want to do this every half hour until |
| handling uncooked meat that can make you and | | | | the turkey is done. You will know that the |
| your family sick. Plan ahead of time and | | | | turkey is done when your meat thermometer |
| expect the turkey to take between 4-7 hours | | | | registers 170 degrees F. I like my turkey |
| depending on how many pounds it is. In the | | | | well-done at a safe high temperature well |
| meantime you can start on the other fixings | | | | beyond the recomended internal safe |
| like cranberries.Fresh cranberries are by far | | | | temperature.John Lorber is a professional |
| worth the extra effort. It's really not that | | | | chef and writer for EasyRecipes.us. Visit |
| much extra effort as a matter of fact. Just | | | | for more of his recipes which he adds to |
| wash the cranberries and put them in a pan | | | | weekly. |
| with some water and sugar. Adjust the water | | | | |