SAFETY TIPS FOR STORING LEFTOVERS

Kitchen Tip of the day: Storing Leftovers

Cut the turkey into small pieces; refrigerate stuffing and turkey separately in shallow containers within 2 hours of cooking. Use leftover turkey and stuffing within 3-4 days; gravy within 1-2 days; or freeze these foods. Reheat thoroughly to a temperature of 165 ° F or until hot and steaming.

Here’s a list of common leftovers and recommended refrigerator storage times:

• soups and stews: 3 to 4 days
• gravy and meat broth: 1 to 2 days
• cooked turkey, meat and meat dishes: 3 to 4 days
• cooked poultry dishes: 3 to 4 days
• casseroles:3 to 4 days
• luncheon meats: opened package 3 to 5 days; unopened package 2 weeks
• pasta & potato salads: 3 to 5 days

Easy Fresh Cranberry Sauce

This refreshing cranberry sauce can be made on Thanksgiving Day. That is how easy it is!

Click below for recipe

TURKEY BRINING 101

Kitchen Tip of the day:

This Thanksgiving, whether you are roasting or smoking your holiday turkey, don’t forget the most important step: brining.

Click below for directions

Easy TURKEY Pan Gravy

Perfect Turkey Gravy for Thanksgiving or Christmas…

I recommend making 1/2 cup gravy per person since it is Thanksgiving. You need that much gravy to pour over everything, and for leftovers. So here is the formula, click below to read the recipe.

HOW TO DEFROST / THAW YOUR THANKSGIVING TURKEY IN TIME

Kitchen Tip of the Day

click below to view thawing charts

Homemade Turkey Broth

A Thanksgiving turkey would be naked without the proper broth and gravy.

Click below for recipe

Stuffing and Dressing Cooking Tips and Hints

Kitchen Tip of the Day

Whether your family calls it stuffing or dressing, most likely the first thing that comes to mind is Thanksgiving. However, stuffing is not just for holidays and not just for poultry. Many varieties of seafood and vegetables are also prime candidates for stuffing.

Click below for more information

Kitchen Tip = ONLY 3 WEEKS UNTIL THANKSGIVING

YOU HAVE ONLY 3  WEEKS UNTIL THANKSGIVING

Think it’s too early to start planning Thanksgiving dinner? Think again! Nov. 26 may seem like a long way off, but for the holiday host, it’s right around the corner. That’s why each Tuesday until Turkey Day, I’ll bring you preparation tips to ensure your Thanksgiving is as smooth as your gravy (should be). Here are two tips to start thinking about today!

1. Get a head count.
Now’s the time to start inviting people to Thanksgiving dinner. If you’re thinking about it, chances are good your friends and family are, too. So if your cousin is bringing her new boyfriend, and both sets of grandparents are coming to town, as well as your parents and siblings, you’re going to need to figure out how to seat everyone at your small table with three mismatched chairs.

Getting a head count this early ensures you’ll have enough time to borrow tables, chairs and whatever other furniture items you need to so that everyone can eat comfortably, and then have a place to lounge when the tryptophan-wine combo sets in. And don’t forget to find out who’s a vegetarian, who’s allergic to nuts, and any other dietary restrictions you’ll be dealing with. The last thing you want to hear as you put your pecan pie on the table is that your cousin’s new boyfriend has a severe nut allergy.

2. Pre-order your turkey.
There are few things more stressful than trying to find a good turkey of the correct size during the week before Thanksgiving, especially if you want a fresh turkey over the 3-4 days to defrost a frozen turkey

Luckily, many grocery stores begin taking orders for turkeys around the beginning of November. And that early head count will let you know how much turkey you’ll need to ensure everyone leaves with bellies so full they’ll wish they’d worn sweatpants. Allow for one pound of turkey per person (that way you’ll most likely have leftovers for things like turkey sandwiches and other fun recipes I will be posting here after Thanksgiving.