How to prepare a Thanksgiving Dinner

By: Luis Vargas, Dana Wondercheck, Logan Jones, Kevin Cochran

Table of Contents

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Table of Contents How to prepare a Thanksgiving Dinner .......................................................................................... 1 Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... iii Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... v LETS GET S TARTED ................................................................................................................... v Main Dish...................................................................................................................................... vii Main Dish........................................................................................................................................ 3 Roasting a Turkey ....................................................................................................................... 3 Side Dish ......................................................................................................................................... 5 Side Dish ......................................................................................................................................... 7 GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE ........................................................................................................... 7 Turkey Stuffing ........................................................................................................................... 8 Desserts ......................................................................................................................................... 10 PUMPKIN PIE ............................................................................................................................. 10 Index ............................................................................................................................................. 13 Works Cited .................................................................................................................................. 14

Introduction

Introduction

LETS GET STARTED

Since youre reading this I assume that you drew the short straw for cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year. There are many steps involved in making the perfect Thanksgiving dinner for the family, but reading through this booklet should put your mind at ease.

Are you roasting a whole turkey for the first time this year? Or perhaps you've done this many times before, but you want a quick refresher to brush up on the basics? We'll help you make your mom proud with these step-by-step instructions for roasting a delicious turkey. But, of course, it wouldnt be complete without a couple delicious side dishes, too.

Main Dish

Main Dish

Main Dish
Ingredients

Roasting a Turkey
1 Turkey, any size (depends on how many youre feeding) 2 cups of broth Melted unsalted butter (for basting) Salt and pepper Roasting pan Roasting rack Turkey baster or spoon

Instructions
Be sure to let the turkey thaw completely before cooking it. A good rule of thumb is 24 hours in the refrigerator for every five pounds of turkey. 1. Prepare the Turkey for Roasting - About an hour before roasting, take the turkey out of the fridge. Remove any packaging and the bag of giblets (check in the body cavity). Set the turkey breast-side up on the roasting rack and let it sit. This takes the chill off the meat, which helps the meat cook faster and more evenly, and it dries out the skin, which promotes browning and crisping. 2. Heat the Oven to 450F - Position an oven rack in the bottom third of your oven. If your turkey is straight out of the package, rub it with some salt and pepper before putting it in the oven. It is recommended that leaving your turkey un-stuffed and un-trussed, both because it's easier and because the turkey will cook more evenly.

3. Roast the Turkey - Pour two cups of broth or water into the roasting pan. Place the turkey in the oven and turn down the heat to 350F. We're going for a breast-side up approach here. Some recipes advocate starting the turkey breast-side down to shield the breast meat, but the idea of flipping a hot, sputtering turkey is not our idea of a good time. Instead, we like to shield the breast meat with foil toward the end of cooking if it starts getting too browned. 4. Cooking Time - The rule of thumb for cooking a turkey is 13 minutes per pound. So our 16pound turkey should have taken about 3 1/2 hours to cook. However, some factors like cooking with an empty (un-stuffed) cavity, or leaving the legs un-tied will contribute to much faster cooking. Plan on the 13-minute-per-pound rule, but start checking the temperature of your turkey about halfway through the scheduled cooking time to gauge how fast it's cooking.

How to prepare a Thanksgiving Dinner

5. Baste the Turkey - Every 45 minutes, remove the turkey from the oven, close the oven door (don't let that heat out!), and baste the turkey all over. To baste, tilt the pan and use a turkey baster or spoon to scoop up the liquids and drizzle them on top of the turkey. Basting with pan juices cools the surface of the turkey and slows down cooking, which in turn keeps the breast meat cooking at close to the same rate as the legs and thighs. 6. Check the Temperature - To make sure that turkey is fully cooked through and through, we like to check its temperature in three places: the breast, the outer thigh, and the inside thigh (see photos above). In every case, the meat should be at least 165F. If any place is under that temperature, put the turkey back in the oven for another 20 minutes. Shield the breast meat with foil if needed to keep it from overcooking

7. Rest the Turkey - Grab one side of the roasting rack with an oven mitt and tilt the turkey so liquids inside the cavity run out into the pan. (These juices are used to make the gravy.) Then, lift the whole turkey (still on the rack) and transfer it to a cutting board. Tent the turkey with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This gives time for the meat to firm up and the juices to be reabsorbed into the muscle tissue, making the turkey easier to slice and taste juicier. 8. Carve the Turkey - Carve the turkey the same way you would carve a chicken. Remove the wings first, then the thighs, then the breast meat. Once you have the meat off, you can separate the thighs into thighs and drumsticks and carve the breast meat into individual slices.

