With today being Election Day we expect the politicians to talk turkey - meaning talking seriously about important topics. Yet home chefs are also talking turkey - literally.Thanksgiving is three weeks away and it's time to get serious about the big dinner ahead.
This is the time to start thinking about who;s coming and their likes ,dislikes and allergies. The number of people determines how big a bird you'll have to buy Even a small gathering of six people requires an eight to twelve pound turkey.What about a vegan holiday? Several stores have the Tofurkey bundle which includes a Tofurkey loaf and usually also has wild rice stuffing along with gravy and easier (and maybe tastier) cook is Gardein;s turkey cutlets .You get four in a pack along with gravy .Their;s tastes the most like turkey and is perfect because the cutlets only take around fifteen minutes to cook in the air fryer. If you do want the same taste but more traditional turk'y roast with wild rice ,cranberry and kale stuffing. There is also a generous packet of vegan gravy too. This is on my radar for the big dinner. As for gravy , you can think of making it yourself however if you have a big crowd then think about extra jars of gravy . After all there are people who live to drench their stuffing and mashed potatoes in gravy.
This brings up the next question - stuffing. Do you go for Stivetop or scratch baked in the oven.Even though I will have stuffing from my turk'y loaf .I still would like a homemade baked stuffing. I plan on putting a different spin on mine adding possibly croissants, pretzels and bagel chunks. This will give the filling a different, more flavorful bite. Sweet potatoes are another topic of discussion. Many love the candied version where they;re baked in a cassarole dish, smothered in marshmallows. That's fine for traditionalists however enjoy their sweet earthy flavor by just steaming them in the microwave. You an also roast them in the air fryer however the time period is long - around thirty to forty-five minutes. This length of time can be too much for the average air fryer and cause the machine to smoke.You could do a hybrid cook of steaming them first for ten minutes , then roasting in the air fryer for ten to fifteen minutes.You get a fluffy interior and a crispy exterior.As for veggies, Brussell sprouts are always good, especially if they're swimming in a butter and Parnesian sauce. Green bean casseroles are usually served too. Add some almonds to make it a bit more interesting.
Yes, it is time to talk turkey. Get your menu in order for the big day ahead. A plan for Thanksgiving. is always good.
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