THANKSGIVING FORECAST - Turkeys will thaw in the morning, then warm in the oven to an afternoon high near 190 degrees. The kitchen will turn hot and humid, and if you bother the cook, be ready for a severe squall or cold shoulder. During the late afternoon and evening, the cold front of a knife will slice through the turkey, causing an accumulation of one to two inches on plates. Mashed potatoes will drift across one side while cranberry sauce creates slippery spots on the other. Please pass the gravy. A weight watch and indigestion warning will have been issued for the entire area, with increased stuffiness around the beltway. During the evening, the turkey will diminish and taper off to leftovers, dropping to a low of 34 degrees in the refrigerator. Looking ahead to Friday and Saturday, high pressure to eat sandwiches will be established. Flurries of leftovers can be expected both days with a 50 percent chance of scattered soup late in the day. We expect a warming trend where soup develops. By early next week, eating pressure will be low as the only wish left will be the bone.
[It’s not a good thing to take a turkey to church, especially because they use such fowl language.Speaking of turkeys, the American Poultry Association recognizes 8 types of turkeys – the bronze, Narragansett, bourbon red, black, slate, royal palm, Beltsville small white, and white Holland, which is the most commonly, raised turkey.]
[Domesticated turkeys can’t fly, but wild turkeys can, at speeds of up to 55mph.They’re not too slow on foot, either, running as fast as 20-25mph!They have no external ears, yet have excellent hearing.Turkeys can see in color, cannot see well at night, and have a wide field of vision (about 270 degrees).They also have a poor sense of smell, but an excellent sense of taste.Did you know that Benjamin Franklin proposed that the turkey become the official bird of the United States?Yep, and he was really upset when the eagle was chosen!]
[As best our records can tell, the original Thanksgiving menu included venison, fowl (probably not turkey), fish, seafood, grains (including corn which was used for making cornmeal and fried bread), fruits (which included boiled pumpkin), vegetables, nuts, herbs and seasonings.A little different than today’s menu wouldn’t you say?Charles Dickens is created for popularizing the serving of turkey on holidays, thanks to ‘The Christmas Story’.Before that, it was swans, peacocks, cranes and geese for special occasions.]
[The first American Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, and was celebrated thereafter following fall harvests – although the 13 colonies did not celebrate it on the same day.In 1789 President George Washington declared it a holiday, but it was Abraham Lincoln (in 1863) who officially declared the last Thursday of November as the day of Thanksgiving.Then, in 1939, 1940, and 1941, F.D.R. (looking to lengthen the Christmas shopping season) proclaimed Thanksgiving to be the third Thursday in November.Controversy ensued, and in 1941, Congress passed a joint resolution decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November, where it remains.]
Thanksgiving Poem
Twas the night of Thanksgiving, but I just couldn’t sleep.I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep.The leftovers beckoned – the dark meat and white.But I fought the temptation with all of my might.Tossing and turning with anticipation, the thought of a snack became infatuation.So I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door, and gazed at the fridge full of goodies galore.I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes, pickles and carrots and beans and tomatoes.I felt myself swelling so plump and so round, ‘Till all of a sudden I rose off the ground.I crashed thru the ceiling, floating into the sky with a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees, “Happy eating to all – pass the cranberries please!
White Castle Turkey Stuffing | Makes about 9 cups
INGREDIENTS: 10–12 White Castle sliders (original or cheeseburger; buy from the restaurant and remove pickles or purchase in the freezer section of the grocery store and prepare according to instructions)
1 1/2 cups diced celery1 1/4 teaspoons ground thyme1 1/2 teaspoons ground sage
3/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper1 cup chicken broth (1/4 cup if cooking stuffing inside turkey)
DIRECTIONS: Cut or tear burgers into small pieces and combine in mixing bowl with celery, thyme, sage and black pepper. Toss ingredients. Add chicken broth (use only 1/4 cup if stuffing turkey) and toss again. If cooking in casserole dish, preheat oven to 350 F and bake for 35 minutes. If cooking inside turkey, stuff mixture into the turkey cavity just before roasting.
[North Carolina produces the most turkeys each year, with Minnesota and Arkansas right behind them.Californians eat the most turkey in the country each year, eating 3 pounds more than the average American consumer.More than 46 million turkeys are cooked each Thanksgiving (average weight of about 15 pounds), and the most popular way of eating turkey, is the good old turkey sandwich.By the way, June is National Turkey Lover’s Month.Go figure.]
DO YOURSELF A FAVOR.TAKE TIME TO GIVE THANKS, AND HAVE THE BEST THANKSGIVING OF YOUR LIFE! SEE YA!-Ron Wilson your Personal Yardboy