Turkey

Time to get up away from the computer and start my thanksgiving prep...potluck dinner tomorrow with tons of friends.  I've made thanksgiving turkeys for years, so I'm definitely confident in that category!  My problem is getting as many things done ahead of time as possible (i.e., today) so I can enjoy tomorrow without being a stressed out woman in front of the oven all day. A couple things I've learned from having a crowd three years in a row:

-don't underestimate cooking time. A stuffed turkey takes longer. Whatever estimates I read, I usually add on 30-45 minutes to account for all the oven-opening and basting.  Don't count on the pop-up, use a meat thermometer. Cover the breast but not the legs - they need to be done to a higher temp, and this way the breast doesn't dry out.  Plan to have the turkey done 1-1 1/2 hrs before actual dinner time, so you have time to put all the other casseroles in the oven.  The turkey will stay hot enough under foil.
-simmer the giblets with some onion & celery and use that liquid when making your gravy.  Unless you have one of those freaks in your house that likes to cook & eat the heart/liver etc...ew. ;-)
- there is no room in the fridge for beer. Coolers & ice are where it's at. Or liquor. ;-)
- no crappy paper plates.  Disposable ones, yes, but nothing that will absorb the food quicker than you can eat it.
- foil, foil, and more foil.  Big ziploc bags. To-go containers.  Bags of ice. Dish detergent.
- it's pointless to buy anything other than an enormous turkey unless you don't want to deal with leftovers. I chose a 19-lb one and even that might be cutting it close.
and the most important clean-up move of all: cleaning up the turkey.  It's only pretty until you cut into it...after that, it's food. Take all the meat off the bone as soon as you can.  Keep the skin separate as much as possible.  Don't forget the back meat.  Put the meat in one containter and throw everything else in a huge stock pot.  Put the skin in, too, unless you want a less-fatty stock (or don't use *all* of it).  Cover the whole mess with water and bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and keep it going while you get everything else cleaned up.  I like to cook the stock for at least two hours.  Don't salt it or anything - you can do that later when you're using it to cook with.  When the stock has cooled enough that you can deal with it, strain out all the bones.  If there are any more big chunks of meat in there, you can pull them out, then throw the rest of the carcass away and refrigerate or freeze the stock in containers.  Or, throw in the meat & some veggies and make soup!

...and, most importantly...HAVE FUN. :-)