Instead of buying beef, why not turkey? Through all the talk of the cost of Thanksgiving dinner, one fact jumped out at me. Turkey is much less expensive than beef.
Because I have to avoid deli meats, the only turkey I buy throughout the year is ground turkey. Now I’m wondering why? Turkey isn’t hard to roast. It’s a delicious alternative to chicken. I like it. What am I thinking?
Maybe this is another sausage ball issue. There was never a reason to only make them for the holidays, and yet that’s what I did for years.
Bird flu may cause the price of turkey to continue to increase, but right now it doesn’t make much sense not to prepare it on a regular basis.
I won’t purchase a large bird frequently. There will be too many leftovers. But adding it as a regular item in my shopping cart only makes sense.
Perhaps the numerous posts about how much trouble it is to cook turkey deter others from cooking it. But I don’t understand those posts. There isn’t that much prep required. Maybe the complaints stem from trying to handle large, unwieldy birds.
For safety reasons, I don’t place stuffing inside the bird. Once I’ve removed any parts that have been placed in the cavities, I place an apple (cut in half), some celery sticks, and a carrot or two in the turkey along with whatever herbs I have handy. I pat the turkey dry and rub it with olive oil. Then I place it in an oven bag. None of that takes long and the cleanup is minimal.
Many turkeys come with pop-out thermometers making doneness easy to determine. My oven came with a digital meat thermometer attachment that I can also use.
The new year will most likely see me eating turkey salad, turkey sandwiches topped with arugula from the garden, turkey pot pie, turkey tacos, turkey mac & cheese, and perhaps turkey with dressing even though it’s not Thanksgiving.
Try as I may, I can’t think of a reason not to include it in regular meals all year long. I mean, why not turkey?
Here are some tips for scaling back Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is such a great time to embrace extended family! For years, I hosted
a Saturday-after dinner for 26 relatives who live nearby. It started as a
Hamming it Up celebration and continued through a year when I burned the ham
and another when my stove was broken. It was the only time of year the whole
group got together. Your family may enjoy similar gatherings. This year, many
of our traditions will change as we scale back in order to be safe.
None of us like giving up the traditions we love. We don’t
even like putting them temporarily on hold. At this moment, my family is experiencing
a reminder of why a different plan may be necessary this year whether we like
it or not. My father’s youngest sister died a few weeks ago. Now two of my cousins
who attended her funeral are sick with COVID-19.
Exposure is one of the risks we must weigh as we determine
the number of this year’s invitations. While this is a hard reality, it doesn’t
have to mean the menu is peanut butter sandwiches even if you’re only joining
the family via Zoom. Luckily, I’ve prepared one-and-two-person Thanksgiving
meals as often as large ones, so I am familiar with techniques for enjoying familiar
flavors at a smaller scale.
When planning meals, I like to think a few meals past the
event. What will be good served as leftovers? What do we enjoy so much I need
to prepare extra helpings? What can easily be repurposed into other dishes? Can
I share any leftovers with elderly neighbors or friends? Answering these
questions helps me determine whether I need to alter a recipe or consider a
replacement.
On a normal year, I make dressing that starts with two
recipes of cornbread. This is a family favorite, so we often eat more than one
serving each at the main meal. Even so, it feeds eight and still leaves
leftovers. If there will only be four people at the table, I cut the recipe in
half. If there are only two, I substitute rice pilaf.
Turkeys come in many sizes. If you anticipate that the
smallest whole bird will leave too many leftovers, consider a turkey breast. For
one or two people, I opt for Cornish hens. Some years these are hard to come by
so it’s smart to shop early.
I’m a big fan of sweet potatoes, but not candied yams. That
means, I usually opt for baked sweet potatoes with a little salt and butter
even when I have a crowd. If you want the candied yam experience for one without
lots of prep time, consider topping a baked sweet potato with butter, brown
sugar, and a dollop of marshmallow crème.
If you prefer a little brown crunch on your marshmallows, you
can treat a baked sweet potato like a twice baked potato. Once the potato is
done, gently remove the inside from the skin. Mix in butter and brown sugar.
Return to the skin. Top with marshmallow halves. Place under the broiler until
the top of the marshmallow browns.
For a couple, sautéed fresh green beans is a faster and
easier preparation than a casserole. If that doesn’t seem special enough, green
bean bundles are another great option. I also like apricot glazed green beans from
time to time. They’re fast, easy, and special all at once.
If you are only serving one or two people but still want a
casserole, here’s an easy one that can be made in about 10 minutes:
Spinach and Rice
3 tbsp butter
1/4 cup diced onion
2 Minute® Ready to Serve White Rice cups
1/2 cup drained canned spinach
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Place butter and onion in a 1-quart microwaveable casserole dish. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove from microwave.
Cook each cup of rice separately per package directions. Add rice, spinach, and half of the cheese to onion and butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well.
Top with remaining cheese and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Serve hot.
If baking rolls from scratch
sounds like too much trouble, frozen gluten-free Brazilian cheese rolls may be
an option. First, and most importantly, they’re delicious! Some are available
through grocery pick-up and delivery. In my city, there’s a bakery that makes
these. They sell them baked or frozen delivered by multiple services.
Even if the crowd size is reduced,
you may want to keep the desserts large and cut back the number of choices. Pie
is always a special treat, but I serve all sorts of desserts for Thanksgiving. I’ve
made personal size orange cakes, panna cotta with sweet potato topping, and cheesecake.
I also like banana bread, pumpkin bread, and iced pumpkin cookies. If you want
to eat dessert over a long period of time, making cookie dough and freezing three-fourths,
one-half, or one-third of it for the holiday and saving the best for later can
help you resist the temptation of eating more than you plan in one sitting.
Some areas are still experiencing
periodic shortages. Allowing more lead time and having some backup recipes will
make the holiday less stressful as you scale back Thanksgiving.
I’ve focused on adapting traditional Thanksgiving flavors, but many of us will have more freedom to shift gears and enjoy nontraditional menus this year. Whether you choose clam chowder or chili, hot dogs or shrimp, prime rib or neck bones, enjoying your selection with gusto is the recipe for a successful Thanksgiving holiday!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
