OK, I've got the ticker....Poly in August!!!

[DMGeurts]

I am no help with the turkey - Josh does all of that. I know the key is to keep it moist for the first few hours it cooks, so it gets that crust on it... So, Josh is basting every 15 min or so...

I can taste the meal already...

I love the wrapping 24 books idea! Fantastic tradition!

D~

 

[PrincessInOz]

I normally do Turkey for Christmas (we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia) and I normally get a Turkey breast roll from my poultry shop. They de-bone the breast and roll it into a net. It works pretty well for me and I do tend to baste it at least every 20 minutes or so during the cooking process.

I'm sure you'll do fine with your Turkey.

 

[solana131]

Don't let that turkey intimidate you! I have found that the easiest way to do it is in a roasting bag. The turkey stays nice and moist and the mess is minimal. The directions will be right there on the box that the bag comes in.

I really wish we could have TG at our house. MIL likes to have it at her house even though that makes 5 of us going to her house to join just the two of them. I don't like some of the food she makes, including the turkey that they cook on the smoker the DAY BEFORE and just warm in the microwave. I just take LOTS of other dishes to go with it that I do like to eat. I keep a good attitude by remembering that someday my kids are going to leave and have families of their own, and I will want them to come "home" for the holidays, too.

Yep, I've got my turkey bag all set to go. It is just a 13 pound bird, so it only says to cook it for a couple hours. It shouldn't be a whole day job. I'm just worried because I won't be there while it's cooking....makes me nervous.

I am no help with the turkey - Josh does all of that. I know the key is to keep it moist for the first few hours it cooks, so it gets that crust on it... So, Josh is basting every 15 min or so...

I can taste the meal already...

I love the wrapping 24 books idea! Fantastic tradition!

D~

First few hours??? My chart only says to cook my size turkey for 2 hours! And I won't be there while it's cooking to baste it. Does Josh put his in a bag? I have heard if it's in the bag it doesn't need to be basted....I hope. I'm still not sure how I am going to do this because I will be at my Nana's longer than 2 hours....so I guess I will need to run back home (15 min drive) and pop it in the oven when it comes time. Oy...what have I gotten myself into??? Good thing we will have a ham too

I normally do Turkey for Christmas (we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia) and I normally get a Turkey breast roll from my poultry shop. They de-bone the breast and roll it into a net. It works pretty well for me and I do tend to baste it at least every 20 minutes or so during the cooking process.

I'm sure you'll do fine with your Turkey.

Ahhh....again with the basting every 20 mins......I won't be there while it's cooking. But I think if you have a roasting bag, you don't need to baste it. We'll see. I will just make really really yummy side dishes just in case the turkey is dry

 

[oopsiDAISY]

You are correct that the turkey is "self basting" in the bag. The heat makes the bag sort of fill with air and the turkey juices bubble and boil in there and cover over the turkey to keep it nice and moist. You'll do fine!

 

[solana131]

You are correct that the turkey is "self basting" in the bag. The heat makes the bag sort of fill with air and the turkey juices bubble and boil in there and cover over the turkey to keep it nice and moist. You'll do fine!

Thanks oopsi I am really looking forward to it. I know I probably should not have planned to go to my Nana's....would've made the day so much more relaxing, but she is getting up there in years and who knows how much longer we will all get together at her house. To me, that is what the Holidays are all about....time with family....and I will do whatever I can to make that happen for my son. And I checked online again to see if I can cook the turkey at a lower temp for longer so I have more time at Nana's. I can get it down to 3 1/2 hours. That should be fine.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving (well, those in the states anyway)!

 

[LadyBeBop]

One hint. If you actually stuff the bird, you increase the necessary cooking time by about a half hour. A stuffed, 12lb turkey at 350 degrees should take about 3:30.

 

[KatMark]

Suzi, I made my very first turkey two years ago (I don't like turkey and chose never to make one). It truly is not that bad...you will be fine.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and the family.

 

[solana131]

One hint. If you actually stuff the bird, you increase the necessary cooking time by about a half hour. A stuffed, 12lb turkey at 350 degrees should take about 3:30.

We aren't big stuffing fans, so I wasn't planning on stuffing. I have some herbs and garlic and a lemon....I don't know, it sounds weird, but the online recipe assured me it was great.

Suzi, I made my very first turkey two years ago (I don't like turkey and chose never to make one). It truly is not that bad...you will be fine.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and the family.

Thanks Kathy. I know it will turn out just fine. I am just stressing about getting it all done in time. But it will be great and we will have yummy leftovers! Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

 

[solana131]

I just know I won't get back here at all tomorrow, so.....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
I hope you all have a wonderful Turkey Day and make lots of special memories with your family. Thank you all for being such great friends!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Happy Thanksgiving all.

 

[KatMark]

The same to you and your family.

 

[DMGeurts]

Just stopping by to wish one of my BFF Dis friends a fabulous Thanksgiving!

I know your first Thanksgiving dinner will go off with out a hitch - and I think your back up plan is amazing... If the turkey tanks, dessert for all! Whoot!

Thanks for everything Suzi!

