First Thanksgiving in Newly done kitchen

18 years ago

I lurk here, have been over on kit for a long time. This is the first Thanksgiving in my newly done kitchen. Here is my report:

Made the dressing the day before, decided it was too wet on Thurs morning, dried out a loaf of bread to add to the dressing, mixed it all, added more pork sausage, sauteed onions and celery, it was perfect. Stuffed the turkey on Thurs about 1'ish - now that I have convection, it does not take as long to cook. Put the 14 pound turkey in at 1:30 for a 5pm dinner. Well, the "probe" (newfangled thing you can do - attached to the meat and the oven), told me the turkey was done at 2:30. Lowered the temp (guests not even here yet). Well a bit after the guests arrived and the probe thing was rising I figured I should take turkey out and cover and let it sit. So I did. Well, maybe I should cut into it to make sure. Cut into the joint from thigh to body, blood running all over. Put the turkey back into the oven, inserted the probe AND a regular meat thermometer. Half hour later, it is done. Took the mother out, cut in again and more blood. Back into the oven, added yet another thermometer (the turkey looked like it was in ICU)! Meanwhile, all the trimmings were done, hot, in serving bowls all over the kitchen, as were all the guests who were wondering if I would ever accomplish this task. By the time the darn thing got done, I had to nuke some of the other bowls so they would be hot. All in all, it was a lovely day and I am so happy to be a cook again..................................................

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Comments (5)

msafirstein
18 years ago
Congratulations!! I have the probes too but have not used them yet. We probably should try them out but the turkey is Joe's job and I don't suggest anything nor get in his way.

This was our first Thanksgiving in our new kitchen too. Last year we had a hot plate and frig and that is it, not even a sink and we were living in the basement. Christmas '06 was a bit easier as I had a temporary kitchen by then but still in the basement. And we had a sink and a toaster oven and counter space too. So all in all I was without a full kitchen for 11 months.

I cooked up a storm this TG just to see if I could do it and I did!

Michelle
shequit
Original Author
18 years ago
Michelle - you have a husband who cooks? I am so jealous. I can relate to the hot-plate, I used an elec fry pan so much during the re-hab that I could have baked a cake in it. I got clever. This convection is a new way of cooking and I did practice it, with a large chicken - turned out great, a bone-in pork roast, delicious, a bone-in turkey breast, perfect. But this "whole turkey" threw me for a loop. I am wondering if the famous "probe" has gone south. I am going to call GE on Mon. while I still have warranty and have someone come here. The whole episode (Thanksgiving) was too strange as far as how the turkey cooked (or did not). We did have fun though - nothing like good friends and family.
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cooperbailey
18 years ago
Me too!! I had a blast cooking t- day dinner and I had almost the same experience with the probe, but I stuck it in the wrong part of the turkey, duh. Convection really is a wonder. DH worked on the undercab lights today and after that is done will put up the beadboard backsplash. We stopped working on the kitchen to do garden work last spring, and are finishing up the kitchen. Sue
san_
18 years ago
sorry to hear about your ICU turkey but man--what a great story to read! course that's because the only mishap here was that i forgot to retrieve the baked squash from the oven until we were cleaning up the kitchen :) but glad to hear you persevered and won--congrats on the new kitchen!
shequit
Original Author
18 years ago
msfirstein - you have not used the probe? It has worked well a few times for me but not on Thanksgiving. A friend of mine suggested to forget the probe and buy a Sonoma meat thermometer. Ever use that?

Cooper - I stuck the darn probe into more places than the turkey was born with and it still said "It is done". I was too busy to call GE in the last several days (picking out colors for the kit/fam rms) but while it is still under warranty, I will have it checked.

San - you have no idea how many times I have forgotten a dish. At my age, over 60, I now do a menu on my wordprocessor and put it in a frame on my counter. Guests think it is clever. Little do they know that if I did not have it, they would be eating only salad and dessert.

First Thanksgiving in Newly done kitchen

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First Thanksgiving in Newly done kitchen

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