Birthday!

Happiest of birthdays, otherdeb!

Cooking Update I

Expect cooking spam all day.

The turkey is thawed and sitting on the counter.

I have constructed a beef stew - I browned three pounds of stew meat on top of the stove. Meanwile, I chopped and (if necessary) peeled two onions, half a stalk of celery, a pound of carrots and three sweet potatoes and put them in a roasting pan. As each batch of meat browned (I did it in three batches), I added them to the roasting pan. As the last batch finished up, I added dried rosemary, freshly ground pepper, bay leaves and a large can of diced tomatoes. After I added the last of the stew meat, I poured some water into the browning pan, added a splash of cider vinegar, deglazed the pot and poured that in the roasting pan. I stirred everything up, covered the pan with aluminum foil and put it in a 400°F oven, where it will cook for the next four or so hours, to be replaced by the turkey and the stuffing.

Cooking Spam II

Stew is out of the oven and cooling.

In the oven: baked carrots and stuffing.

Baked carrots: three pounds of "baby" carrots, drizzled with honey, plus ground ginger and cinnamon.

Stuffing: celery, onions and mushrooms, sautéd in the chicken fat from the soup, plus a ladle of the soup itself (and salt,rosemary, garlic powder, black pepper and bay leaves.) This mixed with more chicken fat and soup, plain rye croutons and two eggs.) Placed in a baking pan and covered with foil.

And again - Cooking III.

The turkey is in the oven. I prepare my turkeys very simply - I flavor them with whatever strikes my fancy (in this case, black pepper and garlic powder) and oil them. I do not brine them because they're kosher and therefore they come brined already. The oven was 400°F when I put the turkey in (breast down, on a "rack" of celery). I turned it down to 325°F.

I also put up a pot of water for the noodles for the soup and since I wasn't happy about the carrots, they're now cooking on top of the stove. I'l put them back in the oven along with the stuffing while the turkey rests.

At that point, I shall be done, and all that will remain will be setting the table, taking a shower, getting the house ready for yom tov and getting dressed.

L'shana Tova

May all who celebrate have wonderful holiday - and may all of you be blessed with health, love and prosperity for the next year.

I'll be back Saturday night. Maybe.