D~

 

[Pixiedust530]

Happy Thanksgiving Suzi. I hope your turkey turned out okay (I am sure it did...what with all the great DIS advice around here)!

 

[jennyjinx3]

Hmmm...how did I not know about this pre-trip report??? Okay, a little late but I am here now!! We are staying at POR in May, I am hoping to like it! Happy belated birthday to your little man!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Hope your Turkey went well... and that your holiday was great...

I've never seen Eyore in the Turkey costume before ... CUTE...

 

[solana131]

Happy Thanksgiving all.

It sure was at my house Hope yours was a good one too!

The same to you and your family.

Thanks Kathy! It was a great weekend.

Just stopping by to wish one of my BFF Dis friends a fabulous Thanksgiving!

I know your first Thanksgiving dinner will go off with out a hitch - and I think your back up plan is amazing... If the turkey tanks, dessert for all! Whoot!

Thanks for everything Suzi!
D~

Awwww.... Thanks D! Turkey certainly didn't tank, it was very yummy! And so were the desserts

Happy Thanksgiving Suzi. I hope your turkey turned out okay (I am sure it did...what with all the great DIS advice around here)!

Thanks. We had a great Thanksgiving! And yes, the DIS advice helped very very much.

Hmmm...how did I not know about this pre-trip report??? Okay, a little late but I am here now!! We are staying at POR in May, I am hoping to like it! Happy belated birthday to your little man!

Jenny!!!! How did I not send you a PM when I started it??? Sorry about that, but you are here now And it really hasn't even gotten started yet, so you didn't miss much. I thought I was going to have to cancel the trip....and things are still kinda up in the air, but looking better now. I know I am going back sometime in 2013 or 2014, so you all don't mind if I just keep this going until then do you?? Glad to have you here!

Hope your Turkey went well... and that your holiday was great...

I've never seen Eyore in the Turkey costume before ... CUTE...

It did Patricia...the turkey was very good and the whole weekend was great. I know, I just couldn't pass up little Eeyore!




*********************************************************



So, just wanted to let you all know I now have cooked a turkey and it turned out fabulous! Very tasty indeed. I did end up putting stuffing in it. I wish you could've seen me trying to prep this stupid bird.....it was a sight! Let me walk you through it a little.

There I was finally getting ready to get this bird in the bag and in the oven. Standing at my sink, I took the wrappings off the turkey. Now remember, I don't cook "whole birds", meaning I have never even cooked a whole chicken before. I am usually a boneless type of girl. So I wasn't prepared for how ugly the little thing was. And I didn't know there were two holes to stuff! I called my Gram about a hundred times that morning. The first call was right then. I said "Gram, there are two holes in this turkey. Do I stuff the neck hole or the butt hole??" All she did was laugh at me! Can you believe that??!! She laughed at me!

After I figured out which end to stuff (put stuffing in one end and a whole onion in the other), and got all the giblets and crap out of the holes...I washed him all off nice and clean.

I got my stuffing all ready, floured my cooking bag, and called Gram again. "Gram, am I supposed to stuff this thing first or put it in the bag first?" Yep, that's how my morning went. She told me to put it in the bag first. Okay....But she also told me to rub vegetable oil all over it and put salt and pepper on it. All you normal people would've known to do this after putting it in the bag. Not me. There I was trying to get a greased up ugly turkey in a bag all by myself. I finally got ahold of the slippery little sucker, but had both my arms around it. How was I to open the bag?? BRADEY!!!!! Come help mommy for a second......

Yep, we finally got that thing in the oven and it cooked perfectly. I had to take two showers that day to get the vegetable oil off me...but everything turned out perfect.

I decided that I didn't want to deal with the stress of Black Friday. First time in my life I have not gone BF shopping with my mom and aunts. It was really really hard for me to sit home while they were out there. It is such a tradition for us, but I just didn't have the money. So I went Black Saturday shopping instead with my mom Spent much less on Sat than I would have on Friday

Overall it was a great weekend and I loved having 4 days off. Bill got a great bonus at work this year, so our finances are looking better! Hope everyone else had a great TG too!

 

[KatMark]

Suzi, so glad to hear the turkey turned out great.

And that hubby got a nice bonus to help ease your financial woes some.

 

[oopsiDAISY]

Oh, to have had Bill video you fixing that turkey!!!!! Glad it turned out good, though! Now, you are an old pro at it, next time will be a cinch!

So happy that your financial situation is better now, too. I know how stressful it can be at times, and the holidays are just the WORST time to have to experience the crunch.

 

[DMGeurts]

I am so glad that your bird turned out wonderful - I know how much you were stressing over it.

I am glad you were able to go black Saturday shopping, at least. We have had our fair share of hard Christmases - I am glad to hear things are looking up for you.



D~

 

[Pixiedust530]

I don't mean to laugh (okay...maybe a little) but the thought of you wrestling a greased up, naked, ugly bird into a bag is hilarious! Maybe that should be new "Minute To Win It" game!

Seriously...glad you got it all figured out and your bird came out okay on the other side!

I skipped Black Friday this year too. I did a little shopping on Wednesday and got some good deals. Congrats to hubby on a big bonus and helping ease some financial strain!