Side Dish

Side Dishes

Side Dish
Total time: 40 min Prep time: 5 min Cook time: 35 min

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Ingredients
1 (10 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup 1/4 cup milk 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 2 (14 ounce) cans cut green beans, drained 1 1/3 cups French-fried onions (French's)

Directions
1. Combine soup, milk and pepper in a 1 qtr. baking dish; stir until blended. 2. Stir in beans and 2/3 cup fried onions. 3. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until hot. 4. Stir. 5. Sprinkle with remaining 2/3 cup fried onions. 6. Bake 5 more minutes or until onions are golden.

How to prepare a Thanksgiving Dinner

Turkey Stuffing
Total time: 60 min

Ingredients
1 one-pound loaf of white bread set out overnight 4 cups (2 pounds) chopped vegetables (2 medium celery stalks, sliced (1 cup), 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup), 2 medium carrots, shredded (1 1/2 cups), 1 medium zucchini, shredded (1 cup)) 1 cup fresh herbs, predominantly parsley, sage, and thyme 2 cups or less turkey stock (or 3 eggs) 1 pound (sausage or beef) Butter and/or olive oil (4 cups) 1 cups of pecans 3 tablespoons seasoning

Directions
1. Cut bread into to inch-thick slices and set out overnight to dry After the bread is completely dry, break into 1/4-inch cubes 2. Chop vegetables and fresh herbs 3. Saut Meat: Remove fat and saut sausage, pork, or beef until cooked thoroughly Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon 4. Saut Vegetables: Saut the chopped vegetables in the rendered fat from the meat (or in butter and olive oil) until soft 5. Mix ingredients: Combine cooked meat, vegetables, pecans, and bread; toss 6. Season: Add herbs and seasoning; toss again 7. Add Liquid: Add turkey stock and adjust seasoning to preferred taste (if you are using eggs add them after seasoning adjustment). Toss until combined - over mixing yields a gummy texture

Side Dishes 8. Stuff Turkey: Stuff turkey just before roasting it. Use 1/2 to 3/4 cup stuffing for each pound of dont pack stuffing too tightly; it expands as it cooks. Use a thermometer to ensure that stuffing reaches 165 degrees; remove as soon as turkey comes out of oven. Bake any extra stuffing in a covered and buttered baking dish at 375 degrees until top is golden brown (30 to 40 minutes.)

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How to prepare a Thanksgiving Dinner

Desserts
PUMPKIN
Total time: 60 min Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 45 min

PIE

Ingredients
cup granulated sugar 1-teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon salt teaspoon ground ginger teaspoon ground cloves 2 large eggs 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBYS 100% Pure Pumpkin 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLE CARNATION Evaporated Milk 1 unbaked 9-ince (4 cup volume) deep-dish pie shell Whipped cream (optional)

Directions
To prep the pie to be cooked, you will need create the pie filling by mixing the ingredients together and PREHEAT the oven to 425 F. The measurements of the ingredients are listed below. 1. Start by getting a small bowl to mix all the dry ingredients into and a large bowl to mix all the ingredients together into. 2. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves. 3. Beat eggs in the large bowl. 4. Add the dry ingredients and LIBBYS pumpkin mixture to the large bowl with eggs and mix thoroughly while slowly adding in the evaporated milk. 5. Pour the filling into the pie shell. 1. *Your pie is now ready to be baked and your oven should be heated to the desired 425 F. If you forgot to preheat the oven, do so now. 6. Bake pie for 15 minutes at 425 F.

Side Dishes

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7. Reduce the temperature to 350 F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. 2. *Time may vary based on your oven, so you can check your pie by inserting a knife or toothpick near the center of the pie. If the knife or toothpick comes out clean, your pie is done. 8. Cool pie on a wire rack for 2 hours. 3. Your pumpkin pie is now ready to be served with some whipped cream on top or refrigerated to be served at a later time.

Index

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Index
Bake, 11, 12 cooking, 5, 6, 16 temperature, 5, 6, 13 Temperature, 6 turkey, 5, 6, 16 Turkey, iii, 5, 6 whole, 5, 6

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How to prepare a Thanksgiving Dinner

Works Cited
http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18470/libbys-famous-pumpkin-pie/detail.aspx http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-a-turkey-the-simplest-easiest-method-cooking-lessonsfrom-the-kitchn-160905 http://www.food.com/recipe/green-bean-casserole-47102/photo